BULLETIN OF THE 



No. 49 



Contribution from the Bureau of Plant Industry, Wm. A. Taylor, Chief 

 January 14, 1914. 



THE COST OF RAISING A DAIRY COW. 1 



By C. Morris Bennett, Assistant Agriculturist, and Morton O. Cooper, 

 Scientific Assistant, Office of Farm Management. 



INTRODUCTION. 



One of the most important and vital problems in the dairy industry 

 of this country is the production of heifers to replace poor animals 

 and the older cows as they reach the end of their economic useful 

 ness. The extent of this problem may be better realized when om> 

 considers that, according to recent statistics, there are in the terri- 

 tory of the United States, not including the Philippine Islands, 

 21,749,651 dairy cows. 2 Considering the average productive life to 

 be even as high as eight years, 3 each year 2,718,706 heifers must be 

 raised to maintain the present number of dairy cows. If the total 

 number of cows is increased, then even a larger number of heifers 

 must be raised annually. 



The raising of these heifers for the country as a whole is an im 

 portant economic problem to the dairyman, and the cost of their pro- 

 duction is a large item in keeping down his profits. 



In the following pages is outlined the cost problem of raising a 

 heifer, and figures are presented showing the results of investigations 

 into the cost of producing heifers on a Wisconsin farm, covering a 

 period of five years. During this period 117 calves were selected for 

 raising. Three consecutive yearly groups of calves are followed from 

 birth to the time of entering the dairy herd. 



The heifers raised on this farm are Jerseys. While the cost of 

 raising dairy cows of the different breeds may not vary greatly, the 

 Jersey is one of the smallest breeds; and if there is an}^ variation 

 the cost for other breeds would probably be a little higher. 



1 This work was made possible through the hearty cooperation of Mr. C. I. Brigham. 

 who kept the complete daily records, and Miss Lillian Church, assistant in farm account- 

 ing, who rendered valuable assistance in posting and tabulating the original records cov- 

 ering a period of four years. 



2 U. S. Department of Agriculture, Yearbook for 1912, p. 666. 



3 U. S. Department of Agriculture, Bureau of Statistics, Bulletin 88. 



16124°— Bull. 49—14 1 



