WINTER MILK.

King Country Chronicle, Volume XXXIII, Issue 4803, 28 June 1939, Page 3

WINTER MILK.

AN OFFICIAL INVESTIGATION. Interesting facts on the cost of producing milk in winter are provided in the report of an investigation which has just been concluded by Dr. M. C. Frankton and Mr. A. H. Flay, of Lincoln College, Canterbury.

The period under survey by these two officers was from April 15 to October 15. Every aspect has been covered by the investigators and presented in tabulated form, which does not allow of reproduction here. Relative food units of supplementary feed for the six months have been

shown as follows:—April 3.4, May 6.7, June 9.8, July 12.25, August 12.25, September 8.4, and October 3.4 —back to the April basis. The quantities of hay, mangels and chou moellier for the season over the different months have been taken at an average of two and a half to two and three-quarters tons of hay, 2.2 tons of mangels, and 1.1 tons of chou moellier.

The cost of supplementary feeding a cow works out at the following, the prices of the three feeds specified being the average rate paid this winter:—

21 tons of hay at £5 a ton £l2 10 0 2.2 tons of mangels at

30s a ton 3 G 0 1.1 ton of chou moellier at £1 a ton 1 2 0

£l6 18 0 The revenue side is as follows: Production for six months at 13 gallons a cow a day, 313 gallons. The cost a gallon on the above figures works out at just on Is Id, Last year a similar investigation was made, and the cost worked out at a fraction more than lid a gallon. The increased cost of hay and mangels this winter accounts for the difference.