DOES DAIRY FARMING PAY?

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXIII, Issue 4421, 31 May 1922, Page 4

DOES DAIRY FARMING PAY?

COST OF KEEPING A COW. At the Assessment Court at Pukekohe several witnesses were questioned as to the cost of keeping a cow, but none of them were prepared .at the time with, actual figures, thougn it was generally stated th,at one and a half acres of the best grass, with, hand-feeding in addition, was required. Mr. Thomas Brownlee has been kind enough to supply us (states the "Franklin Times) with the following figures, taken from his own accounts for the past year. | Mr. Brownlee has a herd of nine- j teen cows and one bull .and one horse, : kept on 32 acres of land. His valuation al present is £3975, or about £125 per acre. The total capital involved., he pits as follows : | Land — — — £2225 i 20 head of cattle — 400 1 Horse and implements 100 1 £2725 The profit and loss account is :

RECEIPTS. 3001 b butter-fat per head from 19 cows at 1/6 per lb — £427 10 0 Proceeds of pigs and calves 100 0 0 Balar.ee, being loss — 218 11 Total £530 8 11 As Mr. Brownlee’s new valuation is now f 4475 instead of £2225, an addii tiona.l sum of £135 will have to he added for interest,, and about £4O fp? r.ates and taxes. If, therefore, Mr. Brownlee had .to purchase his land at present valuation he might expect to 1 lose from £175 to £lBO annually.

EXPENDITURE. Interest at 6 per cent £163 10 0 Land tax & 12 8 Rates 36 6k 3 Insurance — 3 0 0 Loss of one cow — 20' 0 0 Manure 64 0 0 Wages for himself at £4 10s per week — 234 0 0 Total £530 8 11