28 UNIV. OF N. H. AGR. EXPERIMENT STATION [Bulletin 217 



The farm prices received for local sales of milk are not available, but 

 those paid by the co-operative milk plants for the period corresponding 

 to the feed costs as shown in Figure 6, page 25, indicate that feed costs 

 represent roughly 60 per cent of the amount received. In other words, 

 the farmer receives 40 per cent of the gross returns as payment for labor, 

 interest on investment, building costs, and other expenses. This return 

 is not large, but many farmers are finding it the most profitable farm 

 enterprise in which they can engage. 



An inventory of dairy animals October 1, 1923 and 1924, indicates a 

 decrease in dairy cows for the county and a decrease both of cows and 

 heifers in District II, although this decrease may have occurred outside 

 of the area supplying the co-operative milk plants. The totals for the 

 county are as follows. (See Table XXI in Appendix for the district fig- 

 ures.) 



1923. 1924. 



Dairy cows 8,570 8,080 



Heifers 4,340 4,410 



Other dairy cattle 1,116 . 1,-300 



Many dairymen should also be able to lower the above estimate of feed 

 cost by improving their feeding practices. Most of the grain and con- 

 centrates fed the dairy cows in this county are purchased as prepared 

 dairy feeds. This is an advisable practice where the dairyman is not 

 familiar with the feeding value of the different grains and concentrates. 

 Farmers keeping from one to five cows will probably find it more profit- 

 able to purchase prepared dairy feeds than to attempt to do their own 

 mixing. Some dairymen, however, are cutting down the cost of their 

 feed bill by mixing their own rations, and many other enterprising ones 

 should find it profitable to follow their example. The county agent and 

 dairy specialist at the University of New Hampshire are ready to assist 

 any of these men in this practice. 



Another way of cutting down feed cost is to produce more leguminous 

 hay, Timothy and corn silage are at present the principal roughages, 

 and they require a large amount of high-priced protein concentrates to 

 form a balanced ration. Many farmers could reduce this cost by growing 

 more clover and alfalfa hay. 



Some farmers, especially on farms with plenty of pasture and a con- 

 siderable distance from a market for milk, shoidd also find the raising of 

 milk cows from calves of good breeding, purchased from dairymen who 

 now sell them at veal prices at calving time, more profitable than the 

 production of beef cattle or sheep. 



Dairying as an industry in Cheshire County depends largely on local 

 consumption. There are likely to be yearly maladjustments to the de- 

 mands of this market which a yearly agricultural policy should attempt 

 to remedy, but a long-time program should emphasize improvement in 

 feeding and handling methods, and in quality of cows rather than an in- 

 crease or decrease in number. 



In District V there was a decrease both in number of heifers and of 

 dairy cows during the year ending September 30, 1924. This may not 

 affect the price in this district, but should make less competition in dis- 

 posing of milk. In District IV the total number of heifers and cows is 

 about the same. Most of these are kept to supply home demands, and 



