The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1921-11-09
Many Cooperative Concerns
Suffer From Inefficient
Management
WINTER DAIRYING
MOST PROFITABLE

Vember issue of the Vermont Creamery
and Market News Letter f. S Brigham,
state commissioner of agriculture. urges
the federation of Vermont creameries. bet
.er management for the same and !
greater production of milk during the
fall and winter. He says in part -
There has been i'm many quarters a
miSconception of the plans and purposes
Of the proposed federation IF Vermont
areamerieS. \ word as to the need for
such a federation Is perhaps timely YER
mont produces in round numbers 600. i
100000 lbs. of milk annually. Less than
20 per cent of this is shipped cur of the
state as fluid milk, the balance being
manufactured into cream, butter. cheese
and other products. Our production var
les from a low Of 44.000000 lbs. i'm No
vembcr to a peak of 1O7 900 900 lbs. in
June. Less than half of our November
production is shipped as fluid milk Only
about 20 per cent of our June production
is 80 shipped. Our greatest problem by
far IS TO manufacture and sell efficiently
that part of our production which is not
sold as fluid milk. The quotations of the
United States bureau of markets snow
Il difference of Zoe per pound in the cur
rent price of % and 81 scops butter. Al
though not 50 apparent, there is never
thelesS an equivalent difference in price
between poor and good dairy products
of all kinds.
Work of Cooperative Creameries
I'VE have in Vermont about 80 CO.
operative creamerles owned and operated
by the dairymen whom they serve These
creamericS are in many Instances suffer-
ing for lack of efficient management
Their products are not bringing highest
prices because the quality IL not what it
should be. These creameries now do
business of approximately S5,O0G000 an
nuaAy. An investment by them of / per
cent of this sum in a federation to EN-
plOy the best talent available in creamery
management, the best skill and ability in
processing, handling and selling dairy
products would, in my opinion, bring i'm
10 times this sum by eTecting economies
in handling products, in buying supplies
and in increased value Of the better prod
uct. The organization should reach every
farmer patron with a view TO seeing that
only good, pure, sweet milk and cream
be delivered to the plant The processes
of handling and manufacture in the
plants should be 50 standardized that only
the best possible milk, cream. butter
cheese. etc, would be offered i'm the mar
ket and then there should be in the mar
ket a salesman to make contracts with
customers to see that the most efficient
service possible is given. 4 large volume
of standard quality product with service
| to the consumer should be the end and
price. profit and a dairy industry estab-
| lished on n firm foundation will surely
follow.
| Winter Dairying Urged
The surplus production of milk in
Vermont is much greater during April,
sIay and June than during the months of
| October, November and December.
IF more dairymen would have their
cows freshcn in the fall there would be
| a more even production throughout the
year, which has number Of advantages
| over spring freshcniug Of cows. These
| advantages are as follows:
a. Higher prices are obtained for
dairy products.
| greater amount of products at Il premium
| for the wear. which results in less sur
plus products to be sold on the fiat mar
| ket quotations.
| ." 90 The labor on the farm is more
| equally distributed throughout the year
| Cows that freshen in the spring are in
| full flow of milk and need the best care aS
we'll as the calves. at the same time the
| farmers attention must be given over to
spring work on the farm. With cows
| freShening in the fall giving n full flow
of milk i'm the winter, more time can be
| devoted to the care of his dairy. As well
! as giving employment to his hired men
which means as a rule a better grade oil
help.
= (4) The lactation period is Enlightened
and the total production for the year is
| greater. Spring cows milk heavy during
the grass season, but fall off considerably
with the drier pastures and when the
first cold weather comes. the COWS are
. faI. Il TNall NJ hf
| started ON good winter ration and after
| six months when on grass feed and fOI
a time the flow of milk win be about as
great rs that from fresh cows.
" 90 Fall calves are more desirable
han spring calves. because they come al
2 time when more care can he given them
by the farmer. and when weaned they
can be put on grass at an age when they
make the greatest growth on grass
Spring calves are more or less neglected
on account of farm work, and when ready
to wean an the fall they are put on q
solid winter ration which is not as easily
digested by the calves as the nutritious
spring grass.
Marketing Butter by Parcels Post
| "Creameries which manufacture a
small amount of consistently high quality
butter throughout the year would dc
we'll to consider and investigate the pos
| SibilitieS of selling a part of the butter
manufactured direct to the consumer by
parcels post This is one field in the mar
keting of dairy products which has never
received very much attention, but which
is developing rapidly as Il profitable
branch to the small creamery.
| Customers can he obtained by writing
to relatives, friends and acquaintances
in the cities, seeking their trade. After
| customers receive their first shipment ir
| tereSt soon develops and it is not very
| long before the idea spreads over the en-
| tire neighborhood 1t is a growing bust
ness. for one satisfied customer means
| another.
| "a creamery which expects to make a
| success of shipping butter by parcels post
| must observe the following essentials
| " (1) Ship consistently high quality
butter throughout the year.
" ~ Butter must be neatly and well
packed.
+" 90 Butter must be thoroughly