12 



On the Scottish farms the lowest cost is found to he accompanied by the lowest yield, 

 and the highest cost of all by a yield whic.h is below the average. It is not suggested, how- 

 ever, that the yield is the only factor in the low cost of milk. Other factors will he indicated 

 in relation to the number of cows calving during the winter, and the proportion of dry cows 

 maintained. 



XII. INFLUENCE OF WINTER CALVING ON COST PER GALLON. 



The following Tables (Nos. 7 and 8) show the proportion of the cows dry and the pro- 

 portion of the cows calving during the period. The summary figures are : 



England & Wales. Scotland. 



Per cent. Per cent. 

 Proportion of cows dry during period ... ... ... 19'61 '25'9 



Cows in milk 80'39 741 



Proportion of cows calving during period ... ... 43'00 .">_!< i 



Yield per cow per day (all cows in the herd) T48 gals. T57 gals. 



In England and Wales the high proportion of cows in milk, the low proportion of cows 

 dry, and the comparatively low proportion of cows calving during the period, are accompanied 

 by a lower milk yield than in Scotland where a higher proportion of the cows cahvd during 

 the winter, and where, consequently a higher proportion were dry, and a lower proportion 

 were in milk. The difference, however, is very small, as it amounts to only six gallons in 

 each hundred, i.e., the Scottish farmer obtained 106 gallons to every 100 gallons per cow 

 obtained by the English farmer. 



TABLE 7. 



Influence of Winter Calving on Cost Per Gallon of Milk. 

 ENGLAND AND WALES. 



The influence of the winter calving of cows on the gallon cost would be much more 

 clearly indicated if the loss due to keeping other cattle were eliminated. It is shown clearly 

 in the case of Group o, where there were few such cattle, and the loss was very small. But 

 in Groups 3, 7 and 8, where the proportion of cows freshening during the period was high, 

 and yet costs were high, these costs are partly due to the losses on the other dairy stock. In 

 two cases the losses amount to over 3d and in one to over 5Jd. per gallon. 



TABLE 8. 



Influence of Winter Calving of Cows on Cost per C,nlli <// Milk. 



SCOTLAND. 



