Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1905-09-28
NEWS OF VERMONT
More Important Evsnts Grouped for
Free Press Rcadera-Figures Coll
lected Indicate Vermont Dairy
ing Il Done Mt n Loss

Hoard's Dairyman has Just complete
Il creamery patrons Investigation in Yer
/ mont similar to those conducted by the
Dairyman in Connecticut, Pennsylvania
and several other States. While these
investigations may cause many dairy
men 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. man can select II
chapter or verse here and there in the
Eble and therefrom formulate almost
any creed nc may desire; likewise a paper
may investigate the various diaries OF "A
state by selection. make good bad
or Indifferent showing. as suits the fancy
or purpose of the editor. An investiga-
ton OF the diaries Of county or sew
erll representative towns would be more
conclusive in approxmating actual con-
ditons and. we believe, of much greater
value Reports Of 10 investigated dairies
are given. OF these 81 are run at a profit
and GO at Il loss. The average number
Of cows to the herd is 10. and the average
loss for the 69 darics is s7.3s per cow
II is unreasonable to conclude that 50 per
cent. of the dairies of Vermont arc run
at a loss averaging sl4o.22 per year each.
yet it is quite evident that this is what
the Dairyman's investigation is intended
to imply. We do not believe that a ma
jority of the Vermont dairymen are los
ing money. That they are not making
the profits they should. and could make
or by better methods and pure-brcd stock
is evident: but 80 per cent of the dairy
men now In business In the Green Noun
tain state are not each on an average
s1i02a poorer than they were ten years
ago. IT we are wrong. however, II is
high time these men quit the business or
reform their methods. As regards the
influence Of the various breeds. grades
natives. etc, upon tho earning capacity
of the dairirs, the results snow little pref
ercnCe. The Dairyman representa- i've
selected his investigations" largely from
mixed grade Jersey herds. In the class
designated as mixed" q herds were kept
at loss and eight at a proHt; of tho
grade Jerseys 25 herds were kept at u
loss and ten at profit Grade Ayrshires
and grade IJolsteins made proportionate-
~ n better showing. two herds Of the
former being kept at a profit and TWO at
n loss; and of the latter one herd was a
profit Garner and one kept at loss. The
three most profitable herds were grade
Jerseys. and the two heaviest losers were
Of the same breed. One grade Jersey
herd OF six Melted Its owner 322.57 per
COW; and another grade Jersey herd was
kept at loss Of s2l.ss per cow. In this
herd there were 16 cows. making a total
yearly loss to the owner Of &als.SS. BY the
side Of this dairy Ia herd Of Just
grades. no particular breed, giving a net
profit Of Sls.05 per cow. One mixed herd
averaged 2a2.l pounds Of butter fat per
cow while a grade Jersey herd averaged
only 7: pounds butter fat per COW. The
heaviest producer. however. was q herd
NJ grade Jerseys averaging 27o3 pounds
OF butter fat per COW. The largest re-
turns for each dollar In feed was tiH