EXPERIMENT STATION BULLETINS. 431 



SUMMARY. 



1. In order to keep a detailed record of the dairy costs it was neces- 

 sary to separate the dairy business from the other farm operations. 

 In this way the dairy is dependent entirely on its own resources. 



2. As cost of milk production was the main factor under considera- 

 tion in this Bulletin, the method used was based on the dairy cow as 

 a unit. 



3. The fields studied were located in the vicinity of Howell, Living- 

 ston county, and Webberville, Ingham county. Twenty-five farms were 

 studied in each territory for a period of three years at Howell and 

 two years at Webberville. 



4. Of the total cost, feed represents 48.9%, labor 24.1%, and other 

 costs 27.0% at Howell, and at Webberville, feed represents 46.4%, labor 

 25.2% and other costs 28.4%, 



5. The average cost of keeping a cow was |154.82 in 1916-17 and 

 1241.34 in 1918-19 at Howell, and at Webberville the cost amounted to 

 1122.12 the first year and $168.17 the second year. 



6. The total receipts per cow at Howell from all sources amounted 

 to $125.43 in 1916-17 and |220.80 in 1918-19. At Webberville the total 

 receipts amounted to $112.43 in 1916-17 and $157.89 in 1917-18. 



7. The average annual production per cow was 7,211 pounds at 

 Howell and 6,047 pounds at Webberville. 



8. The average selling price per hundred weight for the Howell terri- 

 tory was $1,625 the first year, $2,405 the second year, and $2,881 the 

 third year. At Webberville the selling price was $1,686 the first year 

 and $2,430 the second year. 



9. It cost to produce every hundred pounds of milk sold at Howell 

 $2,147 in 1916-17, $2,596 in 1917-18, and $3,249 in 1918-19, and at Web- 

 berville in 1916-17 it cost $1,868, and in 1917-18 the cost was $2,626. 



After reading the foregoing pages, the reader may wonder how any 

 dairy farmer can jjroduce and sell milk at the prevailing prices and 

 still continue in the business. 



In answering the query it must be conceded that many do quit the 

 business or turn to other types of farming. In general it may be said 

 that those farmers who continue in the business of producing milk 

 for the citj trade do so in conformity to some one or more of the follow- 

 ing reasons : 



First: In order to make their business balance they must credit to 

 themselves for time spent with the dairy a much lower hourly wage 

 than the hired laborer would or could accept. The average wage for 

 all time spent in dairy operations on the farms reported in this Bulletin 

 was a trifle less than 121/2 cents per hour. The character of the work 

 to be performed in producing milk is such that intelligent and willing 

 help is essential. Such labor must be well paid, or if the work is per- 

 formed by the farmer or members of his family, they must feel that 

 the financial returns of the enterprise are such as to properly recom- 

 pense them for their painstaking effort. Already large numbers of 



