-296 



Journal of Agr'icitliurc. 



[10 May, iQog. 



PROFITABLE DAIRYING ON SMALT. FARMS. 



/. .S'. Mil-' adze ail. Dairy Supervisor. 



Every dairy farmer should strive to obtain as much remuneration from 

 iliis herd as his circumstances will permit. To materially increase the 

 profits from his business without making a corresj)onding expansion in the 

 cost of production should be his daily thought ; for such an increasing of 

 the returns cannot but be satisfactory. When, therefore, a dairy farmer 

 is so located that he is within reasonable distance of a constant demand for 

 fresh milk at a payable price, he should endeavour to get a due share of the 

 trade available. Occasionally, cases may be met with where special cir- 

 cumstances preclude the possibility of making this line of business fit in 

 with some other work on a farm ; and in such instances the opportunity 

 must be let pass. As a general thing, however, it must be conceded that, 

 should a dairy farmer continue to separate his milk for cream-selling or 

 "butter-making, when he could as easilv take part in the wholesale milk 

 :supply business, he is not taking full advantage of his opportunities. 



SIX HERD MOTHERS. 



A gallon of standard milk is worth from 3d. to 42d., according to the 

 season, if separated or sold on its butter-fat content. But that same quan- 

 titv of milk is worth from 6^d. to 8d., and even much more, in a period of 

 .scarcity, if sold wholesale as fresh milk for household consumption. Of 

 course, the cost of handling and marketing the latter is somewhat greater. 

 and the principal features which tend to \-ary the cost of producing these 

 two lines of dairy produce may here be briefly commented on. The milk 

 seller must cool his milk carefully and deliver it daily, whereas the cream 

 or butter seller has only to get his produce to the railway station twice 

 in each week. The former is also not able to improve his land as cheapl\ 

 bv manuring as is the man who utilizes his skim milk in the .raising of pigs 

 or calves. Allowing, however, for these disad\-antages there still remain 

 .several factors, other than the difference in actual cash returns, which are 

 almo.st sure to obtrude themselves speedily under the milk suppliers notice 

 to his ultimate profit. More often than not the necessity for reaching the 

 railwav station with the milk at a fixed hour daily will introduce a regu- 

 laritv into the dailv work of the farm which it would otherwise be difficult 

 to obtain ; and the result is l^eneficial in manv ways. Special attention 

 also must be siven to imiiroxinfr the standard of the herd in the wa\ of 



