White Bluffs spokesman. [volume] (White Bluffs, Wash.) 1907-1938, 1928-10-26
WHAT DOES YOUR DAIRY
RATION COST YOU?


With the increase in dairying in the
county, the question of grain feeds
is often big problem with the
farmer. A farmer in the Kennewick
community, came into the office Of
the County Agent last week, and
asked as to how much rye he could
safely feed cows. While in the office,
the discussion conferred around prop
erly balanced ration to be fed with al
falfa hay and corn silage. A number
of rstions were worked out, with
the use of rye up to three and four
lbs. which is about the maximum
amount which should be fed to a
dairy animal. There was difference
of as much as $14 per; ton between
rations worked out with feeds which
could be purchased locally, and yet
which balanced the ration very well
and other feeds which were made
up more largely of feeds shipped in
frcm the east. T'fis is an item which
farmers must take into careful con-
sideration but 81 course depends
upon the ability to secure feed To-
cally at a fair price and ones abili-
ty to buy such feeds at time wien
they can be purchased economically.
The ration worked out for the
farmer, consisted Of. three pounds
Of ground rye, one pound of oil
meal, five pounds of ground wheat
and one pound of rolled barley. This
to be fed with Is pounds of alfalfa
hay and rs pounds of corn silage.
This is very close to balanced
ration for 1000 pound COW, CIV
ing 80 lbs of S per cent milk. In
figuring this ration at $36 per ton,
cost Of grain feeds were based on
figures at which the farmer could
purchase the rye and, wheat from
other farmers. 1t is generally true
that one cannot afford to feed grains
like wheat to dairy cattle but under
the present market conditions. it
looks as though this would be en-
tirely feasible from the financial
standpoint.
One of the feeds which is needed
particularly in a country where al
falfa hay is a large factor in the
dairy ration, is feed having large
amount Of carbohydrates or starch,
such as corn or barley. We believe
that dairy farmers under present cir
cumstances, can well afford to give
more attention to the raising Of a
good crop of corn for grain and then
purchase some of the hay, rather than
all of the grain. The Experiment
Station at Prosser, averages 70 lbs.
to the acre, and boys club members
in Yakima County, are averaging bet
ter than go pounds to the acre. With
yields any where near this, and the
less labor required to produce the
crop, it looks as though it would be
profitable for the dairy farmers to
produce some corn. The swing in this
direction should not be too rapid, SO but
what the farmer may protect himself
against the high cost Of hay.
The cost Of the dairy ration always
must be kept in mind and we be-
lieve that dairy farmers could do
much to reduce costs Of grain by
careful study of grains which can
be fed and purchased locally when
grains are low in price.
The size Of the BUSINESS of a
farm is of the utmost importance in
attaining reasonably high standard
Of living, and there are many farms
with business too small for suffi-
nientlv large returns, says the U. S.
Department Of Agriculture. The size
Of business of a farm should not
be measured by the num-
Der Of acres Of land. It may be the
acres of crops or of bearing orchard
Or grove, or the number of dairy cows
81 hens. A few acres Of truck crops
nay represent as large a business
IS many more acres of grain and
nay crops, or a few high-producing
iairy cows as large a business as
many more animals of the general
livestock farming TYNE