MILKING ONCE DAILY PROFITABLE?

Bay of Plenty Times, Volume LXXVII, Issue 14884, 22 January 1949, Page 4

MILKING ONCE DAILY PROFITABLE?

EASING OF LABOUR SITUATION AND PRODUCTION COSTS GOOD PASTURES AND CROPS ESSENTIAL $ A Queensland dairy farmer has startled the Australian dairy industry by claiming that once-a-day milking is a good commercial prooosition that will overcome the shortage of agricultural labour and reduce dairy production costs. Mr and Mrs C. E. Tudor, who have a Jersey stud at Gayndah. Queensland, say that from actual practice over a period of years they have proved that a good living can be made from dairying if cows are milked once daily and fed on good pastures and crops. Stall feeding is only necessary when pastures are unbalanced and there are no crops. With twice-a-day milking, the Tudors claim, a farmer spends about seven hours daily with his cows. He does not have time to grow all tne feed he needs and has to pay nigh prices for lucerne and grain. Unctei this scheme, the cows are finished in the morning and the rest of the day is left free for farm work. There is, little difference in the butterfat yield of a cow with once-a-dav milking. The milk supply is a little less, but this is offset by the amount given over the whole lactation neriod, which is extended. The Tudors milk freshly-calved cows twice a day for six weeks and then put them on to oncc-a-day milking.