214 DAIRY FARMING 



methods of dairying are very different in different regions. 

 Near cities the cost of feed is so high and the value of the 

 protein in milk (skim-milk) is so great that the raising of 

 calves is very expensive. Many farmers who are thus sit- 

 uated regularly buy their cows. This is certain to continue 

 to be the general practice. This provides a steady market 

 for mature cows from regions where feed and milk are both 

 cheaper. Such men can raise more calves than they need 

 and can sell some of them as cows. 



Because of the expense of raising cows where feed is high 

 priced, the tendency in such regions is to keep the cows 

 longer. On New York farms, there were 7 cows for each 

 yearling heifer in 1910, indicating that the average cow 

 is probably kept until she is 8 or 9 years old. In Wisconsin 

 there was one yearling heifer for each 4.7 cows. In Iowa 

 there was one heifer for each 3.6 cows. In these states the 

 cows are kept about half as long as they are in New York. 



189. Marginal Regions. There are of course many regions 

 where the conditions are about equally favorable for each 

 class of dairy products. The region may be at the end of 

 the milk-shipping region so that the freight charges on milk 

 make the net price of milk about the same as that of butter. 

 Such regions tend to prevent the price of milk from rising. 

 If it rises much, farmers stop making cheese or butter and 

 ship the milk ; and if the price drops, they go back to butter 

 or cheese making. 



190. Effect of Distance to Railroad. Back from the rail- 

 roads on which milk or cream is shipped there are some- 

 times communities or farms that find it better to make 

 butter than to haul milk too far. In many of the milk-sell- 

 ing regions there are such examples. Sometimes the farmers 

 get calves from men living near the railroad, take them to 



