24 BULLETIN 501, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



The fact must not be overlooked that while for clearness in dis- 

 cussion dairy farms have been divided into the two general types, 

 in actual conditions there are farms where dairying is found in every 

 degree of intensity. As the farm becomes more specialized in 

 character the feeding practice must be changed to conform with the 

 individual conditions. Each farmer or dairyman must formulate 

 his own ration, but in so doing it is necessary that he first learn what 

 his feeding problem really is, and having done this, decide upon a 

 feeding practice which will produce milk so that the dairy will con- 

 tribute to the maximum farm profit. 



THE LABOR PROBLEM. 



The data presented above show that the labor item is second to 

 feed in importance, and is approximately one-fourth of the total 

 expense of keeping a cow. With the increased demands for cleaner 

 dairy products it is reasonable to expect that in many cases more 

 work will be necessary, both in caring for the cows and for the milk. 

 This may also require more efficient labor on many farms and perhaps 

 higher wages. In attempting to reduce the cost for labor it must be 

 remembered that a cow responds to good treatment, and the efficiency 

 of labor has a close relationship to the profitableness of the dairy 

 business. This point is emphasized by the Minnesota Experiment 

 Station ^ in the following statement : ' ' We know of many instances 

 where the best of the dairy cows were kept and where good methods 

 of feeding were practiced ; and stni results f eU far short of what might 

 reasonably be expected, simply because the animals did not receive 

 the kindly treatment which is so essential to a cow giving much milk 

 for a long period." 



On specialized dairy farms where hand milking is practiced a 

 number of laborers are hired primarily for work in the dairy. The 

 dairy enterprise seldom provides work to keep the men profitably 

 employed throughout the day, largely because more men are required 

 to milk than are needed to do the other dairy work. It may be 

 expected that the use of milking machines on these farms will change 

 this labor requirement to some extent. Nevertheless, the same gen- 

 eral principle holds good, that he who would economize on this expense 

 for labor must provide other work during that part of the day when 

 labor is not needed in the dairy. For this reason the growing of 

 some field crops is always advisable. On each of the four farms from 

 which data have been presented aU labor used on the farms has been 

 charged to the various enterprises at a uniform rate per hour 

 Inasmuch as this labor was primarily employed for the dairy, it might 

 seem logical to charge the portion thus used at a higher rate and to 

 charge the labor used in the production of crops and on other farm 

 work at a lower rate. At the same time, labor on the more general 



1 See e, p. 34. 



