III. Optimum Organizations 



The influences of milk response, milk price, and cows per crop 

 acre on farm organization was determined both separately and in 

 combination. Table 4 and Appendix tables III 1 to 17 show summaries 

 of the optimum organization of resources for each milk response, 

 milk price and ratio of cows to cropland. Optimum farm organization 

 — i.e., the manner and proportions in which available factors are 

 combined in the production process — is discussed in three segments: 

 the cropping pattern, the dairy herd, and the replacement program. 



The Cropping Pattern 



As more cows are added to a fixed acreage of cropland, more for- 

 age must be produced per acre. Production of this forage requires a 

 more intensive cropping pattern. Table 5 and figure 2 show the opti- 

 mum cropping patterns at the various ratios of cows to crop acres. 

 These patterns are stated in percentage utilization of 100 acres of crop- 

 land. In table 5 each block is a summary of the cropping patterns of all 

 solutions at that ratio. The median and the hmits of the range of 

 percentage utilization are presented for each ratio of cows to cropland. 



In figure 2 the optimum cropping pattern for a given cow crop- 

 land ratio can be read by drawing a vertical line connecting the given 

 cow cropland ratio. The intersection of the hnes separating each crop 

 with this vertical line will show the cumulative percentage of crop- 

 land used. For example, at the 0.30 ratio, corn silage occupies 16 

 percent of the cropland, alfalfa-grass at low fertilization occupies 10 

 percent (26 percent corn silage and alfalfa-grass minus 16 percent 

 corn silage), clover-grass at zero fertilization occupies 24 percent (50 

 percent minus 26 percent alfalfa-grass and corn silage), 3-4-5-year 

 grass at zero fertilization occupies 36 percent and seedings of alfalfa 

 and clover occupy 2 percent and 12 percent, respectively. 



The most extensive cropping patterns occur at the 0.10 and 0.15 

 ratios where sale of hay is not allowed. At these ratios no alfalfa or 

 corn silage is produced and the meadow series of rotation is 2 years 

 of clover followed by approximately 8 years of grass. No commercial 

 fertilizer is used except in the seeding year and some cropland is 

 left idle. From this extensive base the changes which occur as the 

 ratio of cows to cropland is increased are: 



(1) All cropland is utilized at the 0.20 ratio and above. 



(2) The meadow series of the rotation is shortened to 5 years at 

 the 0.25 ratio and above. 



(3) Corn silage is steadily increased by displacing clover and 

 3-4-5-year grass as the ratio of cows to cropland is increased. 



(4) Alfalfa displaces clover and 3-4-5-year grass on land suited 

 to producing alfalfa at the 0.30 ratio and above. 



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