The Idaho Republican. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1904-1932, 1907-11-08
COST OF KEEPING A
COW
Prof. d. HI. Otis, Wisconsin Ex.
pertinent Station.

] The profits in dairying are the cost
of keeping COW subtracted from the
total value of what she produces. Few
farmers know the annual production
Of each COW and still less know the
cost of that production. The COW
should be charged with the market
price of feeds, minus the expense OF
hauling them to market. During 1905.
the average food consumption Of the
dairy herd of the Wisconsin expert.
ment station was 1,185 pounds hay.
6,791. pounds corn silage, 2.7S3 pounds
sSiling crops, 1886 pounds roots and
1857 pounds grain. We may est.
mate the value of these on the farm
at six dollars per ton for hay, ,Wo
dollars per ton for corn silage, soiling
crops and roots, and rs cents per 100
pounds for grain, or total Of $z8.19.
In test at the Kansas experiment
station, where less succulent feed was
used, found that with a herd Of 2S
cows, there was an average yearly
consumption per COW of 6,166l pounds
roughage and 1850 pounds grain.
Both roughage and grain were pro-
dnced somewhat cheaper than In Wis.
cousin and, may be figured at Ave dol.
lars per ton for hay and 80 cents per
100 pounds for grain.
1t requires an average OF 1875 hotrs
per COW per annum to feed. milk,
clean stables, and wash milk utensils,
which at 1871 cents per hour is 1852.
To this add three dollars for inter
est on $50 cow at six per cent. and
$275 for risks and insurance and 1t
brings the total cost up to $49.56. -
In Wisconsin the feed cost amounts
to $2S.19, under Kansas conditions,
$3.50, practically the same. We may
say, then, on an average, that 1t
costs $28 to $50 year to feed a dairy
COW. The labor, interest and risks
and insurance will amount to $40 to
$22 more, or a total cost, in round
numbers, of $50.
We must credit the cow with the
value of tile calf at birth. This may |
range from one dollar, the cost OF
the service fee, up to $50, or even
more, but we will assume that the
average calf is worth five dollars at
birth. This leaves $45 which the
COW must Offset in dairy products be-
fore we can come out even with her.
With five per cent. milk and 80 per
cent. butter fat, this will require a
production of 5000 pounds of milk
with four per cent. milk
and 30 per cent. butter fat, $3.50
pounds of milk In this calculation
we assume that the skim milk will
pay the cost of separating and the
hauling of milk or cream to the mar
ket
Many farmers keep cows largely to
raise calves and not infrequently
want to know when it will pay to
take the calf from the COW, raise 1t
on skim milk and the milk of the
cow In this instance we assume that
the interest, risks and insurance re-
main the same and will be paid for
by the calf. My experience with 1870
calves at the Kansas experiment sta
ton shows that it will cost from six
dollars to nine dollars, or an average
Of $3.50 to raise calf on skim milk.
The COW fed for dairy production will
more high-priced feed than
)ne kept for raising calf.
We take for granted that the calf
will at least pay for the regular feed
IF the cow and we will add $40, a
ow estimate for extra feed when fed
or dairy production. With $15.62 to
ray for the WORK connected with milk
ng, $3.50 for raising the calf, and $40 +.
or extra feed, the total expense will
)e little over $50 more for milking !.
he COW and raising her calf on skim .
milk than to let her raise the calf. =.
pounds of milk; with four per cent. .
,utter fat this will require, in order !.
. pay expenses, a production of 1900 .
pounds of milk; with four per cent. .
milk and so per cent butter fat, 1850 =
pounds Of milk. The cow is expected =
0 produce the above amounts of NIL,
n order to pay expenses, The pro"ts "
rom milking will come from what -
he produces above this amount
The cost Of teeping a COW va.os "a
= -