New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1890-01-20
COST OF PRODUCING MILK.
STARTLING FIGURES FOR THE CONSUMER
TO PONDER ON.
A HERD OF FIFTEEN COWS YIELDING $4,000
or,rrs or MILK A YEAR, YET BRINGING
TO THE FARMER ONLY s2i = HOW
CAN DAIRYMEN LIVEl

QUARTS OF MILK YEAR, YET BRINGING
TO THE FARMER ONLY s2l = HOW
CAN DAIRYMEN L1vE'
Middlctown, n. Y, Jan. l7,-Numcrous mis-
statements have been published concerning the cost
Of producing milk, and now that the light OF the
aairymen for sclf-preservation has begun, 1t is
time TO show the public precisely how matters
stand on the farm. Few farmers Keep accounts
AS Nathan W. Howell, of Blooming Grove, Orange
County. saws. the majority of farmers know howe
much money they've got and how much they
owe and that's about all they can tell you at
abe end of the wear Inquiry among half a score
pf GOOD men in this neghborhood failed to find
one who could produce o book to show his gains
and losses for the year. but all united in express
ing the belief that Oscar w. Mapes had everything
down in black and white Mr. Mapcs lives ABOUT
four miles from this place on farm which en-
ables him TO keep body and soul together ahd
with the help of his wife and two nearly grown
sons. to support a family consisting OF VIE
and three sons the Youngest boy being just old
enough to mind a calf The writer called on MI
Mapes this evening and had a talk with him
The farm consists of seventy acres of good orange
County land. and the dairy consists OF hiteen
cows
"What are vour COWS worth ~ Mr.. Mapes
hsked.
Il should say about $40 apiece" he replied
"What is the average annual yield OF milk
For cow past four years old, 5000 quarts
What does it cost you TO feed COW year =
"Just for the feed alone it costs me S4s if
the COW is dry in summer, $4j if she's dry in
winter"
How many months in year are your cows
in milk ?"
"On al average, ten months
I'm estimating the cost of keeping COW, what
price do you allow for hay and grain p
"For hay $40 a ton, for grain SIS ton
The price of feed is lower this winter than usual,
which is a blessed thing for the farmer
What kind of grain do you use p
81 feed a mixture of wheat bran, dried Drew
crs' grains dried glucose meal and hominy meal,
equal parts by weight, giving each COW thirteen
pounds a day. six and one-half pounds in the
morning, six and one-half at night. That's for
the winter. In the summer they get half that
much. They get pasturage about five months
in the year worth at the market price 81 80
month.
Now. Mr. Mapes, we'll do a little figuring
The average monthly price of milk in 1889 was
$500 cents. The yield of one OF your cows at
that price would bring in 81 40. Now Tor the
outso. The cows feed cost you $40 80. You
had TO hire some one to look after her. milk her
and get her milk to the station What did that
cost?'
well, one man can look after twenty cows,
and you have to pay him $50 month. tie
must have somebody to help him milk, say thiee
hours day. That would be 81 a month more,
making S37 Estimate that for seven months
in the wear. For the other five months make 1T
S22 a month. the wages OF the nrst ihah
during that time would lie only SD
That ma keS 1869 year for labor.
Divide it by twenty to get the cost OF tend
ing one cow"
Just SIS As cow
"All right. That's what make it, Now, as
TO getting the milk TO the station. calculate
that il costs me just 50 6j COW, and TOT draw
ing the feed from the station to the barn, why,
that's So more for each COW.
Then there are the cans.
"Oh. YES Cans cost So apiece. and you've got
TO have at least one can TO the COW. lSnd seI
along better with can and hail, which makes
"a 30 TO the COW. can lasts four or hNe years,
SO call the expense 81 year. .. -, ,ho
Then there's the interest on the cos' Vi Vic
Yes At per cent that would be 81 40
And what OF the depreciation OF the COW
You must be buying new COWS all the tlihe anu
selling the old ones that are worn ont; o,
Certainly ] estimate that at about 81 a
year" al, ao,r,s ,.,o,d hv had
debts How much is that
Il lose very little. because ! very careful
whom | sell TO. I'm the last eighteen years I've
lost only $3.50 in that way.
Well all the expenses foot up exactly S's.
Take that from the money the milk brings az
the market price and YOU II have Tie amount
cleared on each Of my cows last year.
Cant do it, Mr.. Mapcs The milk fetched
only S71 40, which makes yOu Out loser 10 the
extent of 90 cents each COW, or 80 on the whole
herd don't see how your dairy can pay you al
those figures But hold on, Mr. Mapes, what
about the calves? Doesn't each COW drop calf
every year 49,.
~0f cour.e ! thought there something
left ont ! sell the calf for =? That makes 'he
difference"
Yes. That makes each cow cam the amazing
sum of 81 40 a gear Your herd brings you III
sci
That's ahout it
e low on earth can you support family on $2l
year.
"Oh, don't support the family on the dairy.
] gave that up five years ago ana started heh
farm and an orchard. ! advise all other milk
producers 10 do the same thing.
Mr. Mapcs is of the most economical OF
dairymcn, and saves where many farmers would
lose. If such man can make only S2l III a year
out of a dairy Of fifteen cows, what is 10 become
of tie average farmer, whose methods are Slip
shod t.? Ii is but fair to say, however, that MIR.
Names gets more for his milk than the average
farmer lie sells all his produce in Mddletown.
The estimate given herewith, the S71 40 for 5000
quarts OF milk. is based on the actual wholesale
market pIicc lor 1889.
A SCALE THAT WOULD SUIT TIE FARMERS.
Monroe. " Y, Jan. l8.-Darynen in Orange
County say they don't want the earth II they
can sell their milk for 81 cents a year they will
be satisfied. They think they ought to get IL
I,,I,. MI ceDfs