2 BULLETIN 501, U. S, DEPARTMENT OP AGRICULTURE. 



LOCATION AND DESCRIPTION OF FARMS FROM WHICH COST RECORDS 



WERE OBTAINED.^ 



The four farms from which data were obtained for this pubhcation 

 are located, respectively, in Dane County, Wis.; Macomb County, 

 Mich.; Chester County, Pa.; and Edgecombe County, N. C. These 

 farms will hereafter be mentioned as the "Wisconsin farm," the 

 "Michigan farm," the "Pennsylvania farm," and the "North 

 Carolina farm." 



THE WISCONSIN FARM. 



The Wisconsin farm is representative of milk production on farms 

 where there is an abundance of pasture. This farm, consisting of 

 550 acres, has about 100 acres of nearly level land under cultivation, 

 and the remainder, which is rolling and sidehill, is in pasture and 

 woods. Most of the rolling land is too rough for cultivation, but 

 has a natmally fertile soil which furnishes an abundant growth of 

 grass throughout the simamer months. This farm is best suited to 

 a type of live-stock farming that provides for the profitable use of 

 pasture. Small grain, corn, mixed hay, and alfalfa are grown in the 

 cultivated area. Most of the corn is made into silage. These crops 

 are all fed to live stock, and in addition some concentrates are pur- 

 chased. 



The dairy herd normally consists of about 50 high-grade and pure- 

 bred Jersey cows, two registered bulls, and about 40 calves and young 

 stock. The practice is to have the cows freshen during the early fall, 

 so that the heavy production comes dm-ing the fall and winter months, 

 when prices of butter fat are highest. Also, the increased labor 

 required in the production of crops comes at a time when less labor is 

 needed in the care of the dairy herd, thus providing a more uniform 

 distribution of labor throughout the year. For four years, 1909-191 2, 

 the milk was hauled to a local creamery and sold on the butter-fat 

 basis. The skim milk was returned to the farm and fed to the calves 

 and pigs. The skim milk not needed for the calves has made it pos- 

 sible to raise 50 to 75 pigs per year. Some young stock is sold, be- 

 cause more is normally raised than is needed to keep up the herd. 



THE MICHIGAN FARM. 



The Michigan farm is an example of milk production on farms where 

 no natural pasture land is available. This farm, containing about 

 195 acres, lies well and is practically all tillable land. During the 

 summer 15 to 20 acres arc used by the cows for exercise and pasture, 

 and the remainder of the farm is devoted to the production of crops 

 which are consumed on the farm. The whole business of the farm 

 centers around the dairy enterprise, and practically all of the receipts 



lAcknowlcdgment is due Mr. C. I. Brigham, of Wisconsin; Mr. Geo. A. True, of MichiKan; Mr. C. G. 

 Huey and his father, Mr. A. B. Iluey, of Pennsylvania: and Mr. TI. L. Brake, of North Carolina, for their 

 hearty cooperation in furnishing the detailed reports that made this publication possible. 



