The Bozeman courier. (Bozeman, Mont.) 1919-1954, 1922-08-30
DAIRYING AT HOME
SHOWING Big gain


usually came from one or two sources,
either fromh the fellow who is dense
" ignorant of facts or from one WIN
is not built of cooperative material.
We have both kinds in Bozeman, and
some of them unfortunately are in
rather influential positions. Never
theless, cooperative dairying is work
ing in the Sedan community within a
distance of 80 miles of home. "A few
years ago the farmers in that vicini-
ty decided to engage In the dairying
business. After considering the ques-
ton from every angle, they decided
on the cheese factory as a solution
of their marketing problem. There
were several reasons for their decis-
ion. A cooperative cheese factory
could be built and equipped with far
less capital and required the product
from fewer COWS to operate econom
ically. In addition, the sale of cheese
would bring greater cash returns
where pigs or poultry were not at
hand to utilize the skim milk.
In the spring of 1916, the farmers,
about eight in number, organized on q
cooperative basis, secured a cheese
maker and began operations in a mod
est way. The receipts Of milk were
small at the start, but during the
first year amounted to 453S,25 pounds,
from which they manufactured 1891
pounds of cheese They were FORUM
ate in getting a good cheese-maker,
who had gotten his training in the
dairy husbandry department OF the
college. He worked for quality, and
put out a very uniform grade of
cheese. This enabled them to Sc
cure a good market for the output
and to establish a lasting reputation
fer their cheese.
The gross returns for cheese sold
the first year was ~S11,4G3.65. After
deducting $3,274.15 for running ex-
: penses, they distributed $8,129.50 net
to the patrons.
Every morning the factory was the
rallying point for the neighborhood
and was often the scene of many live.
ly discussions on the merits of the
dairy industry. The success of the
: factory the first year encourage
> them to study their situation care
fully. 1t was quite evident that thei
> cows were not of the type to produc
= milk the most economically. The in
; terest spread, and a desire for bette
dairy stock grew. Finally after con
siderable deliberation a few farmer
decided to purchase dairy stock.
The community soon began to Sc
: the advantage of organized effort
A committee was delegated to consul
the county agricultural agent, an
' as a result a Farm Bureau unit wa
formed. Their efforts were the
properly directed and they began I
purchase pure-bred dairy cattle, bull
silos, remodel their old barns, pla
new ones and introduce the milkin
machine. They were now organize
on a community basis, the co4opera
i've spirit grew, and then combine
efforts began to count.
After five uncertain years of srrel
uous work and the usual number {
sec-backs, the factory is a decide
success. The volume of milk deli,
A cred has increased over 35 per cen
the factory has been doubled in siz
and a good market for cheese hi
been established. The factory is no
operating on a more economical ar
efficient basis, as the following re
ords for the past five years viii ind
A cate:
Average yield of cheese per II
pounds milk, 9.64.
Average cost manufacture pour
cheese, 6.36 cents.
Average net amount paid patron
per year, $9,285.55.
In giving careful attention to d
tails In management the avera,
yield of cheese per hundred poun
OF milk has been increased over A o
cent, while at the same time the a
erage cost per pound to manufactu
has been decreased 2 per cent. II
= has enabled the management to
- crease the net cash returns to DE-
rons l2.S per cent, which is a sple
did showing considering the unusr
period and the abnormal econDn
conditions the past five years, but
does not altogether represent tn
entire gains.
The net cash returns are not I
only rewards which accrue to
dairy community. A little cash es
month always is a great incentive
maintaining hope, especially DUR
periods of depression 1t aids mat
tally in keeping the wheels of pr,
ress creased, but it is not the nj
reward by any means that comes
the dairy community. A recent s
vey of the dairy cattle now to
found within a radius Of five or
miles of the Sedan factory is
proof.
-Purebred- Grs
Cows. Bulls. Co
holsteln --- 3 I.