The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1918-05-06
Big DEMAND FOR
COWS CERTAIN
Commissioner Brigham Says Farmers
Should Refrain From Killing
Their Good Stock.
HOME GROWN RATION IS URGED
Cairyman Who Provides for His Own
Feed viii be Able to Tide Over
Critical Situation

commissioner Of Agriculture +. >.
Brigham, Of ST. Adams, has recently
returned from Washington where he
Went to attend a meeting OF the adj
Vlsory committee on national agricul-
tural problems recently appointed by
Secretary of Agriculture Houston and
Federal Food Administrator Hoover.
The committee was advised in
detail regarding the food sit
uatlon in this country and
abroad and advice was asked regard
Ing many important problems with
reference to their effect upon produc
ton. When asked If ne had any
statement 10 make regarding the sit
uation with ref>o once to its bearing
upon Vcrnont's food production cam
paign for this spring, Commissioner
Brigham said
Dairy Industry May Face Critical
Situation.
Vermont farmers obtain the major
portion Of their income from the dairy
industry and they are naturally con-
celned about the prospects for the
future of that industry The pros
poets for the immediate future do not
seem TO be very bright. In response
TO the appeals made upon our entry
into the war, the farmers of the Unit
ed States increased their dairy herds
and prepared for a greater increase in
the future by saving large number of
heifer calves. We row have in the
country 100000 more mich cows and
% percent more dairy heifers than d
year ago. There are prospects Of
much larger milk supplies than nor
NAL, butter receipts are 20 percent
more than year ago, our stocks OF
cheese On hand are three times those
OF year ago and our stocks of
condensed milk are very large
The foreign market would be glad
to get this surplus of dairy products
In England many households have no
milk at all and the use of milk is said
to be restricted to children and in
valids. The same is true in France
1t is said to be impossible to buy milk
in Paris at $40 per quart The trouble
is that shipping is not now available
10 transport our supplies of condensed
milk, butter and cheese to our Allies
who greatly need it. The result may
be in the next few months, pending an
Improvement in shipping conditions,
a period when prices for dairy pro-
ducts will be below the present high
cost of production.
Shall We Reduce Our Live Stock?
The question is, shall we keep our
live stock? For years agricultural
agencies have urged doing away with
Improbable COWS which do not pay
for their feed. This is good time TO
Gull such stock more closely than us
ual, but further liquidation seems to
me TO be unwise The chances are
that shipping conditions will improve
within a year so that dairying will be
very profitable because the worlds
supply Of dairy products is very short
Then We have a prospect for a great
demand for live stock after the war
which viii repay well the man who
stays in the business. Representa-
tiyes Of three foreign governments
have already visited the dairy division
at Washington to locate dairy cattle
TO be shipped after the war Two of
these governments were Belgium and
Seryia, which, with supreme faith in
their ultimate destiny. are looking
forward to restocking their war de-
vastated fields with dairy COWS. Ger
many is reported to have less than 80
per cent of her live stock and the
numbers in other countries are great
ly decreased. We alone of the belli
gerent countries have increased Doc
tor Taylor of the food administration
recently said that the country which
maintains its live stocG1 will be five
years ahead Of the others after the
war. Therefore, even if prospects
during the next few months are not
bright, the Vermont dairynan will do
we'll to keep his good stock.
Plan for Home Grown Ration.
We need to change our methods
somewhat. however, in anticipation of
what may happen. We have adjusted
our dairy methods to the purchase of
large quantities of grains from out
side sources. These grains have
doubled IN price while dairy products
have not gone up IN proportion. The
prospects are that there will be little
relief from these high prices during
the war. Therefore, prudence would
suggest in the prsert situation that
we plan to make our farms more self
sustaining. We may do this in three
ways:
IA good supply OF well cared
corn silage from corn which will ma
ture in this climate.
"2.-Pleny of well cured early cut
clover hay.
"3.-Some home grown grains such
as oats or barley.
The dairyman who plans now to
provide feed for his herd in this way
will be able to maintain milk produce
ton at the least possible expense.
thereby tiding over the critical period
gust before US and being able to meet