Knowing how many goats as an example or acres of grain are being raised has a effect on future prices and surpluses "low prices" or shortages "high prices" of those products. Grain planted by farmers may be regulated to keep supply and demand near equal with no big price swings. Milk price supports may be adjusted according to number of producing cows. Cattlemen may look at the finished Census Report and adjust their herd goals for the coming years. In theory it is supposed to stabilize and inform what is going on with the food supply. Without the variables of climatic variables.
In my opinion in todays dynamic world demands, five years is too far apart. Ten years for people Census is a good time frame. Pigs, cows, and goats can have many generations of progeny in that time frame.
