The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1875-10-16

DAIRY FARMING.

Agricultural Society:
In accordance with resolution pass
ed at the February meeting of this As
ISOLATION, l have prepared statement
of my experience in Dairy Farming as
regards milk and butter, with my con-
illusions therefrom
Since April LIST, 1861, have kept an
accurate system of farm accounts, and
am thereby enabled to give few fig
ures. On that date had twelve cows;
the gross yield of calves, butter, milk
and cream to April 1st, 1868, was ST.
1924, making the average yield per
COW $685.; from April lst, 1868, to
April lst, 1869, kept an average of
fifteen cows; the gross yield of calves,
butter milk and cream for this year
was $l,71O29, making the average
yield per COW, 114.02 from April lst
to September LIST, 1869, l kept an aver
age of eighteen cows the gross yield
for these five months was $S79.32, max
ing the average yield per COW $4s.s5,
or an average for year of SILICA per
cow The months would have been
much larger if l had credited the cows
with the hogs fed on the skim milk.
| then went into the milk business,
and continued it until November lst,
1872, when l gave it up and resumed
the butter dairy in small way.
| will omit the receipts of the milk
business for September and October,
1869, as did not get things organized
much before November 1st From this
date to November LIST, 1870, kept an
average of fifty-ive COWS; the gross
yield for this year was $7,3S3.l3, max
ing the average yield per COW $l34.23.
From November lst, 1870, to Novem-
Der lst, 1871, kept an average of so
cows; the gross yield for this year was
$S,69364. making the average yield per
COW $l73S7.
From November lst, 1871, to No
vember 1st, 1872, kept an average of
4s cows; the gross yield for this year
was $S,233.15, making the average
yield per COW $17l.52 This last aver
age was made in spite of the prevalence
of pleuro-pneumonia in my stable dur
ing the greater part of the year. Since
January LIST, 1873, have kept an aver
age of ten cows; the gross yield of
milk, butter, calves and pigs fed from
the dairy in two years and two months
to March lst of this year was 50, 711.43,
making the average yield per COW per
year $l25.14 1 receive 40 cents per
pound for the butter all the year from
storekeeper in Cantonsville, one mile
from my farm, and keep two Chester
brood sows on the skim milk, selling
the pigs at So and 81 apiece when six
weeks old l feel assured that any
farmer pursuing the ordinary rotation
of grain and grass can proftably carry
on butter dairy if he can average 40
cents per pound for his butter the whole
year.
After a number of experiments in
various modes of feeding butter cows,
consider the best results can be at
tanned by good pasture in Summer and
clover hay, yellow corn chop and man.
gel-wurtzel in Winter
The following is careful estimate of
the cost per cow Of my present mode of
feeding for one year:
Six months pasture at So, $500
2,700 lbs. clover hay, ALLOWING
Is lbs per day for 1870 days.,
at rs cents, 20.25
900 lbs. chop, at SLIGO per 100
lbs, allowing 5 lbs. per day
for $50 days., 14.40
Corn fodder fed in the barnyard
at cts. per day for $50 days 900
90 bushels mangel- wurtzel at 10
cts. per bus. q bus. per day. 900
Lob 60
Total ss4.s5
The hay is cut and with the chop
made into mash feed-giving clear
profit of about $50 per head after pay
ing the full market price for all the pro-
duce fed, including pasture, and with
out giving any credit for the valuable
manure made.
The above results have been attained
from what are called common or grade
cows, some probably half Attorney
There is no question that the jersey
is the best butter breed, and except IN
der peculiar circumstances, l think a
farmer deciding to sell butter should
endeavor to start herd of pure Jer-
seys or Attorneys as soon as he is able.
l am pursuing a different system be-
causes, owing to my proximity to the
city, do not think it pays me to raise
stock of any kind, and only aim to
keep those that are producing something
every day. find that can buy plenty
of good cows at reasonable prices. Of
course a farmer supplying the labor
from his own family, and in sections of
the country where hay is less than SIS
per ton, corn less than 81 per barrel,
and pasture less than So per month can
largely increase the profits.
There are very few sections of Mary
land SO remote from market that
farmer cannot secure an average of 40
cents for good butter.
I do not think it profitable to steam
food for cows except in the milk bust
ness. After carefully measuring the
milk of two Cummings in the past two
weeks, | find that the average yield of
butter is one pound to two gallons and
one quart of milk.
| am now making sixty pounds of
butter per week from twelve COWS.
oOhiO ho'S oCSd LlhhluS SluCC all,
and some are heifers with their first
calves, so that l feel very we'll satisfied
with the present average of five pounds
per week.
AS regards the milk business, l think
it can only be carried on proftably by
the system and regularity observed in
large manufacturing establishments, and
the farmer should work it to the full
extent Of his capital and his market.
Keep as many cows as you can, feed
them as much as you can coax them to
eat of the richest and most nutritious
food, and steam everything in the Win
ter
The milk producer should never en-
cumber himself with young stock if
he has feed for these it is better to keep
few more cows that will yield him a
1oi1u ipcop,o Rnr ooo1 frocb oo,v.