Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1922-01-19

in organizing cooperative
creamery. What capital is re-
quired and what returns should
be expected? What is the mini
mum number of COWS necessary
, to operate a profitable cream
cry? What form Of contract
should be made with the milk
producer?
A cooperative creamery might be
established after one of several
plans. First of all, stock might be
owned by the patrons of the cream
cry. In the second place, it might
be partly owned by the patrons and
partly by a group of business men.
On the other hand, part Of it may
be put in by the patrons and part
by one or more individuals. 1t may
be entirely a capitalistic proposition
from the standpoint that it is owned
by one or more individuals who
simply purchase sour cream at the
highest price they can afford to pay
for butter fat.
The amount of capital required to
establish a creamery will vary any
where from $3.50 upward, depend
ing on the nature of the buildings
and the character of the equipment
used and the extent Of the plant.
A very large and elaborate creamery
would call for the outlay of several
thousand dollars. A plant, including
the equipment, capable of handling
the milk from 500 to 1000 cows need
not cost more than $4,000 to $4,000.
The returns to be made on
creamery investment depend on
many things. First of all, the type
of management will have a deter
mining effect on the profits secured.
Skillful handling and management
are essential. This calls for the en-
ployment Of an expert butter maker.
The volume of business done will
determine the profits to a large ex-
tent. Skill in marketing the butter
produced is also an essential factor.
There is no reason why per cent
could not be made on properly capt.
talized, equipped, organized and di-
rected creamery. Possibly much
larger returns might be made in
some instances, but as a rule big
profits need not be anticipated in
this state because the volume of
cream will not be sufficient to JUS
t1fy the expectation of large returns.
We do not think any creamery
should be organized where the milk
from less than 500 grade cows of
representative dairy breeds is avail
able. We would prefer that the milk
from 1000 cows be available. There
is no upward limit to the amount
Of cream you could handle, provided
your facilities are sufficiently large.
No special form Of contract is
necessary with the milk producer
any moro than to sign an agreement
that he will undertake to deliver
the cream to you from certain
of COWS on an annual basis,
and that the butter fat this milk
contains shall be paid for according
TO tests made with a Babcock tester
at the prevailing market price for
butter fat. This will vary, of course,
with the weekly fluctuations in the
price of butter. We pay here at
the college anywhere from 80 cents
a pound and upward for butter fat.
Our creamery is run as a demonstra-
ton proposition to show the feast
olllty of operating and conducting a
plant OF this character in Georgia. |
We also make it the basis Of instruc-
ton for our students in dairying. A |
cooperative creamery would of
necessity have more overhead !
charges than we have here. You
would probably not be in position to |
pay quite as high a price on that |
account for butter fat.