334 ILLINOIS STATE DAIRYMEN'S ASSOCIATION. 



three-year rotation of corn, oats and clover, manure has increased 

 the crop yield $1.60 for each ton of manure used, figuring the 

 market value of the crops for the first three years after it is 

 applied. No consideration is taken of the increased production 

 from the effects of the manure after the first three years. At 

 the Ohio Experiment Station, the value of the crop yields has 

 been increased $2.34 for each ton of manure used. From the 

 figures above stated, $1.50 a ton is a conservative value on cow 

 manure which has been well cared for. Cows which produce 

 less than 8,000 pounds of milk will produce, on the average, less 

 than 11 tons of manure. Cows producing more than 8,000 

 pounds of milk will not only produce more manure, but it will 

 be of better quality, owing to the fact that they are fed more con- 

 centrates. For these reasons, the value of the manure is low- 

 ered by 50 cents per cow for every 1,000 pounds' decrease in pro- 

 duction of milk below 8,000 pounds, and raised 50 cents per 

 1,000 pounds' increase in production above 8,000 pounds. 



10. The labor per cow at the dairy of the University of 

 Illinois has amounted to $22, where the cows were stabled con- 

 tinually throughout the year. This is more, decidedly, than it 

 will cost under the ordinary farmers' conditions, hence $20 is 

 taken as a basis for labor on cows producing 8,000' pounds of 

 milk annually. The labor for cows producing less than 8,000 

 pounds of milk will not depreciate materially, as feeding, water- 

 ing, cleaning stables and caring for the individual cows will be 

 practically the same, regardless of their production, and cows 

 giving less milk will be much slower milkers, thus requiring more 

 time per pound of milk obtained. The labor is reduced only 50 

 cents for every thousand pounds' decrease in milk production 

 below 8,000 pounds, making a minimum cost of labor on a cow 

 producing 2,000 pounds of milk, $17. With increased produc- 

 tion, only a small amount of extra labor is required in caring 

 for the cows, and as large producers give down their milk more 

 freely, less time is consumed per pound of milk in milking, and 

 one dollar is added to the cost of labor for each 1,000 pounds' 

 increase in yield. 



