THE COST OF RAISING A DAIRY COW. 5 



by dividing the total cost of this labor by the total hours of paid 

 labor for the entire farm. This total cost is made up of cash wages, 

 board, lodging, and other privileges provided. The accurate rate for 

 the Brigham farm, although varying slightly from year to year, is 

 very close to 12 cents per hour for all the years. The cost rate of 

 horse labor, determined in the same way, is equal to the total cost of 

 this labor divided by the total number of hours of horse labor for the 

 entire farm business. The cost includes labor, feed, shoeing, interest, 

 and depreciation charges for the use of shelter, harness, and other 

 horse equipment needed for the maintenance and use of the horses, 

 and other miscellaneous items. The rate per hour as figured for 

 1909 is 10 cents, and the rates for the other years are so close to this 

 that a 10-cent rate is taken for the entire period. 



Because of the variation in the number of animals throughout the 

 year, the average per month, as well as the yearly average, is obtained 

 on the basis of feeding days. 



RECORDS OF THE 1909 GROUP OF CALVES. 



QUANTITY OF FEED CONSUMED DURING THE FIRST YEAR. 



The figures in Table II represent the average daily quantity of 

 each feed consumed per head for the different months of the first 

 year. The number of calves varies from 1 to 18 for the first month 

 and then remains around 20 to 23 for the rest of the year. The 

 yearly average on the basis of feeding days is 20.42. In making and 

 adjusting the ration, six classes of feed are used — whole milk, skim 

 milk, hay, corn silage, grain mixture, and pasture. 



For the first few days the calf receives only warm whole milk and 

 is fed three times a day. After this it is fed milk only morning 

 and evening. During the whole-milk period the calf receives from 

 6 to 12 pounds daily, according to age and size. When it is about 

 30 days old the ration is gradually changed from whole milk to 

 skim milk. At first about 1 pound of skim milk is substituted 

 and the quantity is gradually increased, so that in about a week the 

 calf is getting skim milk only. About the time of this change grain 

 mixture is added to the ration and the quantity is gradually in- 

 creased. Mixed hay, consisting mostly of clover, is also added and 

 kept in the bunk before the calf for the first few months so that it 

 may help itself at will. In June alfalfa is substituted. The skim 

 milk is brought back from the village creamery and during the fall 

 and winter months it has to be warmed before feeding, a small 

 steamer being kept for this purpose. 



