DAIRY FARMING.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLIX, Issue 3874, 22 November 1928, Page 3

DAIRY FARMING.

SOME INTERESTING FIGURES. A correspondent in reply to a set of queries re dairy farming, writes as follows to the Auckland Herald: “As one who has broken in 130 acres of virgin country into a 60cow farm in 11 years, I shall endeavour to answer “Interested’s” inquiries, quoting for the benefit of those interested, both questions and answers. Owing to this season’s price not being available until the season closes I will quote from last season’s figures. Question 1: At the present price of butter-fat, what would an average cow of an average herd average in £ s. d. for the season Answer: My cows average 2621 b. butter-fat per cow on a dry season. At 1/5 per lb. butter-fat the average per cow was £l7 13s'8d. Question 2: Basing your estimate on the above return, what should be somewhere about the price per acre of the following farms: (a) a farm of 100 acres carrying 50 cows; (b) a farm of 200 acres carrying 50 cows Answer: The value-of buildings, fencing and situation have a great deal to do with farm values, but in striking a value I will assume good average range of buildings, good subdivisions- and good locality; at the above returns per cow 50 cows will return £BB4 3s 4d; with the usual dairy farm by-products, this should lie increased to £2O per cow, or £IOOO season return. Allowing for the cost of labour, interest, topdressing, rates and sundry other expenses, I should not consider (a) in question two sound buying at over £3B to £4O per acre, and as (b) would, no doubt, being a larger area take more labour and upkeep for 50 per cent, of the return per acre, I would value it at about 52 to 54 per cent. less. In conclusion I would like to state that, in many instances, this system of arriving at a value per acre to my mind would not be sound, but, as one interested, I have endeavoured to answer the above questions as they were asked.”