MILK BY THE ACRE.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXIII, Issue 7871, 5 August 1911, Page 2

MILK BY THE ACRE.

Profeesor W. J. Fraser, at tho Illinois Dairymen's Convention, 6tatea that the amount of milk and butter-fat produced to tho aero, is, generally speaking, tho final test of profitable dairying where all feed is raised on tho farm. This depends not only on effl- ■ cient cows, but also on raising crops , that contain a maximum amount of digestible nutriment, and especially protein, which is so essential for dairy cows. There are four different systems of cropping for dairy- farms, liy tho first two, 160 acres of land will support tho equivalent of 38 and 51 cows respectively. By tho other two the same farm will support tho equivalent of 65 and . 100 cows respectively. The first will, make ( 9211 b.. tho second 14751 b., the third 20251 b., and tho fourth 31501 b. of milk to tho acre. Tho poorest system of cropping returns 15.16 dollars to the acre in milk, while tho best system returns 48.20 dollars to tho aero. Tho first system will givo an annual return of - 2625 dollars from tho farm and tho last j 82-15 dollars, or more than three timeß tho first. But this is not all. Tho net j results as to nitrogen in tho soil is to lose 19001 b. annually by the first system, to gain 1101 b. in the second, 22501 b. in tho third, and 53301 b. in tho last. These differences are duo to the kind of crops raised, and their adaptability to tho feeding of dairy cows; for the cows aro figured at the same natural efficiency e and soil equally productive in each of I the four systems. It is certainly worth while.to consider crop plans that make such a difference in the.returns and tho maintenance of the soil. The investigations of tho Department of Dairy Husbandry tho last dozen years show plainly that tho farmer is not getting the .profits he should the investment of time and money in milk production. There . aro several reasons. One is tho inefficient cows, and the department has done much investigating to show, the difference in efficiency of individual cows. Another great waste is in rais- ~" ing crops that do not yield anything like the maximum amount of digestible - nutrients to the acre that it is possible to obtain. This is especially truo in 1 regard to protein contained in tho crops -* commonly raised on tho dairy farm, and V so essential in tho ration for dairy cows V Tor example, an aero of timothy hay ol does not contain more than one-tenth h a ?, m . ,lch di fi est iblo protein as an aero of K alfalfa hay. \ r<