ARGENTINE DAIRYING.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1715, 11 January 1905, Page 66

ARGENTINE DAIRYING.

The great extent to which the Argentine Republic is entering the lists of dairy supply countries gives increased interest to the modes of dairying in that country. To produce a pound of butter ten quarts, or about 251 bof milk are required. The cows in the dairies and estancias, a cross of Shorthorn and creole, will yield about oi quarts per day, remaining in milk for 20.0 days. It must be remembered that in all dairy herds there are always about 30 per cent of the cows that cannot be milked for some reason, or other.

The average cost of a dairy cow and calf is about £6; if the yield is greater than the average of 5.V quarts, the cost is proportionately higher, as it is considered that each additional quart of yield represents an increase of value of £1 • so a cow yielding 9 quarts is worth, from £9 to £lO, and if it gives 13 quarts, £l3 to £ls. About 10 per cent, of the Argentine dairy cows are graded Shorthorns. Three cows with their calves require about two squares of land (8-j- acres), or about three acres for each cow. Rent of land is about 6s 8d per acre per year. Caring and milking in each dairy about 120 to 150 cows requires three experienced men. Each man’s monthly wages would be a trifle over £3, with board and lodging, which will represent about 32s more. Tho price obtained from the creameries by the dairymen is about three farthings per quart. The same extension cannat bo shown in the manufacture of cheese, If they could produce good Cheshire, good Dutch, and good Petegras, the Argentine cheese business could seek, it is held, without fear, a market in London, whore there is an immense scope for it. Tho British consumption of cheese during the past year amounted to 7-jib per head, the value of the importations from various countries being £6,227,217. This points out the path that Argentine cheese must follow. But at the present it not only does not follow it, but lias allowed the strange fact to occur that in the past year Argentine imported over 29,000 cwts. of European cheese, valued at £120,000.