EIGHTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK-PART III. 79 



produce milk largely and profitably. And, too, the feeder must use 

 knowledge in selecting and combining the foods, to which he has access, 

 into a ration which is at once Inexpensive, palatable, and stimulating to 

 a large yield of milk and butter fat. 



In order that my words may not be termed theoretical or impractical 

 it will be well to consider an 80-acre farm in Iowa that on the start "will 

 produce only average crops and is so located that the produce from the 

 cows must be sold at a local creamery at 25 cents per pound for the 

 butter fat, which has been the average price for the past year. 



By the uses of silos of large enough capacity for both winter and sum- 

 mer feeding and by the intelligent rotation of crops it will not be at all 

 difficult to keep a 50-cow herd upon the farm beside the horses required 

 to do the work of the farm, providing a small amount of concentrated 

 foods rich in protein is purchased each year. To care for and milk 

 the cows and raise the calves will require the services of four men 

 and a fifth man, with the help at odd times that the four barn men can 

 give him, will be able to haul all feed and manure, keep in repair the 

 fences, etc., and do all the farm work except during harvest and silage 

 making time. Some there are who would have you believe that fewer 

 men could do the work around such an establishment, but my experience 

 has been that one of the best ways to solve the labor problem, which is so 

 vexing at the dairy farm, is to have enough good men drawing good 

 salaries to do extra well every portion of the work without being forced to 

 work such extremely long hours as are usually required. In this way 

 it is easy to keep good, reliable men and a much less number of cows 

 will be required to produce a given amount of milk than though fewer 

 men were kept and the work more carelessly done. 



Now if the proprietor and his four men have good land and a good 

 herd of 50 grade cows which can be found and purchased for about $50 

 apiece, the annual income, expense and profits will be as follows: 



Butter fat (350 lbs. per cow), 17,500 lbs at 25c $4,375.00 



45 calves (90 per cent of crop saved) at $5.00 each 225.00 



Skim milk (6,125 lbs. per cow) 306,250 lbs. at 25c cwt 765.62 



Total $5,365.62 



Expenses. 



4 men at $40 per month $1,920.00 



Extra help in harvesting hay and silage 200.00 



Insurance on 50 cows, $1 each and bull $2 52.00 



Interested on money invested in cows ($2,500) at 6 per cent 150 



Interest on money invested in 1 bull ($100) at 6 per cent 6.00 



Interest on money invested in 80 acres of land at $100 per acre 



at 6 per cent 480.00 



Interest on money invested in horses, machinery, etc. ($1,500), 



at 6 per cent 90.00 



Insurance, wear and tear and breakage on ^me at 10 per cent. . . . 150.00 

 30 ton concentrated protein feed at $23.00 690.00 



Total $3,738.00 



