26 BULLETIN 1236, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 
DAIRY FARMING. 
Size of herds and production of the cows are important factors in 
returns from dairy farming in this as in other regions. Thirty-one 
of the 57 dairy farms studied had 8 cows or fewer. The small size 
of the farms rather definitely limits the size of the herds. Herds 
can not be materially increased without providing more feed, either 
from use of more land, or from heavier purchases, which amounts to 
the same thing. Something may be done in the way of improving 
pastures or pasture substitutes, but a large acreage is needed for even 
a small herd. The price of land is so high, however, as to preclude 
its use as pasture if it can be used for any other purpose. The dairy 
farms were for the most part established when land was much 
cheaper than it is now, which permits larger use of pasture than 
would be economical on farms recently purchased. 
Much can be done in the way of increasing the production of milk, 
however, as the cows of half these 57 herds averaged less than 6,000 
pounds of milk per } T ear, while 8 herds averaged more than 7,500 
pounds per cow. The differences are due partly to management and 
partly to the capacity of the cows, itself a phase of management. A 
cow producing less than 6,000 pounds in a year is probably a 
" boarder" — that is, she is probably not giving milk enough to pay 
for her feed and care — and should make way for a better producer. 
The economical use of feed is highly important on these small 
farms where the crop yields are rather low, the land values high, 
and the purchase of all the grain feed practically necessary. The 
problem warrants very careful study on the part of each dairyman, 
especially in the matter of the observation of his own herd. Gener- 
ally speaking, liberal feeding up to the point where the cows begin to 
get noticeably fat is economical feeding, because only half or less 
of the feed consumed is used for milk production. Heavy produc- 
ers make more profitable use of the feed given them than do low pro- 
ducers. (See Table 22.) The dairyman should make every effort to 
provide his own legume hay, silage, or roots and pasture or pasture 
substitutes. Only under special conditions is it profitable to buy 
hay, though half the dairymen in this area bought some hay at an 
average price of $25 per ton. The purchase of grain and mill by- 
products is advisable and practically a necessity, all but one of 
these dairymen buying mill feed. 
The amount of mill feed needed per cow depends on the character 
and quantity of the roughage and pasture available and on the man- 
agement. With plenty of legume hay of good quality and silage or 
roots, the use of high-protein feeds, which are the highest in price, 
may be greatly reduced. If cows freshen late in the winter and pas- 
ture i- abundant throughout the summer, little mill feed need 
be supplied. 
It is well lo bear in mind that the price of milk is low in summer 
and that receipts are low, as well as expense for feed. Further, in 
order in secure high production, il is practically necessary to feed 
concent rates most of t he time, and under these conditions fall fresh- 
ening is likely lo give the best results financially —the cows are in 
heavy milk (low when milk prices are high and have the stimulating 
effect of pasture to support the How in the spring. Further, they 
suffer least from failing pastures in July and August. By buying 
