I08 AGRICUIvTURE OF MAINE). 



ery. The butter-fat yield per cow ranged from 66 to 249 

 pounds and averaged 144 pounds, 'j'] and 290 pounds of butter 

 per cow were the extreme yields with 168 pounds the average. 

 The price recdved for butter-fat ranged from 20.1 cents to 25.2 

 cents, averaging 23 cents. The creamery money returns for a 

 dollar spent for feed, including both purchased and home grown 

 materials, varied from 43 cents to $1.53 and averaged 93 cents. 

 The profit and loss account for the several herds varied all the 

 way from a gain of $21.80 to a loss of $18.88 per cow and aver- 

 aged a loss of $2.50. In other words the average cow of one 

 herd made $21.80 worth more butter than her food cost, while 

 the average cow of another herd made $18.88 less than her food 

 cost. This latter herd was composed of Hereford grades. 

 Herefords are admirable beef animals, but no more built for 

 economical milk production than is a toothpick constructed for 

 use as a crow bar. 40 of the 100 herds made a profit over and 

 above the food cost and 60 failed to do so. Let me once more 

 revert to the fact that the average butter production in these 

 herds was probably fully the average, being 168 pounds per cow. 

 The average milk production is not stated but it must have been 

 in the close vicinity of 4,000 pounds. Doubtless the investigator 

 might have found — had he hunted — better dairies, better dairy- 

 ing towns than these he visited. But his design was to show 

 the general run of results, not to select high class work. He 

 made no attempt to show what ought to be done but to portray 

 what is being done by the generality of New Hampshire dairy 

 farmers : 



LOWEST, HIGHEST, AND AVERAGE RESULTS, NEW HAMPSHIRE 



cow CENSUS. 



Lowest. Highest. Average. 



Pounds of butter-fat 66 249 144 



Pounds of butter yj 290 168 



Price received for fat 20. i cts. 25 .2 cts. 23 cts. 



Cost of food $31 $44 $35-67 



Creamery returns $15-23 $62.80 $33-1? 



Creamery returns for a dollar 



spent for feed 43 cts. $1.53 93 cts. 



Profit or loss —$18.88 +$21.80 —$2.50 



40 herds made a profit ; 60 herds made a loss. 



