822 



A Unique Cow Club. 



[Dec. 



A UNIQUE COW CLUB. 



The following note has been communicated by Professor D. A. 

 Gilchrist, Armstrong College, Newcastle-upon-Tyne : — 



What is probably a unique Cow Club, managed by a com- 

 munity of miners, is continuing its successful career. This is 

 the North Seaton Co-operative Farming Society, members of 

 which recently visited Cockle Park with the objects of seeing how 

 land for pasture and meadow hay can be improved and of obtain- 

 ing information on the economical feeding of dairy cows. The 

 Cow Club, as it was originally called, was founded in 1872, the 

 colliery village having no milk supply. The members numbered 

 forty or fifty miners, each of whom paid £1. They started with 

 three cows, increasing the number as the demand for milk in- 

 creased. After a time the Colliery Company built a brick cow byre 

 to stall 14 cows and let to the Club two fields amounting to 24 

 acres, half being grazed and the other half mown for hay. A 

 larger byre was built about 15 years ago to accommodate 22 cows, 

 and the stock now usually includes 20 cows, one bull, and a 

 pony. Milk is supplied to anyone in the village, members and 

 non-members. The late Mr. G. B. Forster, who was managing 

 owner of the Colliery Company in 1872, took a great interest 

 in the foundation of the Society. 



In 1914 the Society sold milk at 3d. a quart; in 1920 the price 

 was 6d. ; but while in 1914 the average cost of keeping each cow 

 was £22 14s., in 1920 it was £'70. In 1920 each cow produced 

 over 800 gallons of milk. By showing in the balance sheet a 

 nominal valuation of each cow (in 1920 it was £27), the Society 

 protects itself against any sudden and heavy fall in prices that 

 might occur. There are now 165 shareholders in the Society, 

 which revised its rules some eight vears ago and pays 5 per cent, 

 on the share capital, the balance, after providing for a reserve 

 fund, being paid to members as dividend on their milk purchases. 

 As much ;^s 4?. in the £ has been paid in this way. The manage- 

 ment of the Society has evidently been on sound and economic 

 lines throughout, enabling it to sell milk at reasonable prices 

 and to build up ample financial reserves. The main object of 

 the Society is to meet efficiently the milk needs of its members, 

 not to make large profits; it has shown how a club having this 

 object can be managed economically and successfully, and has 

 demonstrated that the two essentials to success are, first, close 

 attention to business principles, and, secondly, proper manage- 

 ment of the cows. 



