21.   It may be getting worse in the dairy industry, where falling milk prices have pushed farmers to expand their herds while skimping on manure-handling gear.

22.   Lower feed costs encourage feedlot operators to expand their herds of feeder cattle as it becomes more profitable to raise them to market weight.

23.   Lured by rising prices last year, ranchers began plans to expand their herds.

24.   Lower feed costs are expected to further encourage producers to expand their herds.

25.   Lower grain costs allowed farmers to profit from raising hogs, encouraging them to expand their herds after liquidating them last year amid soaring costs.

26.   Still, some analysts expect that the high prices farmers were able to sell their hogs at this summer will lead then to expand the herd.

27.   The increase would come as feed costs declined, making it more profitable for farmers to raise animals to market weight and encouraging them to expand their herds.

28.   The increase comes as feed costs declined, making it more profitable for farmers to raise animals to market-weight and encouraging them to expand their herds.

29.   The increase in the number of female hogs held back for reproduction is a further sign that farmers are expanding their herds, analysts said.

30.   The shortage of feed-quality wheat has pushed wheat prices higher and forced many Asian countries with expanding livestock herds turning to corn as a feed substitute.