90 



BULLETIN 341, TJ. S. DEPARTMENT OP AGRICULTURE. 



FEEDING STUFFS. 



On the whole, the farmers of Chester County grow a larger quan- 

 tity of feedstuffs than they feed. They produce a large excess of 

 hay, the majority of farms selling some of this product. A consider- 

 able number of farms grow more corn than is needed on the farm and 

 an occasional farmer sells some oats. The average value of farm feed 

 sold per animal unit was $21.08 (see Table LIII). At the same time 

 these farmers bought on an average $10.11 worth of feed per animal 

 unit, mostly in the form of grain and mill stuffs. They thus produce 

 an excess of roughage and a deficit of concentrates. This is the 

 usual situation on farms devoted largely to live stock. In this region 

 nearly every farmer who keeps any considerable number of live stock 

 buys concentrates. The number who sell roughage, principally hay, 

 is less. Some farms sell a large quantity of hay, while others that 

 are more heavily stocked sell little or none. Whether it pays to sell 

 hay depends on the situation on the individual farm. If the dairy 

 cows are of the best quality it would probably pay best to keep 

 enough of them to consume all the roughage grown, buying enough 

 concentrates to make up any deficiency in the quantity produced. 

 Where the cows are of only moderate quality it is undoubtedly good 

 practice to sell some hay. We have already seen that on the average 

 those farmers who sell a small quantity of hay make higher profits 

 than those who sell none or a large quantity. This is probably due to 

 the fact that the average dairy cow in this region is only moderately 

 good. If all were as good as the best, it would, in all probability, pay 

 to increase their number and feed all the hay. 



Table LIL- 



-Feed cost per animal unit on 378 farms operated by owners, 

 Chester County. 



Kind of feed. 



Amount 

 raised. 



Amount 

 sold. 



Amount 



con- 

 sumed. 



Price. 



Value of 



feed 



con- 

 sumed. 



Corn for grain and other purposes. 



Hay. 



Oats 



Rye 



Barley 



Oats and speltz. 



Straw a.. 

 Stover a. 



Bushels. 



265, 313 



Tons. 



6,678 



12, 481 



Bushels. 



54,360 



224 



229 



160 



Tons. 



5,000 



6,000 



Bushels. 

 25, 788 

 Tons. 



5,642 



Bushels. 



2,725 



52 



Tons. 

 900 



Bushels. 



239,525 



Toils. 



6,678 



6,839 



Bushels. 



51, 635 



172 



229 



160 



Tons. 



4,100 



6,000 



$0.75 

 Tons. 

 4.00 

 18.00 



.50 

 .80 

 .75 

 .60 



4.00 

 5.00 



$179,644 



26, 712 

 123, 102 



25, 818 

 138 

 172 

 96 



16, 400 

 30,000 



a Yield estimated. 



Total value of farm feed 



Increase in inventory value 



Total value of farm feed consumed 



Total value of farm feed consumed per animal unit. 



Value of feed purchased , 



Value of feed purchased per animal unit 



Total feed cost 



Totalfeed cost per animal unit 



$402, 082. 00 



36, 061. 00 



366,021.00 



49.79 



74,304.00 



10.11 



440,325.00 



59.90 



