Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1918-02-12
Efficiency In Dairy Products.

AZ tiu6 WuOu ~ HuOA 10 u0tuk
said of The need Of increasing the out
put of all food products, it 10 especially
pertinent to call the attention to the
need of greater efficiency and economy
In dairy management. The milch cow
is the most economical agent known for
changing raw material into the animal
fats so necessary for human food. (The
average COW produces in her lifetime as
much fat as seventeen steers.) Our
problem is to run this machine as to in.
sure continued supply Of these ss-
sential foods.
To be Of real vaius to the community
must give q product more valuable than
the raw materials and labor costs in
volved in the process. That is, any
attempt toipsrsuads the farmer to make
milk, cream or butter, regardless of cost,
simply defeats Its own end. First, be-
cause the resulting product is less valu.
able than the cost of production.
Second, because, in the long run, IL
dairying does not pay, the average farm.
or will 60 in some other line of business.
To make dairying pay its essential part
iu the present food crisis. We must put
it on q sound business basis.
Economical production Ia secured In
two general ways: By increasing the
output and by reducing the cost per
unit.
At time of such high feed and labor
charges, only the best COWS can be
profitable. All boarders should be
weeded ont by the aid of Test Associa-
tions or private testing. Herds 40 Sc
lected should be handled to give the
longest possible service in both milking
and breeding. Such practices as using
up cows In one or two forced lactations
must be stopped if our present herds
are to be maintained. Finally, the
dairyman cannot afford to let the present
cost Of feed prevent his raising all
promising heifer calves.
To some extent, feeding expenses can
be reduced by the judicious substitu-
ton of homegrown feeds, notably,
early cut clover hay and silage for the
more expensive purchased grains. How
ever, In his desire to lower the cost of
feeding, the experienced feeder will not
lose sight of the fact that heavy milk
ing COW cannot eat enough of these feeds
alone for profitable production. The
economical ration combines q reasonable
amount of concentrates with high
quality home grown roughage.
As the labor cost of caring for COWS
10 practically equal TO the cost Of feed,
any saving In that line Is now doubly
important. In large herds, milking ma
chimes can often save the time Of one or
more men. Improved stsbling and water
ing arrangements may do much to reduce
overhead charges and every dsiryman
should carry as many COWS as possible
for the help employed.
Prices sufficient to cover the greatly
increased cost Of making dairy products
are necessary to assure q continued sup
ply during the war. Milk, We cannot
do without, and everyone who has con-
sidered the matter will agree that dairy-
men have not In the past made even
fair Interest on their Investment. This
fact, however, Ia no valid excuse for
wastefulness or ineffioiency In dairy
management. In dairy products, 40 In
oil the necessaries Of life, the public
now has right to demand the most
possible for Its money and, In giving
this, tho dairyman insures the future
prosperity OF his own business while
he supplies one OF bis country's most
pressing needs.-Public Safety Com.
mittee on Livestock Production and
Feeding, r. 8. ADAMS, L. e. McINrIRE,
N. W. MORTON, 81. n. TUCKER, ALTON
is. POPE.