The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1905-10-03
Is Vermont Dairying Done at a Loss?


Hoard's Dairyman has just completed
creamery patrons investigation in
Vermont similar to those conducted by
the Dairyman in Connecticut, Pennsyl-
wanna and several other states. While
these investigations may cause many
dairymen to improve their methods, and
in this way prove of much practical
benefit. they do not accurately portray
dairy conditions in the state, says the
New England Farmer. A man can Sc
lect a chapter or verse here and there
in the Bible and formulate therefrom al
most any creed he may desire; likewise
paper may investigate the various
diaries Of a state by selection, make
a good, bad or Indifferent showing, as
suits the fancy or purpose Of the editor.
An investigation Of the diaries Of a
county or several representative towns
would be more conclusive in approxi-
mating actual conditions and, we be-
! lieve. OF much greater value. Reports
of 100 investigated diaries are given. VI
these 81 are run at a profit and 90 at
a loss. The average number OF cows
/ To the herd is 70. and the average loss
/ for the 90 dairies is S7.5S per COW. II
i IS unreasonable to conclude that 60 pei
cent Of the dairies of Vermont are run
at loss averaging S140.22 per yeal
\ each. yet it Ii quite evident that this
ii what the Dairyman's investigation j;
/ intended to imply. We do not believe
that majority Of the Vermont dairy
| raen are losing money. That they arr
not making the profits they should, ant
could make, by better methods and pure
bred stock. is evident; but SO per CEN
of the dairymen now IN business in thu
Green Mountain state are not each Of
an average S140.22 poorer than the.
were ten years ago. II we are wrong
however, it is high time these men qui
1.-The business or reform their methods
As regards the influence Of the variou
breeds. grades, natives, etc, upon tn
earning capacity of the diaries, the re
suits show little preference. The Dairy
man representative selected his "inyestl
Cations largely from mixed grade Jer
sew herds. In the class designated a
emixed" 81 herds were kept at los
and eight at profit; of the grade Jer
seys rs herds were kept at q loss an
ten at 4 profit Grade Ayrshires an
grade Holsteins made proportionatel
a better showing two herds OF the fol
mer being kept at a profit and two q
loss; and Of tile latter one herd wa
ia profit Garner and one kept at los
The three most profitable herds weI
plade Jerseys. and the two heavies
losers were OF the same breed On
, grade Jersey herd OF six netted its owI
"a Sg2.57 per COW; and another grad
Jersey herd was kept at a loss Of S2l.6
per COW. Iii this herd there were
COWS, making a total YEARLY loss
the owner 81 s346.Ss. BY the side
this dairy Is herd Of Just grades, =
particular breed, giving a net profit
: s1s.05 per COW. One mixed herd ave
. aged 2224 pounds of butter fat per COS
! while a grade Jersey herd averaged onl
+ - pounds butter fat per cow The lar
! est producer, however, was q herd
grade Jerseys averaging 2I0.2 poiin'
Of butter fat per COW. The largest i
: turns for each dollar in feed was Si.'
made bv 4 grade Jersey herd, and Il
lowest, ~ cents, by another grade le
sew herd. One Of the most importal
lessons to be learned from these fgur
i that success in the dairy business d
ponds rather upon the dairyman ths
upon the breed Of cattle he keeps; tn
a thoroughbred dairy IS Just as esse
tial to success as pure-bred COWS