Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1915-12-27
COMMENT ON NAMES
DAIRY INTERESTS
that IS INTERESTING
C. E. Smith of Thorndike Tells
Why the Average Farmer Is
Keeping Cows at Loss
Editor kennebec Journal:

itoria some time ago in regard to thu
, dairy industry of Maine l supposed that
some of our prominent dairymen would
take advantage of your request that they
use the columns Of the Journal to discuss
the subject. After waiting several weeks
| l was surprised to find that no one SEEM
ed to take any interest in the subject. l
| have not been in\the dairy business for
several years, but ! take a deep interest
in it yet and try to keep in touch with
its advancement. Its Importance in Maine
agriculture does not end in the direct in
come from the herd, but intellgently
carried on in connection with other
branches it is the surest way to improve
the fertility of our farms.
The system of dairying carried on % or
more years ago will not succeed today
any more than will the old methods in
any other industry. We have got to keep
up in this just as surely as the men ell
gagged In other occupations if we expect
to succeed. Even under the slipshod
method now pursued by many of our
farmers there are less failures in that
occupation than in any other; thereby
showing that if it was carried on as in
diligently as other professions are the
returns would be far more satisfactory
than at present. In fact. from the money
invested and the annual outlay, the net
returns now average greater than those
in any other industry.
I'VE have some very good dairymen in
this section and they have taken a fair
proportion of the premiums at the State
exhibits. | have interviewed some of the
dairynen in this section and | find thai
we have some very progressive men
among them. Mr.. f. S. Rich keeps a
fine herd of Holsteins. and I find that
he received on an average last year over
S135 per COW. Walter Hurd is another
one of our up-to-date farmers. He tells
me that he sold last year nearly $40
worth from each of his 16 cows. Wallace
Palmer of this town sold in the pas,
year over $4,000 worth of milk and calves
from 20 cows. Three years ago he re-
ceved net return of over $1,000 from
20 cows after paying for the grain they
had eaten.
could mention many other cases of
successful dairyine among us, and our
facilities are no better than are to he
1t only means that those men are put
ting the same kind Of thought and ac-
ton into the work that is being put into
the other industries. MI. Hurd and Mr..
Rich are milking Hols,eins and Mr.. Pal
mer keeps Jerseys and Guernseys. So
we see that it is more in the man than
In the breed.
One thing that is SQUIRTING our dairy
men to better work is the demand of the
creameries for greater, cleanliness in the
care of the milk and utensils. Some or
the slovens are kicking about this, but
all who have any desire to improve their
business are willing to meet the require
ments as fast as they can And they
find that it is for their best interests 70
do so. If the dairymen of this country
could he made to comprehend the condi-
ton of their business as whole it must
surely cause them to sit up and take no
tice The average amount of butter rat
produced by tire COWS in the United
States, according to the last census, was
40 mounds per COW. IF the average price
of butter fat was 80 cents a pound. that
means gross income of SO per COW.
But as the price Of butter fat will not
he more than $40 at the most. 1t will
cost at least $50 a year to keep cow
under favorable conditions. and if a COW
gives mill: 10 months in the wear (and
she surely ought to do that. our farmers
are milking their COWS for five cents an
hour and boarding themselves. Is it any
wonder that so mahy of them declare
that farming does not pay?"
one OF the most thorough investi-
cations in milk production was con-
Quoted in Illinois by the state univer-
sity There were 1000 COWS tested in
different parts Of the State, and under
ordinary conditions. The average but
ter fat produced per COW amounted to
203 pounds. This may be considered
fair test as it is 63 pounds more
than the census average. II was shown
that one-third Of these cows We're kept
at a loss of 1925 each, as they pro-
duced but 1874 pounds Of butter fat
annually. And about one-third gave a
profit of S7.S5 per year, their butter
fat yield being 1913 pounds per COW.
The remaining number about one
third of the whole gave a net profit
of s26.S2: their butter fat yield averag-
ing 27S pounds per COW. BY an analy-
sis of the statistics we find that if
the cows of Maine yield as good results
as those of Illinois (Which is very
doubtfuD the Maine farmer has to
keep eleven cows in order to obtain a
net profit of 500 per year. Or in 9TH
err words. he is only getting little
over 50 profit per COW al the present
time.
There is quite difference between
that and the returns that Mr.. Palmer
is getting. And there is no reason why
they cannot in a very many more in
stances do as nearly good work as he
is doing. For years the experiment
stations and the agricultural press
have been trying their best to edu-
cate our farmers and trying to induce
them to free themselves from the I'M
condition in which they
now find themselves. The remedy is
very simple. They have got to stop
breeding scrub cows to scrub sires;
they have got to feed more intelli-
gently, and they have got to stop SELL
ing so many likely heifer calves be-
cause they can get an extra dollar
for them for veal. The sooner our
farmers recognize these facts and en-
ter upon line of work in conformity
with their teaching, the sooner will
thew find themselves on the sure road