56 N. H. Agr, Experiment Station [Bulletin 260 



to disease over which the farmer has lost control, State agencies should 

 ofifer some assistance ; if it results from a lack of understanding of the 

 principles of sanitation or dairy management, certainly here is a fruit- 

 ful field for dairy extension Avork. In any ease, these farmers cannot 

 expect any measure of success so long as this condition ])revails. Tt is 

 useless to hope for a time when consumers will ])ay prices that will 

 justify a reasonable farm income from such a low production. 



These 54 farms with an average milk production per cow of 2,833 

 pounds had an average labor income of — $390. The second group, 

 with an average production of 3,992, obtained an average labor income 

 of $34. The table indicates that under conditions existing in the year 

 of this study, a production of some 6,000 pounds per cow was neces- 

 sary, if the operator expected to get hired men's wages. The last group 

 of 69 farms, with an average milk production of 7,222 pounds per cow, 

 was rewarded Avith an average labor income of $1,228. 



Production per cow is one of the important factors most susceptible 

 to improvement in this area. Farms with herds averaging less than 

 5,000 pounds of milk per cow, especially, should strive for ways and 

 means of improvement. A production of 7,000 pounds is good income 

 insurance. That it is ])ossible and practical is evidenced by the fact 

 that 69 farmers out of 395 attained a somewhat better average pro- 

 duction and received labor incomes nearly twice as high as the near- 

 est competing group. Their labor incomes were more than three times 

 the average for all the farms. 



'to' 



Production Per Cow and Crop Index 



These factors are combined in Table 46. Something of their 

 relative importance is indicated by observing the change in labor 

 incomes from left to right and from top to bottom. With every im- 

 provement in milk production for all three columns, there is a definite 

 and decided increase in average labor incomes. The influence of crop 

 index is less pronounced although the tendency is for incomes to im- 

 prove with better yields. The average labor income for 52 farms that 

 were below average in both crop yields and milk production per cow 

 was — $97 ; the average labor income for 47 farms tliat were above 

 average in both factors was $1,093. 



Production Index 



This same combination of crop yields and production per cow plus 

 eggs per hen and net increase and other returns from sheep, when 

 of any importance, are included in production index. (See definitions.) 

 The importance of production index as a measure of profits on these 

 farms is indicated in Table 47. The first grou]! of 47 farms which 

 lacked 40 ])er cent of being uj) to average production in crops, cows, 

 hens and sheei) lacked $469 on the average of joaying interest and 

 farm expenses. The group wliicii was average in respect to produc- 

 tion averaged practically the same labor income as the average for all 

 farms, $396. The 24 operators who qualified for the last group by 

 having production more than 30 per cent above average received labor 



