4l8 FEEDING FARM ANIMALS 



would be $51.04 and in the cost of the food but $15.82. The 

 wisdom of careful selection and close culling in the dairy 

 are thus emphasized. 



Experiments have shown that production costs more 

 in winter than in summer, in keeping with the relative 

 change in food values. The maximum of cost is usually 

 reached in March and April, and the minimum in the early 

 months of pasture. As winter approaches, the cost again 

 increases. This does not mean that summer dairying is 

 more profitable. It is usually less so, owing to the relatively 

 cheaper value of dairy products. On the average farm it 

 would be correct to say, that winter dairying, all things 

 considered, is the more profitable and generally ad- 

 vantageous. 



As the cost of the plant, that is, the cost of rent of 

 land and buildings, cows and dairy utensils increases, so 

 does the interest on the investment. The difference in this 

 respect on cheap land and fertile, and dear land and not 

 much fertile, is very considerable. The difference in wages 

 may also vary materially in localities. The cost of trans- 

 portation must be considered, and the difference here also 

 may be material in the case of milk. 



In the face of influences which thus vary, it is impossible 

 to give mean averages of the cost of producing* 100 pounds 

 of milk, or one pound of butter fat. With a whole herd 

 it has seldom been found possible during recent years to 

 produce the former at a less cost than 50 cents and the 

 latter at a less cost than 12 cents. 



Quantity in milk production. The influences that 

 affect quantity in milk production include the following: 

 (i) The food fed; (2) the breed or grade; (3) type; (4) 

 inheritance; (5) size; (6) age; (7) time from calving; (8) 

 exercise; (9) discomfort arising from any source, and (10) 

 habit in milk giving. It is not possible to state the relative 

 degrees of the influence thus exercised, since it will vary 

 with variation in the attendant conditions. 



