ABSTRACT
This chapter presents indirect evidence on farm labor supply by examining livestock production as a crucial alternative on-farm labor use. It identifies the production structure and technical coefficients for livestock on traditional farms, and examines feeding practices and patterns of feed availability. The chapter explores output quantities and distribution, and seeks to measure economic costs, benefits and returns. It discusses the interface of crop production with livestock production and the role of family and hired labor. The chapter aims to determine how these factors vary by farm size. It draws mainly upon data from the 1977 Farm Management Survey to address these and other issues. Total labor use for livestock production exceeds labor use for crop production on smaller farms. The association between family labor and livestock production can be seen by noting the difference in the use of family and hired labor.
