70 



MASS. EXPERIMENT STATION BULLETIN 164. 



Total Cost of the Two-year-old Heifer. 



1 Added by Lindsey. 



The writer has adopted the Wisconsin "overhead charge" because it 

 is the best available, and because it is based on careful observations. If 

 anything, it is below rather than above the actual cost in Massachusetts. 

 These "other costs" and "overhead charge" do not include the loss or 

 shrinl\;age due to death, disease and poor milking qualities of heifers in 

 the process of raising or on arriving at the milking stage. In raising 20 

 heifers we discarded 6, or 30 per cent., which was probably above the 

 average loss. On the Brigham farm 15 per cent, were discarded during 

 the two j^ears of growth, but, owing to fortunate methods of disposing of 

 them, the loss on the 73 head remaining prorated only 42 cents a head, 

 which was exceedingly small. Our cash loss per head on the 14 heifers 

 remaining on the basis of food cost was $14.53, due partly to the fact 

 that the animals had reached the age of two or more j^ears before the dis- 

 card was made. 



The sum of SIO per head, in the judgment of the writer, would not be 

 an excessive average figure to allow for loss due to discarding in the rear- 

 ing of dairy heifers until they come into milk. In some cases the loss may 

 be greater, while in other cases scarcely anything, but in a series of years 

 a noticeable shrinlcage is bound to occur. Adding this to our net cost of 

 $74.24 brings the amount to $84.24 as the total cost of raising an average 

 heifer weigMng 713 pounds to two years of age. If this figure seems ex- 

 ceedingly high to many they should consider the various data given, and 

 note in what particulars they think the charges excessive. 



All things considered, the writer is of the opinion that $75 to $85 repre- 

 sents the cost of raising the average dairy heifer until she reaches the age 

 of two years. 



Trueman, as a result of his observations, states : — 



Considering all these factors (feed, labor, interest, taxes, barn room, discarding, 

 etc.), it is doubtful if good heifers can be raised and put to work in the herd for 

 much under $80 each. Good heifers are not dear at that price, however. They are 

 young and vigorous and ready for a long life of usefulness, and are cheaper at that 

 price than the average cows bought at maturity for $60. 



