The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1914-12-03
WHAT DOES MILK COST?
Mr.. Farmer do You Know What Your
Cows Milk Costs You Per Quart 10
Produce

producing quart OF mix and the
problems pertaining TO the possible
reduction Of this cost will be the sub
jects Of investigation at three hearings
to be held at Bellows Falls, Dec. II
Rutland, Dec. l2; Burlington, Dec, %
and ST. Johnsbary, Dec. 30th 1914,
under the auspices of the United
States Department of Agriculture,
Vermont Department of Agriculture,
the State Agricultural College, the
State Grange, the Vermont Dairy
mans Association, and the Boston
Chamber of Commerce Ii is hoped
that by determining just how much it
costs each farmer to produce his milk
/ day by day, facts relative to the busi-
ness Of milk production will be collect
ed, and when these facts are boiled
down and put into usable form, the
farmers will be given the opportunity
TO benfit by the experience of those of
their number who are producing milk
on the lowest and most profitable
basis, and it will be ascertained if
present prices are too low to afford
a reasonable profit to the producer,
The New England Milk Producers
Association recently asked the Boston
Chamber Of Commerce to look into the
milk situation with a view of making
recommendation as to how the situa-
tion could be bettered. On July /, a
meeting was held in Boston by the
Chamber Of Commerce at which were
present representatives from the State
Department of Agriculture, Agricul-
tural Colleges, and Oranges Of each
state and the United States Depart .
ment Of Agriculture. 1t was voted to
hold hearings in each state to collect
statistics on which recommendation
for the improvement of dairy interests
and the preservation of the New Eng
land COW might be made. Hearings
similar TO those to be held in this state
have occurred all over New England
throughout the fall.
The milk situation in New England
has changed greatly during this past
fifteen years. In New England there (
are 210 cities and towns Of over 5000
population with a total population of
over five million persons. Fifteen
years ago most Of the cities and towns
received their supply of milk from the 7
vicinity. Now throughout /
New England the railroads handle 60
cars Of milk day, or over half a mil /
lion quarts of milk, some Of it coming
from a distance of over 200 miles. (
charges, icing together
with more modern demands for pas
teurization and more cleanly methods
in the handling and production of the
commodity, required by the state
boards of health, have created prob
lem in management and accounts
which many of the farmers and con-
sumers do not understand.
Fifteen years ago practically no
milk was bottled or pasteurized. Now
none of it escapes either
process. The ordinary individual does
not believe that it costs the farmer
money to daily remove the pics Of
manure which before the present day
regulation went into effect could stand
for a season, or to ice the milk, or TO ;
pasteurize it or provide modern equip
nent of various descriptions. Perfect
means heating the mix
and holding it at 143 degrees for %
minutes to half an hour.
Under the old methods it was a
comparatively easy matter for the
'armer to keep his cows and milk them
md then sell the milk with little or I
10 regard for what it was costing him I
or feed. One hardly needs to be told I
low, however, that in these days J
When food stuffs are mountaing higher J
ind higher in price, it is vital that the 9
armer know exactly what it is cost
ng him to produce his milk per quart, '
hat he may adjust his expenses 70 t
york proftably and economically. r
This is an age Of scientific manage
nent when every item of expense must
'e placed where it belongs or the bal
nee sheet will come out awry.
To bring out the facts that those in
barge of the hearing desire to know, ,
S well as to bring these facts home
o the persons interested, the lucs- q
ions asked will be framed along the Z
ollowing lines: I
What price is received for milk J
7hether as butter fat or whole milk, {
I per can or hundred pound basis, for !
ertain months of the year? !.
What does it cost the farmer to pro-
uce milk as he figures it? What does |,
cost to keep COW per year?
Is the milk weighed and is there I
ow testing association in the vicin-
~? n
Are other lines Of farming carried
n in connection with the dairyinp on 0