ABSTRACT
The domestic livestock industry in the U.S. is a large and complex business. During 1982, 1.6 million cattle producers marketed 39.3 million hd of cattle and calves, while 484,000 hog operations were responsible for providing 82.8 million hogs to slaughter, and 129,000 sheep operations produced 6.7 million hd of sheep and lambs. Although farm level marketings amount to billions of dollars per year, this pales in comparison to the total scope of animal agriculture that includes not only the producers of dairy and dairy products, poultry, and other meats, but also the processors, marketers, retailers, and others in the complete marketing chain from the farm gate to the kitchen table.
