May, 1933] Efficiency Studies in Dairy Farming 29 



The use of an annual legume without provision for permanent seed- 

 ing of clover and grass is open to criticism. The permanent seeding 

 with its several crops is more economic per ton of hay produced. The 

 annual crop should be supplementary to the permanent hay program. 



The pasture problem on the individual fami needs to be studied 

 along with the cropping system. In many instances, some of the til- 

 lage land might well be pastured. This is preferable to hauling green 

 feed to the barn or to any other barn feeding method. 



To illustrate the possibilities of improving the fami layout and 

 cropping system, the operator of the layout shown in Figure 4 jh'o- 

 duced nine tons of oat hay, 12 tons of clover, 10 of rowen, 42 of 

 grass hay and 100 of silage. It is estimated that a total of 164 tons 

 dry weight, including 49 tons total digestible nutrients and four and 

 one-quarter tons of digestible protein, were harvested. Under the pres- 

 ent system corn is put on the same land two years in succession and 

 some of the sod land has been down six .years. 



The fields could be combined and rearranged as shown in Figure 5 

 to make five 10-acre fields, enabling the operator to follow a five-year 

 rotation with 10 acres of silage, 10 acres of oats and vetch, 10 of clover 

 and 20 of mixed hay. In a few years this system should result in 20 

 tons oats and vetch, 20 of clover, 30 of mixed hay and 100 of corn. 

 It is estimated that these crops would contain 185 tons dry matter, 

 63 tons total digestible nutrients and six and one-half tons protein. 

 The tonnage of protein hay, the total yields of dry matter, of carbo- 

 hydrates and of protein would thus be increased. 



Eventuall}^ the wet area not used in the rotation could be brought 

 into the cropping plan. These fields could be drained at small cash 

 expense if the operator applied his own labor at odd times. (Fig. 6.) 

 In this case, a six-year rotation could be worked out with perhaps 

 a provision for pasturing the last year in the rotation before plowing 

 for com. The advantages of this plan would be in the long, easily 

 worked fields conveniently accessible from the farm road and build- 

 ings, the development of 10 acres of especially good pasture in the 

 rotation, the increase in amount of high protein hay, and a more 

 systematic use of the barnyard manure and lime applications. This 

 type of cropping development to take care of the pasture and roughage 

 needs is strongly recommended to the producers of the area. 



VARIATIONS IN PASTURES 



Adec|uate pasturage through the season for a herd of 20 cows is es- 

 timated to be eciuivalent in feeding value to over 30 tons of hay and 

 four tons of grain. The market value of these would be over $500, 

 or $25 per cow at present low prices. While no farm in the group 

 was without pasture, most farms needed to feed roughage in the form 

 of green feed, silage or hay for a long or short period to make up for 

 its inadequacy. This additional roughage to supplement poor pas- 

 tures resulted in a greater harvest labor peak and greater expense in 

 operating the farm. Dairymen with inadequate pastures are oper- 

 ating at a considerable handicap, and need to make drastic changes 

 in their organization. 



