These figures alone would indicate the substantial gain in importance of the 

 dairy industry in the state during the past four years although the gain in manu- 

 factured dairy products does not necessarily mean that there has been a corre- 

 sponding increase in the total production of milk, since the proportion of the total 

 milk produced that is sold for manufacture may vary itself from year to year. 



However, estimates of the state-federal crop reporting service as to the num- 

 bers of cows kept for milk and the numbers milked each year furnish valuable 

 indications that the gain in manufactured dairy products has partly come about 

 through an expansion in the dairy industry itself during the past four years. 

 From the number of 167,967 cows milked in 1924 as enumerated by the federal 

 census of agriculture the estimate of the state-federal crop reporting service 

 shows 173,000 cows milked in 1927. Although the 1927 number milked fell slightly 

 below the numbers milked in both 1925 and 1926 due to the heavy marketings of 

 old cows with the high 1927 meat prices, it is noted from the milk production re- 

 ports of the crop reporters that there has been a steady gain in the average pro- 

 duction of milk per cow each year since 1924. This indicates "better" dairying 

 which is fully as important in a young state like Montana as is "more dairying." 



Reliable statistics relative to dairy production beyond the statistics of manu- 

 facture and shipments which are actual records are difficult to obtain except in 

 form of estimates. On the other hand it is essential that all possible statistics 

 relative to dairy production be assembled if we are to intelligently analyze and 

 evaluate its development. With this thought in mind the state dairy division has 

 been cooperating with the state-federal crop and livestock estimating service with 

 a view of securing the best possible estimates relative to dairy production. Out 

 of this work in the past four years we have been able to make some measure of 

 the total dairy industry of the state from year to year. In the following table 

 the estimates of total milk production are arrived at through estimates of the 

 number of milk cows and heifers two years old and over on hand at the end of 

 each year together with the estimates of the number milked and the average 

 yearly production per cow. These yearly estimates are based on the census 

 enumeration of 1924 of the actual number of cows milked and the total production 

 of milk in that year. The amount of milk used on farms either for making butter 

 or as fluid milk was actually enumerated by the census in 1924. The difference 

 between these totals should then check with the amount of milk manufactured in 

 state creameries and shipped out by farmers to plants outside the state. 



In the table following it will be noted that beginning with 1926 there has 

 been a rather marked decline in the amount of milk or its equivalent sent out of 

 Montana to outside milk plants. With much of this milk originating in eastern 

 Montana the dry season of 1926 probably accounts for most of this decrease. In 

 1927 in this area it is not believed that milk cow numbers were restored suffic- 

 iently following the 1926 sales, to prevent a further decrease in shipments of 

 butterfat and cream from eastern Montana to outside plants for manufacture. 

 Out of a total milk production in the state in 1927 that was slightly less than in 

 1926, creameries and other processors of dairy products within the state increased 

 their out-put over 1926 indicating that the Montana dairy producer is now favor- 

 ing his local market more strongly than before. 



1924 1925 1926 1927 



(census) (Final est.) (Revised) (Prelim, est.) 



No. cows Dec. 31 174,000 192,000 181,000 175,000 



No. Cows Milked 167,967 176,300 175,000 173,000 



Prod, per Cow (gals.) 436 433 438 441,000 



Total Production (gals.) 72,233,612 76,208,000 76,650,000 76,293,000 



Total Production (lbs.) 629,809,063 655,388,800 667,790,000 656,120,000 



Milk used on Farms (lbs.) 



For making Butter 131,308,200 131,400,000 130,500,000 131,100.000 



As fluid Milk 85,835,063 86,100,000 85,200,000 85,800,000 



Milk Sold on Farms (lbs.) 412,665,690 437,888,800 452,090,000 439,220,000 



Butter Fat Basis 299,564,800 317,924.800 336,900,000 318,620,000 



Cream Basis 61,847,870 65,480,000 67,120,000 66,100,000 



Whole Milk 51,253,020 54,484,000 56,104,000 54,500,000 



Equivalent Whole Milk Manufactured 



in State (lbs.)* 365.157,950 378,342,000 414,263,000 419,956,000 



As Butter 343,731,800 358,942,000 393,417,703 400.806,000 



As Cheese „ 8,193,550 13,892,000 15,804,000 13.586.000 



As Ice Cream 4,232,600 5,708,000 5,042,000 5,564,000 



Apparent Export from State by 



Farmers, Pounds Equivalent 56,507,740 59,546,600 87,828,000 19,264,000 



• Records of the State Dairy Division converted to pounds whole milk equivalent. 



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