Figure 2 illustrates the effect on the quality and quantity of forage 

 harvested from a change in the equipment complement, everything else 

 held constant. An equipment complement that requires 2 days of field 

 curing time is compared with another that requires only 1 day of curing. 

 By this shift (1) the harvesting period is shortened from 28 to 13 days, 

 and (2) the numher of mowings that are rain damaged decrease from 4 

 out of 6 to zero out of 6. 



The Economic Problem of Forage 

 Harvesting and Utilization 



The interrelations hetween the weather pattern, the date that har- 

 vest hegins, and the harvesting system have an economic significance. 

 The optimum condition is the equipment complement and starting date 

 of harvest for a seasonal weather pattern or sequence of seasonal weather 

 patterns that will produce harvested forage of a quantity and quality 

 that, when fed in combination with grain to cows, will produce the 

 largest net farm income. Variations in labor requirements of various 

 harvesting systems is important. 



Gross farm income will change as the organization of a harvesting 

 system changes because different quantities and qualities of harvested 

 forage will produce different amounts of milk. The organizational 

 changes may be in the harvesting equipment or in the beginning date of 

 harvest; both factors are associated with a particular weather pattern. 



Differences in gross income may also result from changes in the 

 quantities of the resources used in the conversion of forage into milk, 

 such as: (1) changing grain feeding; (2) maintaining herd size while 

 buying or selling forage; or (3) allowing herd size to vary depending 

 on home-grown forage. Net income will also vary with resource organi- 

 zation l)ut not necessarily in proportion to gross income. 



Analytical Procedure 



A simulation model, consisting of a series of 5 FORTRAN computer 

 programs, was developed to simulate forage harvesting and utilization 

 systems for a dairy farm. Relevant input-output data used in the model 

 were obtained from many sources that are designated in the appropriate 

 sections. Milk response data and crop yield data were synthesized to 

 develop the relevant production relations incorporating forage quality 

 and quantity. The simulation model was designed to make particular 

 use of the quality-quantity production relations. The model also con- 

 sidered various systems of harvesting hay and feeding grain. The effect 

 of varying these conditions as well as the effect of weather patterns 

 and date of cut were measured in terms of physical product output and 

 income. 



