The Washburn leader. [volume] (Washburn, McLean County, N.D.) 1890-1986, 1904-02-13
pAlRYlNo IN NORTH DAKOTA.

DAiRYlNG IN NORTH DAKOTA.
instructive Paper on "Profts and
Losses in ,Dairytng" by Dairy Com
missioner Kaufman.
Dairy Commissioner Kaufman of
North Dakota read the following paper
before the Tri-State Grain and Stock
Growers convention:
The subject Of dairying in North Da-
iota is becoming OF more and more I'M
oortance each year, and it seems to me
here is a particular. part in which the,
farmers should be interested, and that
,art relates to the profits and losses
IN dairying.
This is not only a dairy convention,
out one for the buttermakers as well.
md | am sure that a paper on the sup
iect of "Proiits and Losses OF Dairy
ns' can be, made Of more or less in
crest to both, as undoubtedly both are
Effected either by the profit or loss or
both.
The census OF 1900 shows that the
Nerase butter production per COW IN
North Dakota was only 105 pounds.
# butter is worth 90 cents per pound
Nc have the magnificent income OF $2l
.or butter produced in twelve mi
Really, this is not a very desirable
statement to make and looks like
here was more loss than profit. AT
he same time, ii the average produc-
lion amounted to 1O5 pounds, there are
undoubtedly a large number OF COWS
which produced less than that mount
and an equally large number mat gave
considerably more. | wouldn't like
anything better than to be able to
place my finger upon the COWS IN
North Dakota that in 1889 produced
more than $50 pounds OF butter. !
snow where there are half a dozen that
ian be found and presume there arc
suite a number. But no wmany farm
.rs are there that have kept a record
# their dairy work in such a manner
Is to be able to tell definitely how
much butter their cows make III q
rear? This is really the point up to
which | am leading-that of keeping
,record Of our dairy herds, individual
y as well as collectively. And when
t is found that a cow has been kept
It a loss for twelve months, get rid OF
ger and obtain some better ones.
The Illinois experiment station
placed a mar in the tielq to cooperate
sith the farmers in testing their dairy
herds. At the end of the first year the
'ecords CT eight herds, containing IA
~r,c me- on,>rlntol In ana hprl
ant OF these eight every individual COW
was actually kept at a loss, cOnse-
1ucntly that farmer lost money on his
dairy operations and had been doing
t for years and years, but never was
aware OF the fact until the station
came along and induced him to keep
4 record of some kind. In one herd
every individual COW made a profit for
aer owner. In the remainder OF these
oerds COWS were found that did not
Day for the feed consumed, although
a profit was made on the whole hera.
Il is needless to state that the profit
would have been greater had the poor
COWS been kept out of the test.
Taking the 144 COWS, it was found
:hat the poorest cow was kept at a
Toss of .$17.S3, and that the best COW
made for her owner a profit of $57.22,
br there was a difference between the
BEST and poorest COWS of $75.05. Now
these farmers had been doing just as
thousands and thousands of others
hilking COWS day after day and not
knowing to a certainty whether there
was a profit or a loss connected with
The operation.
In studying the creamery reports l
ind there is a great difference in the
Average butter per COW at the different
.reameries. AT the same time it is not
air to draw too hasty conclusions from.
The reports, as | am afraid in a good
.iany cases the number of COWS is
overestimated. OF all those l have
examined there is not n that gives
anything more than an estimate. 1t is
found, however, that the Oldest cream
cries are doing a little better in this
matter, not only in making more accu.
:atc reports, but in producing a better
average per COW. The new Salem
creamery, with thirty patrons, milking
$50 COWS, produces an average OF 1SG
pounds per cow for the twelve months
ending Oct. 81. 1903. The Garfield
creamery, only eve miles north OF
New Salem, does nearly as we'll, and
am inclined to think that the number
Of milk COWS is fairly accurately re-
ported. Taking the reports of some
If the creameries as they are sent in,
. average production per COW
'nts to about fifty pounds. The
=. in making the report, evil
red that in order to make a
F. he should have a large
s, or else he made a
"ithout paying any
las doing.