Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1883-08-03
Agricultural.
Does che Average Cow Pay the Cost OF
mgr Hoard


IHcr Hoard
According to the census Of 1880 tho COWS Of
the United States averaged but G2l pounds Of
butter, cnch, for the year. This result is OBJ
tanned by dividing the whole amount Of but
ter made by the whole number Of COWS, and
docs not show the average product whom all
the milk is used for butter. In this state wo
now have largo number Of diaries that ave-
rage more than 200 pounds Of butter to each
cow and few claim to have reached an ave-
rage Of more than 300 pounds. Making al
lowance for milk sold, consumed at home and
made into cheese, it appears from the census
that the average yearly product Of butter from
a COW in the United States falls considerably
below 100 pounds. If all the milk was used
for making butter, it is probable that the ave-
rage product would not exceed 30 pounds to
each COW.
These figures suggest the question, What is
the net profit? It is difficult to figure it in
any way that will not leave the average COW
in debt to the owner or feeder. In all the
principal dairying districts the COW will con.
sumo at least two tons of hay during the win
ter months, and this hay alone, taken at the
barn where it is fed, is about equal in value
to 30 pounds OF butter. If the COW is fed at
the stable during the summer months, or soil
ing is practioed, the hay which she will con-
sumo, or its equivalent will not be less than
four tons. If she is pastured during the sum
mer months the cost of keeping for the year
is generally materially lessened, but still we
have the value of the pasturage to deduct
from the price of the butter, for the butter
only pays for the hay. Besides this, in the
aggregate, there is a large additional cost for
meal, grain or roots fed, which we have not
considered. The butter from tho milk of an
average COW, then, does not pay for her keep
ing. The butter, however, is not quite all
that should DO credited. The skinned milk
is worth something The calf, if she has one,
may not be entirely ysluoless, though it is not
usually considered worth much at birth But
the value of these in the aggregate is much
less than the grain which tho COW consumes,
while the hay which it takes to keep her dur
ing the winter alone is equal in value to the
total product of butter.
So much for the average COW and the aver
age profit of butter-making. But the greater
part of Vermont farmers do not keep the av-
orage COW of the United States. The average
COW of Vermont is better. The butter of
many diaries in this state is sold for more than
enough to pay the cost of keeping the cows :;
but these are not dairies that average less than
100 pounds to a COW. In diaries where all
the milk is used for butter, the average in
this state TO each COW is probably not less
than 12j pounds
1t will not be understood that the thousands
Of farmers who have cows that do not pay the
cost of keeping get nothing for their labor
The food which the cows consume is the pro.
duct of the farm, and, though it might bring
more if sold directly, that would impoverish
the land. Unless fertili2ing material is pur-
chased, it is necessary that the crops should
be fed upon the farm to maintain its fertility
even if they bring less in this way than when
sold directly.