DAIRY FARM MANAGEMENT
PRACTICES TO REDUCE SEASONAUTY.
OF MiLK PRODUCUON IN THE
DETROIT MILKSHED

Thais for {he Dog!» of M. S.
MiCHIGAN STATE COLLEGE
Timcfhy L. Hodge
1950

 

E Thisistocerttfgthat the ‘ ‘34 3’
E thesis entitled .

.
"In s~yuh

. "Dairy Farm Management Practices

 

to Reduce Seasonality of Milk Production ' . 3 ' ‘ _'
in tne Detroit Milkshed" “..., ' ',K V

. ‘ '\‘ '.

presented by . x .. I .

hmonhy L. Hodge k, ' ‘ ' ‘ ' ;‘

V 1- . a, '. " .‘

p . a .f

‘ ' | ' . \ ‘ L;

has been accepted towards fulfillment ' ' ,1» '3 , a}
of the requirements for ' f '. .5
_Ma_fu_degree anement .i -' , 5
It ' t I’. ~ ‘ I - J.

r ' l.

. 0 r

" 4 .o ’

‘ I; '. ¢

Major professor 1m?

f' ”f r:', . .
Ihme_lan_h_2,_1950_____. ‘si“ 14‘ . .

- ‘v

‘4‘.- ‘..A\ -

.” L "n V' - 'u. '5"

       
     
    

    

   

       

' _‘
v' 1“
. ‘,

.La

- .1. aft
’ I've. l. .
‘ffil Vt

  
 

‘0

, . p. q -: .. '-
W
2"'£gf

‘1
I

/
y |

.2

DAIRY FARM MAKAGEHENT PRACTICES
TO REDUCE SEASONALITY OF MILK

PRODUCTION IN THE DETROIT MILKSHED

By

Timothy L. Hodge

A THESIS
Submitted to the School of Graduate Studies
of Michigan State College of Agriculture and

Applied Science in partial fulfillment
of the requirements for the degree of

MASTER OF SCIENCE

Department of Agricultural Economics

1950

pr

HESiS

ACKNOWIEDGEMENT

The author is indebted to Mr. Everett E. Peterson for his assist-
ance in conducting this study, his aid and advice in analyzing the
data, and for his counsel in the preparation of the manuscript.

Appreciation is especially expressed to Professors E. B. Hill,
K. T. Wright, G.C.Quachenbush, C. R. Hoglund, W. H. Vincent, and
other members of the Agricultural Economics Department whose co—op-
eration made this study possible.

Appreciation is expressed to the Michigan Milk Producers Associ-
ation and to mny of the farmer members who cooperated in supplying

informtion for this study.

3330298

TABLE OF CONTENTS

CHAPTER

I.

II.

III.

IV.

V.

INTRODUCTION . . . . . . . . . . .
Objectives of the study . . . .
Area of the study . . . . . . .

PRO CEDURE O O O O O O O O O O O O

CAUSES OF SEASONALITY OF MILK PRODUCTION

Changes in the amounts and the quality

of feed during the year . . .

The natural tendency for spring freshening

Variations in weather conditions

THE RELATION OF FARM ORGANIZATION TO

SEASONAL PRODUCTION PATTERNS .
Type of farming areas . . . .
Size of herd . . . . . . . . .
Relative importance of the dairy

enterprise . . . . . . . . .
Size of farm and land use . .
Labor requirements . . . . . .

Buildings and equipment . . .

EFFECT OF DAIRY HERD MANAGEMENT PRACTICES

ON SEASONALITY OF MILK PRODUCTION

Breeding practices and problems

12

16

33

36

37

41

41

ii
CHAPTER
Production per cow . .
Breeding decisions . .
Difficulties in obtaining
of freshening . . . .
Culling and replacement
Feeding practices . . .
Diseases and injuries .
VI. MISCELLANEOUS FACTORS . .

Distance from market .

desired

Number of years shipping fluid milk

Characteristics of the operator

Age of the Operator .
Attitude of the operator
VII. SUMLARY . . . . . . . . .

VIII. BIBLIOGRAPHY . . . . . . .

54
59
62

74

75
76
77
77
78
87

91

iii

LIST OF TABLES

TABLE PAGE
I. Amounts of Feedstuffs Fed Per Cow on a
Typical Dairy Farm in the Detroit
Milkshed, 1947 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ~ 17
II. Effect of Temperature Variation on Milk
Production . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
III. Distribution of Farms in the Hilkshed by
Production Patterns and Type-of-Farming,
359 Smnple Production Records, Detroit
Milkshed, 1947 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30
IV. Size of Herd by Production Pattern, 97
Survey Farms in the Detroit Milkshed, 1947 . . 01
V. Importance of the Dairy Enterprise to the
Balance of the Farm by Farms in Two
Seasonal Patterns, 64 Survey Farms in
the Detroit Milkshed, 1947 . . . . . . . . . . 32
VI. Size of Farm by Production Patterns, 97
Survey Farms in the Detroit Milkshed, 1947 . . 33
VII. land Use by Farms in Production Patterns,
97 Survey Farms in the Detroit Milkshed,

1947 O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O 34

TABLE

VIII..

XI.

XII.

XIII.

.XIV.

iv

Condition of the Buildings and the Condition

and the Amount of Milk Handling Equipment
97 Survey Farms in the Detroit Milkshed,

19‘}? O I O O O O O O O O O O O O C O O 0

Milk Shipped per Cow by Production Patterns,

97 Survey Farms in the Detroit Milkshed,
1947 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Decisions as to Time of Breeding Cows by
Production Patterns in 97 Survey Herds,
Detroit Milkshed, 1947 . . . . . . . . .
Decisions as to Time of Breeding Heifers
by Production Patterns from 97 Horde in
the Detroit Milkshed, 1947 . . . . . . .
Number of First-Calf Heifers Added to the
Herd and the Proportion Added During
July-December, 97 Survey Herds in the
Detroit Milkshed, 1947 . . . . . . . . .
Percentage of Herds Turned Out for Exercise
During the Barn Feeding Period, 97 Survey
Ierds in the Detroit Milkshed, 1947 . .
Farmers Having Trouble Detecting Cows in
Heat Where Cows Were or here Not Turned
Out Daily During the Barn Feeding SeaSon,

97 Survey Herds, Detroit Milkshed, 1947

39

50

51

53

56

TABLE PAGE
XV. Proportion of Farmers Keeping Breeding
Records, 97 Survey Farms in the
Detroit Milkshed, 1947 . . . . . . . . . . . . 58
XVI. Proportion Having Trouble in Getting Cows
to Freshen in Certain Seasons, 97 Survey
Farms in Detroit Milkshed, 1947 . . . . . . . 59
XVII. Proportion of Total Cows Bought in 1947 by
Feeding Periods, 56 Herds in Detroit
Milkshed . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60
XVIII. Percentage of Total Cows Sold by Quarters,
Detroit Milkshed, 1947 . . . . . . . . . . . . 62
XIX. Comparison of Pasture Programs on Even and
Spring-Summer Dairies, 63 Survey Farms
in the Detroit Milkshed, 1947 . . . . . . . . 64
XX. Percentage Feeding Grain According to
Production by Production Timing
Patterns, 97 Survey Herds, 1947 . . . . . . . 72
XXI. Percentage Feeding Grain to Dry Cows by
Production Timing Patterns, 97 Survey
Herds, 1947 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73
XXII. Relation of Distance from.Market to
Seasonal Patterns, 346 Sample

Production Records, 1947 . . . . . . . . . . . 76

vi
TABLE AGE
XXIII. Proportion of Operators by Age Groups in
Two types of Seasonal Patterns, 97
Survey Farms, 1947 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 78
XXIV. Reasons for Seasonal Production Patterns
as Given by Spring-Summer and Summer-
Fall Producers, 62 Survey Farms,
Detroit Milkshed, 1947 . . . . . . . . . . . . 8O
XXV. Reasons for Seasonal Production Patterns
as Given by Even and Fall and Winter
Producers, 35 Survey Farms, Detroit
Milkshed, 1947 . . ... . . . . . . . . . . . . 82
XXVI. Attitude of Operator toward Shifting
Milk Production Timing, 97 Survey
Farms, 1947 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 84
XXVII. Proportion of Farmers That Have Heard
of a Need for More Even Kilk Produc-
tion and the Extent That This Has
Influenced Production Shifts, 91 Survey

Herds,1947 ooooooooooooooooo 85

vii

LIST OF FIGURES

FIGURE PAGE ’

1. Total Deliveries and Class I Sales of

Fluid Milk, Detroit, 19314-147 Monthly

Averages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
2. Location of Receiving Stations in Re-

lation to Type-of-Famxing Areas in

theDetroitMilkShed.......... 6
3. Average Daily Shipments Per Month Per

Producer.l939-h8............ 9
h. Monthly Index of Production, Four

Seasonal Patterns, Detroit Milk Shed,

19h7................... 1h
5. Index of Milk Deliveries by Months in

the Detroit Milk Shed and at the

Beltsville Emeriment Station . . . . . . 20
5a. Index of Milk Deliveries by Months in

the Detroit Milk Shed and the Cali-

forniaD.H.I.A.............. 21
6. Index of Average Daily Shipments Per

Producer, by Months, by Type-of-

Faming Area, Detroit Milk Shed, 19h7. . . 29
7. Hours of Labor Required For Farm in the

Detroit Milk Shed, 19h? . . . . . . . . . 38
8. Index of Calves Born and Milk Produced

by Months, 85 Dairy Cost Study Herds, 191;? Ml

FIGURE

9.

10.

ll.

12.

13.

viii
PAGE!

Index of Calves Born and Milk Produced

Per Month by Even Producers, 33 Dairy

Costsmdyherds,19h7........... 15
Index of Calves Born and Milk Pro-

duced Per’Month by Spring-Summer Pro-

ducers, 23 Dairy Cost Study Herds,

19h? h6
Index of Cows in Herd and Percent Milk-

ing by Seasonal Production Pattern,

108 DoHoloA. Herds, 19h? o o o o ; o o . . . h8
Relation Between Feed Input and.Milk Pro-

duction . . o . ; o . . . o . . . . . . . . 66
Rates of Grain Feeding Per Cow'Per Day

by Producers in Different Production

Patterns, 97 SUI'VBY Farms, 1911»? o o o o o o 69

CHAPTER I

INTRODUCTION

Seasonal milk production is a challenging problem to the
dairy industry. The problem arises from the characteristic differ-
ences between the effective fluid market demand and supply
responses by producers through time (Fig. 1). Fluid milk demand
is typically even from month to month during any one year except
for secular trends and daily fluctuations. Price variations at
the retail level have not been effective in adjusting the demand
to seasonal supply responses.

The theoretical optimum in the market would be character-
ized by equilibrium.between total supply and total demand in any
season with enough excess over fluid milk demand to meet the
requirements of daily fluctuation in demand and to provide the
necessary milk for other than fluid uses. This assumes the
monthly supply of milk would be even from season to season.

Supply responses deviating from this optimum create dis-
equilibrium. Supply response is characterized by a seasonal high
in the months of May and June and a low in November and December.
Price plan: have been.devised to provide incentives for producers
to shift supply responses toward a level production pattern. The
theory of the price incentive plans is that higher production, in

the months of normally short supplies, will be made more profitable

3
so that producers taking advantage of the plan will realize a
higher net profit from their farm operation.

The problem of a dairy farmer who is Operating under a
price incentive plan is to obtain milk production timing responses
from his herd in such a way as to maximize his net income. The
problem is complicated by changes in costs of producing milk and
by changes in total annual production per cow as production tim-
ing is shifted. Further, the incentive needed to bring about an
increased net return from even milk production will vary from
farm to farm, depending upon many factors.

The seasonal pattern of production does not conform to
that of consumption, but varies from a high in the epring to a
low in the late fall. This deviation from the optimum in the
market causes problems in the necessity of having enlarged capa-
city to handle excess milk in the months of surpluses and the
problem.of shortages in the season of low production.

The excess of milk over fluid demand, except that necessary
to cover miscellaneous uses, in the milk market during one season
of the year requires enlarged transportation, processing and
storage facilities over that which would be required had the same
amount of milk been sold to the market, but at an even rate per
month. This means that there will be an uneconomic use of much
of the capital resources and labor, which necessarily will result

in a lower price than that theoretically possible to the pro-

4
ducer, or higher prices to the consumer.

In some years, due to the highly seasonal variation in
production, there are shortages in the low production period of
the year. As a result, purchases must be made outside of the
milkshed or the milkshed must be enlarged. Either method would
result in a lower price of milk to the producer already in the
milk market.

In periods of inadequate milk supply, consumers have suf-
fered. Nutritional standards dictate an adequate supply of milk
in consumers' diet. Shortages and rationing through dealers
result in a loss of fluid sales and consequently a lower return
to the producers.

Objectives pf the study.- This study has two principal

 

objectives. The first iS‘tO investigate the basic causes of
seasonal milk production. The second is to determine what
adjustments have been made by the even milk producers that char-
acterize them in relation to other seasonal production patterns
for the purpose of making recommendations in the application of
these adjustments to other types of seasonal production patterns,
assuming even production timing is desirable in terms of net
income.

Area pf the study.- This study is concerned with the

 

seasonal milk problem in its effect on and the adjustments to

it by the producers in the Detroit milkshed.

5

The Detroit milkshed comprises twenty-seven counties in
the Southeastern part of the lower peninsula of Michigan (Fig. 2).
The milkshed is represented mainly by five types of farming
areas: Area 1, Corn.and Livestock; Area 5, Dairy and General
Farming; Area 6, Dairy and Cash Creps; Area 7, Dairy, Hay and
Special Crops; and.Area 8, Beans, Sugar Beets and Dairy.

The majority of the dairy farmers who ship fluid milk to
Detroit have joined the Michigan Milk Producers Association,
which is a cooperative bargaining agency of the farmers and rep-
resents the farmers in price and supply adjustments to the milk
dealers in the city of Detroit. The membership in the producers'
cooperative is over 15,000, 10,000 or more of whom ship milk to
Detroit and the remainder ship to other urban areas in Michigan.

The Detroit market has a population of over 2,000,000
peeple. Other markets in Michigan supplied by producers who are
members of the Michigan Milk Producers Association have a popu-
lation of over 1,000,000 peeple. There are about thirty-three
fluid milk dealers who distribute milk in the Detroit area.

The variation in supply of milk from season to season is
a problem in the Detroit market as it is to most other large
urban areas in the country. In an effort to correct this varia-
tion in the supply responses of producers, the Michigan Milk
Producers Association has a price incentive plan designed to

reduce supply variations seasonally. This plan is called the

 

 

 

FIGURE 2. LOCATION OF RECEIVING STATIONS IN RELATION
TO TYPE-OF—FARMIHG AREAS IN THE DETROIT MILK
SHED.

i I' ’
0 .J I
I. 3 g- I
.I 2 I ‘1
' Ontonogon I' a, Samoa ,4
L.‘ ' a I r u
L ..... I °3 i - I
609057: .1 T I . uMcrqueHe _ _____ .1 Luce '
I J J ' I E ‘
5-.-.JI"°“ i I “'0" r. } i.- ! Chippewa
.. . ' .“‘ . I
\ I .-._-_- I -._._-.I.. D
.. f ———————— - | ''''''' ‘
e I I D."a . I
-§.. ' I I ! I L. ‘§!E::)
I-—-~.--J .
IF"; I '
I ' l g. I, .T . “‘=:’
.. e’ I O I
05 I . Emmet iCheboygonr
5 " i I
3 I I
§ - -_. .. I
Chorlevoix E I Preeque Isle
.-., I— ...... r“ .............
Q I. J'OIeeoo Montmorencyi Alpeno
--:--—1-
0 An'flm ‘1 i 2
.°° , ' i !
.\° | ""“i _________ I __________
v:- __ [D'Kolkoeko ICrowford iOscodo IAlcono
a Grand I I - I
"‘1"! Traverse i i I i
I ' - I '
I ' J I ' ——————
MometeeMexford 'MIssaukeeFoecommonogemow Iloeco
I
I

 

I
l
..... ._.'L._- ....i. _ 1.... _. _l_-.. 4.-....
Type of Farming Areas: Meson TLoke TOsceoIo TCIore- —I I own TIArenoc
I

3

o , v

I I !
.

 

    

 

I I .
1.00m and Livestock 3 , i . Hm“
5.Dairy,general farming i i I i 3.,
6-DaI-W:°38h crOPS oera'aa‘rh‘.‘:.';arjm2a};‘ ...o.u. Emu... -. o o
7.Dairy,hay and special : , i I I. .....
crops I 3 I In" Tuecolo
. ' - ,_ " '1- i
_______ L__-__-._ _--- __-_:' -
8.BeanB, sugar beets, an. 4. 1' iMonIcoIm smut. I5° . ! .
a, . . . I
,, ‘°o:°"nz:n‘.*“‘1 ' i .I
’I r-I ! i eneeee Lop“?
T-TO—t-IcTwo ! 5513"" .ClinIon IShiowoeeee .
I I I . - I .
i i ' I O I
. . ! Q I 3 .
I 3 I .-.r ’ Oak 0 d T
‘ ._. ._-l-_- -._-..--- -..-.'-. --
AIR-35:4 TBorry Eaton 1'Inqham Ivinqeton .
I I o T
i ! ’ of I
i I l I
' .L-_._._‘L ....... ._.—a’--—
''''''' '-"‘L —'TT-- Jackson SWoeMenow “I'M ;

   

'1
Van Buren .KolomczooiCoIhoun .
T I

 

a! ; 3 O .I .
I i I O -
I . . L l
o I.-- ..... +.._._-_ ._-... r I- , Mom”
.0 ' Cass -$t Joseph Branch 'Ulledale . Lenowee .
“ . ' | I e

I
‘ . e U T '
0‘ I I I I O I O
' I ' u
I I '

I
I ,I , I
00-Oedoo—elhlo—oo—oo—J‘ ” i I ‘

———

 

 

 

base-excess plan.

Prices received by the farmer and prices paid by the dis-
tributor are each calculated on a different basis under this
plan. The distributors pay for the milk according to a use
classification. That is, the distributors pay according to the
percentage of their milk that goes into the different price uses,
such as: fluid milk, cream, and condensery products.

Farmers are paid a base price for the milk delivered not
in excess of their previously established base. The amount of
milk upon.vhich the base price is paid is established during the
months of August, September, October, November and December by
averaging the daily shipment of each producer for these five
months. This base may be retained provided that the producer
maintains an average daily shipment of not less than 90 per cent
of his established base. IA producer may assume a "new shipper"
status to change his base. The base established by assuming the
new shipper status would be calculated by multiplying his monthly
average daily shipments by specified percentages for three months
immediately following the shipper's declaration of intent to
change to "new shipper" status.

The prices of the base milk and the excess milk to the
farmer are calculated in the following manner. The base price
is determined by the weighted average of the prices for the

classes in which the base milk is used. The excess milk, that

8
milk delivered in excess of each individual's previously deter-
mined base, is priced at a considerably lower price than the base
milk. The actual price to the producer for excess over base milk
is determined by the average price paid by five different conden-
series plus fifteen cents f.o.b. Detroit.

The base excess plan has been used in the Detroit milkshed
since 1923.1 Previous to the adoption of the base excess price
plan, a flat rate was paid to producers. The variation in the
price for all milk from season to season did little in regula-
tion of supply between seasons. Unstabilized milk prices were
very unsatisfactory to the distributor.

The base-excess plan had successfully reduced the seasonal
variation of milk from producers until 1942, following which the
percentage of milk shipped in the surplus months of the early
summer over the milk shipped in the short period became greater
(Fig. 5). Since 1942 and until 1948, the seasonal variation in
production response has been increasing. Actual shortages of
fluid milk for consumption purposes occurred during the fall and
winter of those years.

There have been alternative price incentive plans pro-
posed to reduce the seasonality of production in the Detroit

market. These plans are in use in other markets throughout the

 

1J. T. Horner, "The Detroit Milk'Market," Michigan Special

Bulletin.§2. 170, (march, 1928), p. 30.

 

 

 

 

 

ll

mam—

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

S
3
.3

'Nn!‘

HVW

30

'dSS

'd3S

'd38

'd39

'an'
WV“ '—

 

 

10
country. In short, the alternative incentive plans can be
described as: (l) The take-off and pay back plan, and (2) the
seasonal differential plan.

The Louisville market has a take-off and pay back plan
that is generally representative of this type of plan. In the
Louisville market, the price of the highest of three basic
formulas (butter-powder, butter-cheese and condensery) is
selected. To this a fixed differential is added. In the spring,
forty cents per hundred weight is subtracted from the blend
price. This forty cents is put in the bank until the fall, and
then is withdrawn in total and divided equally per hundredweight'
of milk shipped in during the fall months.,

The seasonal differential plan also uses the highest of
the three basic formulas (butter-powder, butter-cheese or con-
densery price). To this basic price the following amounts are
added: seventy centy in the winter, fifty cents in the spring,
seventy cents in the summer and ninety cents in the fall.

There are alternative measures within the framework of
the base-excess price plan Which could possibly be used to allev-
iate the short supply conditions in the fall and the early
winter months. Three measures have been suggested. First, there
is the possibility of enlarging the milkshed to provide adequate
supplies of milk in the fall. This measure would pose problems

of increased transportation costs, increased amounts of surplus

ll
milk in the spring, and producer education in the fields of sani-
tation and the mechanism of the base-excess plan. Second, there
is the alternative of buying emergency supplies in non-fluid mar- I
kets. Again transportation costs and sanitation adjustments
would be problems. A third measure would be to increase the
price incentive for fall milk. This measure will be studied in

another phase of the seasonal problem.

12

CHAPTEJ II

PROCEDURE

A representative random sample of the producers shipping
fluid milk to the Detroit market through the Michigan Milk Pro-
ducers Association was selected as the main source of data on
scale of operations, seasonal production variation, and dis-
persion of location in the milkshed. The technique of obtain-
ing the sample was a systematic sampling of the producer records
from the files of the producer association. Beginning with a
random number between one and twenty, every twentieth producer
record was selected for study to determine_the characteristics
of the universe.

From this primary sample, a stratified sample was obtained
by selecting every third producer record from a two-way distri-
bution according to type-of-farming area and seasonal production
variation. Only those producers showing the complete year's pro-
duction during 1947 were used in the stratification.

To determine the seasonal production variation for each
producer, the record for the year was divided into four quarters
based upon the seasons of barn feeding and pasture feeding. The
first quarter includes the months of February, march and.April.
This is a period of barn feeding in the milkshed. The second

quarter includes the months of Ray, June and July--a period

13

characterized by good pastures and high milk production. The
third quarter ineludes the months of August, September and
October--the period of the late pasture and a declining milk pro-
duction for the milkshed. The fourth quarter includes the months
of November, December and January. This quarter is a part of the
barn feeding period and is the period of the lowest milk produc-
tion.

The quarterly production for each herd was determined.
From this a seasonality ratio was calculated by dividing the low
quarter's production by the high quarter's production. An array
was made of seasonality ratios. Those producers whose season-
ality ratio was more than one standard deviation above the
arithmetic mean of the distribution were classified as even pro-
ducers. This meant that the quarterly production of the even
producers did not vary from the high to the low by more than
twenty-five per cent. To provide more significant results,in
further analysis the two groups of producers were combined who
had their high production quarter in either the November to Jan-
uary group or the February to April group, because of the simi-
larity of the two quarters in the feeding program and because of
the small number of producers which fell into each group. The
production patterns of the four groups are illustrated in Fig. 4.

As the main source of data on the farm organization, the

dairy herd practices and Operations, and the farm.operator,

 

15
especially with reference to his managerial ability and his
adjustment to the base-excess plan, the producers selected from
the stratified sample were interviewed.2 Abbut ninety-seven
records that were usable in most analyses were obtained by the
survey method.

The second source of primary data for the study was the
records of the Dairy Cost Study in the Detroit Milkshed, which
has been carried out since 1945 as a research project. These
records gave monthly data on breeding, feeding, disposal, and
cost and returns for each of eighty-five producers in the milk-
shed.

A third source of primary data was six Dairy Herd Improve-
ment Association records. These association records contained
monthly information of 108 herds who completed at least a year.
The associations were selected from eadh of the type-of-farming
areas in the milkshed except Area 5, from which two association
records were selected.

Census data and data from farm account cooperators in

the milkshed were also used.

 

2See appendix for a sample of survey schedule.

16

CHAPTER III
CAUSES OF SEASONALITY OF MILK PRODUCTION

There are three important or basic causes of the typical
seasonal.milk production, as follows: (1) Changes in the amounts
and the quality of feed during the year; (2) a natural tendency
for spring freshening; and (3) variation in weather conditions.
The basic causes of seasonality of milk production are generally
accepted. They are stated here as hypotheses and will be sup-
ported in this chapter by data collected from secondary sources
for the most part. The purpose of stating and supporting the
important causes of seasonal milk production in this chapter is
to clarify them.from secondary causes, or lack of control at the
farm level of such factors as the time of breeding, feed short-
ages, etc. The basic causes are those forces which must be con-

trolled to obtain desired seasonal production patterns.

Changes 2E.th° Amounts and the

 

Quality pf Feed During the Year

 

There are differences in the amount of feed available to
the dairy cow during different seasons of the year. The follow-
ing table is a typical example of the variation in feed amounts
available to a dairy cow. Of course, it must be realized that

part of these differences in amounts is required because of

17

.msop «\w H pd popesflpwe was aged new pnoaebwswo he: ma efioanIsMHemHe esp mo
eaofiz one .efioapIemaemHe mes eanpmea onp.mo ooqeaep esp .mmduw agenda week was pmsws< maggot easpmema

 

 

n.a w.H mm. m.H n.H $.H Aquoa new 300 gem meaoev somepmem
mws one I I I I I «no wow eow 00m 00m : oweawm
«am So I I .. .. .. 03 com com 80 owe .. awe
mmH Hoa mom mmm «em omm mum mam com mmH msa mma A.mnav MHE epeaeronoo

.oom

.boz .poo .pmem .wzd maze oqdh haE .umd .aez .pom .qew

'IV llv
Ill Ill

 

$2 .Qmmmfiea 3053 a E seam Eda

AdonwB 4.20 300 mmm mmm mMMDHQOmm mo mHZbofid .H mqde

 

18
changes in the quality of the feedstuffs and changes in the nutrient
requirements of the cattle in various seasons of the year. Changes
in the grain ration in.this case are an indication of the relative
amount of milk production and they show a direct positive rela-
tionship.

Table I does not show any actual changes in quality of the
foodstuffs through the various seasons of the year. But it is
only a simple matter of conjecture to contrast the lush green pas-
ture on most farms during the late spring and the early summer
months with the dry hays, and in most cases some silage during
the barn feeding period. Good early pasture furnishes high qual-
ity feed for dairy cows. Not only is the supply of nutrients
liberal, but there is provided.by good pasture succulence and
palatability besides an ample supply of minerals and vitamins.
Summer and fall pasture, though, do not furnish such high qual-
ity feed, even though acreage may be increased, as any dairyman
would substantiate. This Should indicate that there are seasonal
differences in both quality and quantity of the nutrient intake
of a dairy cow.

To relate the changes in the amounts and the quality of
feedstuffs during the year to the changes in milk production, the
monthly milk sales to the Detroit market were contrasted with the

monthly production responses of the experimental herd of the

 

3F. B. Morrison, Feeds and Feeding, 20th ed., The Morrison Pub-
lishing Co., Ithaca, New York (1947), p. 573.

 

19
United States Department of Agriculture at Beltsville, Md.4 The
experimental herd at Beltsville has been entirely barn fed for
years. The kinds and the quantities of the feeds given and the
care and attention are the same throughout the year. The effect
of the month of calving has been removed from the Beltsville
experimental herd. Weather conditions were considered the only
cause of the variation in milk production that did occur. The
contrast of these two production responses shows that the changes
in amounts, quality and.kinds of feed available to the herds in
the Detroit milkshed are at least partial explanation for their
greater variation of production. It should be kept in mind that
not all of the variation in production of the Detroit market
supply above that shown for theBeltsville herd can be attributed
to feed changes, but that part of it is due to month of freshen-
ing, the effect of which could not be removed from the Detroit
supply records.

As further evidence of the effect that changes in feed
have on variation of milk production, the supply responses of
herds in the Dairy Herd Improvement Associations of California
were contrasted with the supply responses of the herds shipping
fluid milk to the Detroit market.5 The D.H.I.A. herds of

California were chosen because the weather conditions, at least

 

4T. E. Woodward and E. Jensen, "The Influence of Season on Milk

Production," 2, S, Department 2f.Agriculture, washington,
D. 0., unnumbered mimeograph (February, 1942).
51bid.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

        

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

'4 4 .l I a 4 I . I I 4
. k .. . .I . _. e. .... .... . . n . .... .HI.. . I .. ... e. . .I- o. ....... k ..I.....
..... .. ..I. . .H.... ...... . . . h I. . .I.. . ..a.. I. ..I... I.... ...”..I.II... .. ... hi.“ I. . ..... ... .... . ............I.....
. . I . .. .. ....I..._ ....... i ..a . I ..... ... 42*... I...?Io..u. . IIe.I..vI1IIIr.. ....e..o......o.... .. #I... ..II. . ..~ .... . I l.IAI¢IIIII.IIIIc- II
. . .. ... .... ...H. .. . . . ........I .I.f... ..I- .........4..I...I. ......I......... I ....n... . ... .. .. ....I... 7......-
_ I I I I.
A II. I1 I ‘III ..II. ..I t ._ 1 I I. . .Irl I .H iti‘lo {III In... IIIIITI .II YIIOIV I III I IITIIIIIII. I ill]! 0 _ $191111)
.. u .. ..H .. ...._.... I... ..I ..I. III ..I.;. I. ..H. ..r.IIII ....H.II. ... 9.... ....v... *Ii..¢.III ..JI.I. . . .... ...... I...I.II-I.I.II.II
. .... ..... ...... .. .. ...»..I. ....H.. . ...IaIIIII......II11I.....II. ..l....-... . . e... ”......I.. ..TI.. I....... . ~.- . .....a.... .........
...I... .. .. .... .I.. . .F. ... .. . .I ....IIII. I...r....vI.I ....I .L..»...I .II.. ..I... ..I ... .I . ..I..... ..H. I ....I. .. .I .w....
.....I.. . . .. .. . . ... . ..I . . . . . . . .q.. . .... .a... . ..
.I _ I . I a .
A 1‘ I ‘ 1 {J
. . ..... . ..... . . I... ..... . . . . a. .. . . a.. I ...n: I. I .. ..
I ..I . I I . I I... I I I II t. .
.... ... . .H.I . v. .. ....I M . . .. u e . . ~.I.I ....a I..v... ..I..A
.. .. . .... .. . I .. ... .. .. . ...IIw ....IfitIIIv . .¢ ......IIIIII . .III . ..... ...». I.. .a ...
. ..I .. . I. ........ ... ...I .I 9. . . Ilia... ...ITII...Y . a .......I.I .I..’. ..W I. ..I... ... ..FIII.
In; r . I4I0|9l§ 4 _ % IIII w I IIYIIIIIOII
. .... . ....... I..+... .I..v .I .. .... ..IIIQI.I. .... I. . I. 9 .III- III. 4 II... . ...I I...I .I. I.. .
. . ...H... I. . . IIIH ..Y ... IIII ....«I.II ... ....le . . ....II. . ...» I. . ... I. e .. I...H. ..
.I s . I ..I. I H . ..I ..I. I... .... .. .«.III ...I ..III. ‘ IIIIIII . I.‘ ... .. .... ......I...H.I.I».III
.. . ....I.. ..v.. ... ... I-. ..I. I.I.«...I I... ... .I .. III... ....w.. . .... I ..I . Y .I o....
I .
I 4 <1 l I P
. . . ... ~. . .. . ..I-... ..I .II. .. . ....V.. .. I. .. . v . .. I
1... ..i ... . .... ....a III. ..I. ...I. .. .. ...+... . ..a..... .......I.
. ..... . .. ... .11... . . w .. fiI...*... XII. .I.I II.I.. ...4 .I ....o.... I ..t .-o . .e I ..w.II.
_
I .a .I. ...v. . III.aI . ... H .I 1. ..HI. . II.. .. l.. I... I. ....I... . I . . I. U —. ....I..
I HI I 4 + . JIYIIIII‘IIII « IIIIIII I4 I IlliIII‘II IIII
_
.. I I L .. ... ..II .. .I.....I. .w .. I . .. I. . II-. ..I .. I..I. . .I o . . . . I I
.... . .....-,T ..ITIII. ..... T? .....e . ... I4.... .I..... . .. . . - .. . I, .. . .e ..I
.... I . ... . Io. .. .. . .II. .... I... ..I.... EH... . . ... I ...... ..... ..l .. .I‘ . . .... .. .....I
. a I _ I .4. .....I. .1... . .I. .. ... .... .. . .. .a... .. i... ... . . . . .. .. .I
I > r [0 p I. t
e 4] . I I
...... .. . RII ..... ..I. ....H.... ...-...... .... ..lI .. .... ... .I I. I «
a..I .. I ........ ._v .I .I..... ...H .I. ..I ..II I. ... .I . . e
. OJIIII ..YOIIJIIYII. + arI
.. .. ..... .. ...... I...... . .I. ... .II. . ...... .. I.
. .
.. e. .. .ID ....9 .. .I... ... II"... .... ... . . .III. .. I.ITI.I . II II.
.... .. .l .......I. .... ..... .1 .. .I. . ..I a -I I I . .
. n
. 4 I .. ... I .o . .I\.o ._ I I... . . ...v ... I I - .
p F a . I I.
. . H 1 .
. .. ... ..I. . ..... ...... .. III.. .- . ... .. . .. . .
. . . II... .n 1 . ...H ...IH .. .IIII. .. .III ..I. I. ..II...I.¢I ....III .. ...I. I.
.. 1. .. I II .. ..H .. I. , .I..a I.. ..I. .TI. II ..I... .. I....II.. .. . .I I .
i I I I. »
IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIJIIIIIIIII. .I..... ..vIIIIIIIJWOOIQIT T I .. II 4
. . ... ...m... ..H ..I 4.. . ... .. .I..IVIIII II I .. .III......II. .II ... .. .. ... .
.. ...-1....N.l..~... .h ..I .. . ...L.I...-.. .. ...,. .Ii..._..... ... .... .
. . . .I. .. .4 .. ... ... ..I.II .... III .I..,...... ..IIII ....aII.. .I . II. .I. ._.. I
...... .. i If“ H... .... .. 1;..- ..I. .. -.. I1-.. ..I. . ....
t . k k
. i 4 I I H 4 a
. I. I. . .. . .I . .iL. ...H.... I...#.. .. I. I..I. I...\I.. ..I . . 1 ..
. .. . I . .51.. . . .I.... ... .4... ...1I..I ..I.I...... ..I .I..4I.IIII ...L....¢I.. o I. .III ... . ,I
......I .. .I 1. . . ..I; . ...Ii... . .v... ..IIH.I ..I.I .I .I..... ..IIIn... I e .. .. .. .I
_ .
.. a.-. .. ..IHM ... 2+. . ...IH... . .4 ...; .. ...--. .T. ....w . .. I.
TIIII IflolIIIlIl .I III III . ID IL I + I
.. EH. I. ... .... . .I ...4 -.-.. . ..
... ....HN 0 ... ...H ,. I... I ..H... II.IF.I-I . .... .. .. i..-
k . ... . I: ....I. I. . ....-.v~ I.. +..I¥. . I.o.I.I. II. I
. b L r V k
I 1 I I I4
..... . .II.*. A.... ...I.. ... . .7... III... ....III. ..I....... . III.....x..I
. . . .III .. . ..... .. ..I . ... +.I.I.. II".... ...H ... ...“...I I..
.B 1.7% ILYII r4 TIIIIrIl'III 1 ll A A ll
1 I...., ... . . .I. .. .... ... . . .H1I . .91.... .. . . TI .... ..
. . l
. +5. .... I...» .. ... .... . III 9 . ... II.Io...I .. .... I. ....II ...
. I. . ...II. ..H. .0. ..I r ..I.IH ..ILI . ~4II .. I .o. . IIew.. ..I
SIO- . . .H . ...H ... . ...... ..~.II. . .. .. .a... .I
I'I I I a
. A I
EB . .-.? ...- . . . ... 1 . .
I I . o . I. . . . I III . . . I . .I - IL I I . . . 1 . . I i .I I . a . . .IIlIe I . . . x I . I .L. . I . . I. I I . . . . a
. .
. . o I . I I I I . . . .k . III. I . v1.I . . I I . a . Ila . . . I I a . . . I III . ~ . . . . . o e
i .
9.“ -.LI III l..|c|ol+.é|o [I I . ..I |_? < i a L7
.... . ... 7 4‘. . I. I. . .HH H..II ...; ... ..LTnII..I‘I.. ...I+...Il. .. I.-.. . I.I.....I .....I... .II_III..
.. .... .I. VG ....I-.. . .... ....+ ..I.I .. ......m ...I. . .I. I. ...II....«.-I1 . .1«,.I..J..+....
. . .
.I ... II... , ... I. ...I... .. I .*I H.I.- .I .. ....n.L.‘ ..I-H .I ....H.II. ,III. I.. II . ...‘I. ...IH..I. .....III.
. ..I , . I . .- ..., ..II ..... ..I. . ..I .. ...I. ... .. . .....- ..T . .I. . ..-
p ' ’ i r I w I . h
11 41 a I I 4 a 4
.*1I-. . I... wL v..II. ...T .. I ... + .I. I... .....IIIV..II~II... TI... IIIIA. ’1‘ . .H.. I..¢ . ..I. o. .I. ..IIHIII.
...4.. .. «II,. ... ..II. . ... ...I. ..I. ......Iol. I. ... ....H.... I 1. .... . .II..I. ... ....+.II. ...II..I....
. I , I H
.IIIIIIIIIOIIII .I. I xv... Ll «a OLITIIIJ a 4 4 4r
... . a 1. .... .- ..I.I ....I ..IIIJI..V .II ...1. ..III+. . . ...I ....T: .. HI... .. ..I . I. . . . I I¢.. .
. . I 1 . . . . x . . I . . . .. ... . . . II.\.I . . I I I. . . . . I I . . I III H . .. v . . . . e . II. . . . I .IH . . I o... I . . 1. I I o I . .. I I .4 . I . .1 . . . I ..I..
_
a c a a
. . 1. I .- . .I- ... .. . .I . ..I.. . iI.. ..I. ...71... ... .-. ...-..H .... .. ...+....
I . i .I I > IL . a
'41 4 I 4 I I
A . _
. . .... _ ,I... .IIIH In. I. . .. I . ..IIII?.. ....III- . . ...I. ..I.+..II ...Ir... ...... .I
a. _ . .
I... .I ...-1' ......IIAI.. . .. ..I}. o. Iv.eI. .III.., .. TII....I ...IIIII... ...?»I . II+IIII- ....I....I IIII .I..Tn .1....I.
. . ... l1, . ...IIII . .. ... I... ..II. .. ....H. ... ....... I....,« ... .I..* ..I. . .......II.. ... IIII. .......I|I|.
_
. . . ... D.1I... .... ... I. . .. .III! I..IH.III.I ..I... I...H IIIIA...I. .... .....II. ....TIII. .III.IIII
I ..LI'IIr , . I r I
_ F_ I . , . . .
,. ...... .a.... . .. . II . ...!II .Il-a ....I..I.I. . I ...ITI. .I .+ ..I ..... ..I..I..I... .. ....«....I

.. . Ii HO~HM. ... .. . ... .TI.n..I. i_.I.+.T ..Ilf..... .I.I.LII.. -...1 ... ..II IIII I..II..I..IIIII..

. . I. I . . . ... . 4......1 I . . .I . I. . ..I . .I.YI. ... I4 ..v.I II...I». . . II. .. w .I. . ..III . ..I. .. . IIII. . . .I. III; . . IIII . .. .

.1,.. ,..., ...... .... .I. .. . .. .II.. II.... I.. . H..I . .. . . I... ..I I .. . .I .. ........I .I. ..

Pk, V 7 P .I III?
I . a I w . I JIW

.. . .II . ... ...HI. . I. .. I. ..II.V. . III ..I.. . II. .-I. I. .IIl..... .. +1 ..I. .. ...II... . I .9.II ..IIIIII
. . _

.....I.. -.I.H. K.. ..Il.... I.. fiIIII. . ¢.n‘II ..I+ ltIIlI I I... I?.I..I.l III. IIIL.... I14I.» .. A..I.. I. .I.. . II. .I .ITII III.

...... .....H . IH I.I I.. . I I .. II... ...rl. I.v¢ . .IIIIL.II.. ..II .II. ... wIIJ...II.iII.I« I. .a..... I.... ..II IIII~I..ir.... ...-
.n I I I TI a I

. . . . . I . 4.

..I. .. . I .... . II... IIII1IA.... .III . H I... ...I II . ... .. ..... II.I...II III.c ..II.I..... ....

..II ......I \m ...! I-.. .... T g a... rig..- ...L ......I: Ital-Ii: ...- IIII

. .. .I. ..I.».¢I. ....IIAILL.I<II.I. «I . ..II.I.I.. I‘III .IIIH ...HIIIIAI .I..+III .IITIAIIII I¢.9+I4I...

.....1. . ... .. .a...I.. ...-1.1.. ...I. . H a... .I.. ... I. ... .-.. ...I.... H... ..... .... ...Ii

. . w I I I » Ir
4 4 A“ .1
I-.....4.I ... IIIIII ...II ...Ii ... ..ITivI..... ... IAII. . ‘ II.I I.I..II.. ..II. ..IWIIIII II...oI. . ....LYIv.I IIIII IIII
. ...; ... a.... ....anII.. I... .... . .. .II. I... . r M.....~..II.II .... III|.. ...I II.. .......IIII.III..... 11.. .I..
... .Ii.. . ... ...ILI4...II%I.I ..II . ..IL... ..I.. I .e v... .III. .I. I... .II.I.II.I .I..o..I.. II..+ ...IIi..I.r...II.
I ff » a I .r
. . .
.. II.. III ...I II. ..IIII ».. IailtI. .ef. ..I.l..... II... . ..Ill... I II ..I.A I.IH.II. .III#.II ...I I.I. .IIITIroIoI
I. .. .
. . . . II. . . I 1.. . . I . . . I . .. . . .IIII. . . . .I. . I .II. . . . . . I I I I A.IYI I . I I II I . . . IIIi HI . . I II I .I . . I I 9 I II I . .ITII ..II . v I III . . a .
. . . .
.I.. .. I ..I.v. ..I. III. e . .06...... IT.. ..I OI.T. Ii... .XIQII-III. III ...»I... ...I‘...II 919i. Io.o-YL1100 ...:
. . .. . .. .... .... .YII. I.II .lI. .III ..I.. . .Iflno.a.wsvvl II.II III.) II+.I . .....F.I.IIII.I.I.I. lI...o.....
I} . >
4.. ll
. .... ..L.... ..... E ..I. ...IYIT.. III. .4.... ... IIIIII. .... ..I .... .. I..r.... ...I...........l
.... L... ...IT..G ..IIYII.. .D . .... ..I. V... I+II1. . IIIII.AIII..I.+I .... UTIII# II.+1II..H.I..I >.IIY.I.. ..III.?f7rIII.II
I I . . I . . . . I . . . . I I I .III. e . . a a 9 IIIII . II. 9 III. a . . AIII I I1 I I TI . I . II I r . QIII . . I . I ...v . I . . .I.I. a I . I I I VII I I ..I
I'LL-I. in. ...T .I. C... .11.. ..., ...; .. II ..7.. ...-..I. .rfI...
‘ III I I .
a I I I] .
. . . . Y. . I .9..I I . . . Y. . . . v. . . . «.1. I . . I . I. . . II. It ... ... va,I.IY. . III. I III .rI . .IVI. I III.. I . IAII. .I .III‘I I III I . .Iv . IVI IeII
I. .... .e,..l .. ...I ..I. ..I. ..HI ..51 .... II... II*. . I... ..IIIII «II. .IIIIII II. 9.... I+Ae IIII ..III IA... IIIIIIvIIQLI
. I .. ». ... .... I... ..I. ..... ....I....v.<or.r...o . .I... .... ..I.I....III. ....1<.I.. II. ...I ....x.... II.I I..
. . I IF [II I .
1 l 4‘ . 4
.. ...I _. ...... .I. ... ..... ... ...-1. HI. ...I. ...g I-.. .... ...I ,I.. .... ... ..I.. ....
7 .

‘ I I . . . I . . e I . u . . .. e . e 7.. k . I III . I To . 7.. . I Q e V. . I. e I vv H55 . e ..I I I a . . 9 VII . I I I. . I I I f. . . . I I . I . . I - 4'41... . . e To T‘OI. o
... ..I. . .. .IY... . . .... .avI ..... . es- . . o. . II. . .. .» II. . . .... I .I. . it. . III. we. I. .. .. ... . . .I .. I. I.+..l IIII. ....I
... .... .... ...I., .. .I.. .... .... ..I. .... I... ....m. a. .. . .I ...1. .... ... .1... .... .... ...I .... .I.TII..I

. i LIII
T7... IlToIoloIlII. IIIIIIOILIIIOIII? I 1 ..III
. . I... .9. I... ..I. II. ..I. ..I. ...II ..I,..... I... ....
.... ... ... .... I... .... .... .. I. ..I. .A.. .... I .
. . . I .1 . ... . .I . . II. . I .I . . I I . . II. . . I s . . . .ILII . . a I . e . III. .
II. .I.v .- I a. . .Iv .. '4. .090 av. 57-. V14 a... W .
.. . . o I .L .... .I.I .... ...e.... .. I~.. . ..I ....II... I...

. . .... ...H-..- .... . .. .... .I.. I..01A...I.VI. .... . . . .H . .HI . ...»..I. .I .....I

.... .... .. . ...I .. . ... b
.....I.. ...»... .. ... .... . .. .... ...... ..I . I p
I I b

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

22
in terms of average monthly temperatures, are fairly stable.
Also, probable good pasture throughout the season because of
irrigation or rainfall, plus an abundance of good hay, should
make it reasonable to expect fairly uniform production if these
factors have an effect on production variation. The effect of
the month of calving has been removed.

Fig.5a shows the milk production of D.H.I.A. herds in
California contrasted with milk deliveries in the Detroit milk-
shed indexed by months. The difference in the degree of season-
ality of production shown by these two production patterns should
indicate, to a large extent, the effect of changes in weather

conditions and changes in the amounts and quality of feed.

The Natural Tendenqy for Spring Freshening

 

If dairy cattle were permitted to revert to the wild
state, the calving period would again shift to the spring of the
year, as can'be observed in the semi-wild state of beef cattle
production in the west. It seems probable that the character-
istic of spring freshening is still retained to some extent in
the dairy breeds since all domestic animals were once wild and
the instinct to have young in warm weather may be carried over.
This spring freshening tendency is an important cause of the

spring and early summer peak in milk production in fluid milk

23
markets. It is a factor that is not readily discernible. There
has been little statistical work done with respect to this phenom-
enon, except that since the advent of the artificial breeding
associations there has been interest created in the seasonal
potency of bulls.

There seems to be agreement in the studies of the factors
important to efficiency of breeding that the potency of semen
from bulls is higher in the months of April, May and June, and
lowest in the months of July, August and September. A study made
by Erb, Wilbur and Hilton of the Purdue University Agricultural
Experiment Station reveals an average breeding efficiency of
58.2 per cent in August as contrasted with_74.3 per cent in May
from the records of the University herd from 1920 to 1940. The
qualities of bull semen that are deemed important to efficiency
of breeding are initial motility, semen volume, concentration of
spermatozoa, number of abnormal spermatozoa, hydrogen ion con-
centration, period of sperm survival, and temperature.6 Accord-
ing to the Purdue study, the above qualities of semen all showed
seasonal variation except the hydrogen ion concentration. The
average semen volume and average initial motility were least in
July, August and September. The average concentration of sperma-

tozoa and the total sperm per ejaculation were a maximum during

 

6R. E. Erb, F. N. Andrews and J. H. Hilton, "Seasonal Variation
in Semen Quality of the Dairy Bull," Journal of Dairy
Science, Vol. 25, (1942), p. 825. """'"“"

 

24
April, Lhy and June. The average period of sperm survival was
least in August, and lower during July,.August and September than
in any other months. The average number of abnormal spermatozoa
was twenty-five per cent greater during July,.August and Sep-
tember than during the next highest month of the year. No sig-
nificant difference in the hydrogen ion concentration was evi-
dent seasonally.

To Michigan dairy herds, these data would be relevant
after a time lag of from two weeks to a month because of the dif-
ference in latitude. In other words, the breeding efficiency of
bulls in Michigan would probably reach its peak in June rather
than in may.

These data lend support to the theory that there is a
national tendency for spring freshening of dairy cattle which is
a partial cause of high spring and early summer milk production.
It might be argued that because the gestation period of cattle
is nine months, a high breeding efficiency in June'would cause
the high milk production period to be in March, Which is nine
months later. There is a time lag of approximately a month or
more before a cow reaches the peak of production, and pastures

are at their best in may and June.

Variations in Weather Conditions

 

 

The summer peak in temperature comes at a time when milk

25
production is rapidly declining. Milk production is at the
seasonal high during the spring and the early summer when the
temperature is mild. Is there any relationship between extremes
in temperature and milk production?

In an attempt to answer the question as to the effect of
temperature on milk production, Regan and Richardson ran a con-
trolled experiment with six cows.7 The humidity, air movements
and the ration were kept constant. Their results on the effect
of varying the temperature on the milk yield per cow are given

in Table II.

TABLE II. EFFECT OF TEEPERATURE VARIATION ON KILK PRODUCTION

 

Temperature . Milk Production ' Butterfat
Fahrenheit Pounds Per Day Per cent
40 29 4.2
50 28 4.2
60 ' 27 4.2
70 27 4.1
80 25 4.0
85 20 3.9
90 20 4.0
95 17 4.3

 

 

7w. M. Regan and G. A. Richardson, "Reactions of the Dainy Cow
to Changes in Environmental Temperature," Journal of Dairy
Science, Vol. 21, N0. 2, (1938). ' —’

 

26

WOodward and Jensen, in their study of the influence of
season on milk production cited previously, showed that in the
experimental herd at the Beltsville Station a difference of ten
per cent in milk production between the low month and the high
month was due to the variation in weather conditions (Fig. 5,
p. 20).8 This conclusion was reached after all the other fac-
tors that cwuse variation in milk production were removed or
held constant through the year.

The implications anould be clear in the effect of weather
on Michigan dairying. The high temperatures beginning at the
start of the summer season and continuing through August are a

factor which influences production responses from dairy cows.

 

8Woodward and Jensen, 2p. cit.

27

CHAPTER IV

THE RELATION OF FARM ORGANIZATION

TO SEASONAL PRODUCTION PATTERNS

The previous chapter presented the basic causes of seasonal
milk production. This chapter presents the farm organization dif-
ferences associated with various seasonal patterns. The object is
to Show that these differences in farm organization are partially
responsible for influencing a particular seasonal pattern.

Overcmming the causes of high Spring and summer production
is likely to result in increased costs. The increased costs
arise from Shifting production timing from the pasture season to
barn feeding. Compensation over and above the increased cost by
enough to induce the producers to shift to an even production
pattern is the theory behind the price incentive plan contained
in the base-excess plan.

It is assumed that even production under the base-excess
plan is desirable and profitable from the producer's standpoint.
An attempt will be made in this chapter to find indications from
farm organization characteristics that this assumption may not be
true on all farms. The problem of the profitability of the var-
ious types of production patterns on various types of farms is

being studied elsewhere.

28

Type of Farming Areas

 

The differences in seasonal milk production by the type-
of-farming areas in the Detroit milkshed were slight (Fig. 6).
All areas showed a definitely high period of production in the
spring-summer months with characteristically low production in
the months of November and December.

Only some slight increase can be noted in the index of
production by the area 7 producers during the summer months over
the index of production by the producers in other areas. The dif-
ference is slight, but an effort was made to determine why it did
occur. An analysis was made of the differences in size of herd,
size of farm, importance of the dairy enterprise, seasonal dis-
tribution of labor, and land use. The only significant differ-
ence that occurred between type-ofhfarming areas in regard to
these factors was in the land use. This factor will be taken up
more completely in a following section of this chapter to explain
why it is important in influencing seasonal milk production.

Areas 5 and 6 are relatively the most important of the
type-of-farming areas in the milkshed (Table III). The differ-
ences in seasonal production shown by the other areas with the
possible exception of area 7 would be of little importance to the
Detroit market, as areas 5, 6 and 7 contain over eighty per cent

of the shippers and ship more than eighty per cent of the milk.

 

30

TABLE III. DISTRIBUTION OF FARMS IN THE
MILKSHED BY PRODUCTION PATTERNS AND
TYPE-OF-FARMING, 359 SAMPLE PRODUCTION
RECORDS, DETROIT MILKSHED, 1947

 

 

 

 

 

 

No. of Per Cent Proportion of Producers in Pattern
Area Farms of Farms in Each Type-of-Farming Area
Spring- Summer Fall-
-Fall Winter Even
Number Per Cent Per Cent Per Cent Per Cent Per Cent
1 36 10 so 14 59 17
5 & 6 207 58 44 15 22 19
7 80 22 55 20 ll 14
8 36 10 47 ll 22 19
All Farms 359 100 45 16 21 18

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Size p£_Herd

 

 

It is quite generally accepted that there will be associated
with larger sizes of herds such factors as larger farms, better
quality of management, and greater capital resources. These are
important in their influence on seasonal milk production. The
quality of management is especially important if the basic causes
of high spring-summer production can be overcome and an even pro-
duction reSponse be attained.

A tabulation of the data from the farmers surveyed showed
that there were large differences in the size of herds by produc-

tion patterns (Table IV).

31
TABLE IV. SIZE OF‘HERD BY PRODUCTION ATTERN, 97

SURVEY FARMS IN THE DETROIT MILKSHED, 1947

 

 

 

Seasonal Pattern No. of Average Size of Herd
Farms
Number Number
Spring-Summer 47 14.4
Summer-Fall 15 10.6
FaIIAWinter 15 13.2
Even 20 20.3
All Farms 97 14.9

 

 

 

The size of herd is important mainly as it is associated
with other factors that are important in controlling production
timing. Size of herd in itself is important in reducing season-
ality by minimizing the effect of a loss of cows during the year.
For example, a farmer with a herd of ten cows would experience a
greater change in milk Shipments if a cow were removed from the

herd than if he had had twenty cows.

Relative Importance 2f the Dairy Enterprise

 

 

The relative importance of the dairy enterprise to the
rest of the farm in competing for management and labor is impor-
tant in controlling the milk production timing, if it is accepted

that relatively more management and more labor are required to

32
shift the production timing, from forces that give rise to a
spring-summer type of production pattern to an even type of pro-
duction pattern.

The relative importance of the dairy enterprise to the
rest of the farm.was measured by the productive man work units9
required for the dairy and for the balance of the farm. The
results of the tabulation Show that the dairy enterprise was of
much greater relative importance on the farms producing an even
milk pattern than on the farms producing in a spring-summer pat-

tern (Table V).

TABLE V. IMPORTANCE OF THE DAIRY ENTERPRISE
TO THE BALANCE OF THE FARM BY FARMS
IN TWO SEASONAL PATTERNS, 64 SURVEY
FARMS IN THE DETROIT MILKSHED, 1947

 

 

 

 

 

 

Seasonal No. of ,Average Productive Man Proportion
Pattern Cases Werk Units Per Farm From Dairy
Total From Dairy
Number Number Number Per Cent
Spring‘ 44 515 245 47.4
Summer
Even 20 497 515 65.5
All Farms 64 510 267 52.4

 

 

 

 

 

As a general conclusion, it can be stated from the fore-
going analysis that the larger and the more specialized dairy
farms have a tendency to produce milk more evenly than those not

as large or not as specialized.

 

9Productive man work unit is the amount of work that the average
man can do in a ten hour day.

33

Size of Farm and Land Use

 

 

Size of farm is important in its influence on production
timing insofar as the larger farms would have more capacity for
raising creps to feed dairy cows with which to control uneven pro-
duction. A tabulation of size of farms by seasonal patterns shows
little difference between the spring-summer and.the even produc-
tion pattern (Table VI). There is a definite difference between

these two patterns and the summer-fall and fall-winter patterns.

TABLE VI. SIZE OF FARM BY PRODUCTION PATTERNS, 97

SURVEY FARNS IN THE DETROIT MILKSHED, 1947

 

 

 

 

 

 

Seasonal No. of Acres per Farm Proportion
Pattern Farms Total TiIIabIe Tillable
Number Number Numbep Per Cent
Spring-Summer 47 194 160 82
Summer-Fall 15 135 111 82
Fall-Winter 15 145 108 74
Even 20 200 143 72
All Farms 97 178 137 77

 

 

 

 

 

An important difference between farms in the various pat-
terns is in the use that is made of the land and also the intensity
of its use. The spring-summer producers had 19.8 per cent of
their total land in feed grain creps compared to 27.5 per cent by

the even producers (Table VII). The former had about 50 percent

3h

TABLE VII. LAND USE BY'FARMS IN PRODUCTION

PATTERNS, 97 31mm FARIB IN THE
DETROIT mxsmm, 19h?

 

 

Proportion of Total Acres

 

 

Land Use by Production Pattems
Spring-Sumner Sumner-Fall? Fall-Junta Even
1:33 Cent E Cent £93 Cent 23; Cent

Tillable:
Corn for Silage 5.0 3.5 3.9 6.0
Corn for Grain 6.8 7.1 8.7 9.1
Oats 7.7 7.6 8.0 10.3
Barley .3 - 1.0 07
Soybeans - " " loll.
What 1003 '12 oh 9 9.5 9.6
Field Beans 5.3 3.6 2.0 .7
Hg:
mam 10.2 8.5 9.7 7.2
Clover 1.3 2.6 1.5 2.6
Mixed 7.6 5.6 5.6 6.1
Timothy oh 06 03 "'
Other Crops 1.5 .7 .8 .9
Pasture 21.1 ’ 18.2 111.1. 111.5
Summer Fallow 1.2 0 2014 1.8
Idle 3.5 .h .7 1.5
Non-tillable:
Pasture 11.0 7.3 1h.3 18.2
“Dads (1101.3 P8313.) heh 801 11.0 6.1
Farmsteads,

Roads, etc. 2.1; 3.1 2.8 3.2

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

35
more of their land in cash crops (wheat, field beans and "other
crops"), as did the even producers. They had 51.6 per cent of
their land in hay-pasture crops compared to the even producing
farms' 49.5 per cent. These differences would indicate that the
spring-summer producers have less feed grains for the maintenance
of an even production pattern than the even producers; or, phrased
differently, their cows would be producing on relatively more
roughages than the even producers. It was explained in Chapter
III that roughages vary greatly in milk producing potential
through the year, especially between early pasture and barn fed
hay. Therefore, it would appear that part of the seasonal dif-
ference between these dairies is due to differences in creps
grown.

As was indicated in the section on the relative import-
ance of the dairy enterprise, the spring-summer producers raise
relatively more cash crepe than even producers. This only lends
support to the previous statements in that section.

The Spring-summer dairies were not as intensive in their
farming operations as were the other dairies. Intensity is
important in obtaining high income and in providing year around
labor distribution. A tabulation was made to find the tillable
acres per productive dairy unit as a measure of intensity between
the farms in the various production patterns. The results showed

that the spring-summer dairies had 11.1 tillable acres per cow

36
compared to 7.0 on the part of the even dairies. The other two
patterns fell between those mentioned. Productive dairy units
were used as a measure rather than the measure "productive animal
unit”, because there were no significant differences between the
patterns in animal units other than dairy cows.

At the beginning of the Chapter on differences by type-
of-farming areas, it was Shown that farms in area 7 produce milk
relatively more seasonally than the other patterns. It was found
in analyzing the differences in land use by type-of-farming areas
that area 7 followed the land use pattern shown in Table VII for
the spring-summer dairies much more closely than any of the other
type-of-farming areas. Area 7 producers like the spring-summer
producers had more cash cr0p acres (especially beans), less feed
crop acres, and more land in hay and pasture than the farms in

other areas.

Labor Requirements

 

Farms in the Detroit milkshed Show three periods of con-
centrated demand for labor; they are: (1) The Spring planting
season, reaching a peak in April; (2) corn planting, hay and
grain harvesting period in the months of June and July; and (3)
the corn harvest and fall plowing period in September, October
and November (Fig. 7). There are some differences depending on

the difference in the proportion of creps raised. A greater

37
percentage of the farm in corn would require greater amounts of
labor in the fall, whereas a greater percentage of the land in
small grains and hay would require more labor in the summer.
lThese differences are impertant to the type of seasonal milk pro-
duction pattern. A spring-summer type of pattern would be more
competitive for labor on a small grain-hay type of farm than on
a corn-livestock farm. The opposite would hold true for a peak
fall producing dairy. Furthermore, a spring-summer type of dairy
would be more competitive for labor in any month except during
the winter, when there is a relative surplus of labor, than would
a winter type of dairy.

A winter dairy would give the optimum use of the labor
resources on the dairy farms in the milkshed. An even producing
dairy'would be somewhat more competitive for labor in the summer
and fall than a winter dairy, but yet give much better labor dis-
tribution than either a spring-summer dairy or a summer-fall

dairy.

Buildings and Equipment

 

There is a relationship between the condition of the
buildings and the condition and amount of milk handling equipment
to the seasonal pattern of production. The even producers had~
much more of their milk handling equipment in the "good" classi-

fication than any of the other patterns. Most of the fall-winter

 

39

TABLE VIII. CONDITION OF THE BUILDINGS AND
THE CONDITION AND THE AMOUNT OF
MILK HANDLING EQUIPMENT, 97 SURVEY
FARI-alS IN THE DETROIT MILKSHED, 1947

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Dairy Building Preportion of Producers in Each Production
or Equipment Pattern by Bail Building or Equipment Class
Classification HSPring-Summer Summer-Fall Fall-Winter Even
Per Cent Per Cent Per Cent Per Cent

Equipment (Dairy)

Good 26 . 20 27 50
Fair 37 27 46 45
Poor 37 53 21 5
Buildings (Dairy)

Good 43 47 67 75
Fair 46 40 33 25
Poor 11 13 - -

dairies had good equipment insofar as condition and repair were con-
cerned, but in most cases some of the items needed for producing
quality milk were not omednitems such as electrical milk coolers,
hot water heaters, etc. As is indicated from the table, much
equipment of the farms of the spring-summer and summer-fall types
was in ill repair, old or lacking.

The relation of the buildings to the seasonal patterns

followed about the same distribution according to the building

4O
classifications as in the equipment analysis.
To eliminate bias, the appraisal of the buildings and
equipment was done by the enumerator before he had knowledge of

the particular seasonality pattern.in.which the farm was grouped.

41

CHAPTER V

EFFECT OF DAIRY HERD MANAGEMENT PRACTICES

ON SEASONALITY OF MILK PRODUCTION

It is in the field of management that the dairy farmer can
make decisions which will have an effect on the milk production
timing of his herd. In the previous chapter, it was indicated
that the individual farmer may be limited in his choice of enter-
prises by natural conditions not directly under his control, as
many herd management practices are. These herd management prac-
tices,which are largely short run decisions and which will be
analyzed in this chapter, come under the main headings of breed-

ing practices and feeding practices.

Breeding Practices and Problems

The breeding timing very obviously influences the produc-
tion timing response of a herd. The milk production curve of a
dairy cow characteristically begins falling off about thirty days
after freshening at a rate of approximately twelve per cent per
month until the dry period. In other words, sixty per cent or
more of a cow's total production comes in the first five months
of a ten month lactation period. This is important for the dairy-
man to know if he is trying to regulate his milk production'tim-

ing by freshening his cows at strategic months in the year.

42

To graphically Show how the season of freshening affected
the milk production timing of eighty-five Dairy Cost Study Herds
in the Detroit milkshed, the following figures are shown. The
figures shOW'the index of monthly milk production and the index
of the number of calves born by months. An index of the number
of calves born by months is the same as saying the index of the
number of cows freshening by months.

Fig. (3 shows the index of the number of calves born and
the index of monthly milk production for all eighty-five herds
in the cost study. The figures following Show the effect of time
of freshening on milk production timing for herds in the Spring-
summer and even milk production patterns. In all figures it is
quite evident that the season of freshening does affect the pro-
duction pattern. A.tendency is shown for freshenings to occur
to the greatest extent during the period of January, February
and March and the period in the early fall of August, September
and October. But when comparing the freshening dates of the
herds in the even production pattern.with the herds in the spring-
summer production pattern, it can be easily seen that the even
producers have relatively more cows freshening in the latter per-
iod, or.August, September and October, than the Spring-summer
producers who have relatively more cows freahening during the
first half of the year.-

Another characteristic that can be noted from the followb

43
ing figures is the lag of a few months between the month of cow
freshening and the high period of milk production. This is
explained by the fact that it takes a month or more for a cow
to reach full production after calving.
From D.H.I.A. data it was possible to obtain the total
number of cows in the herd, the number of cows dry, and the num-

ber of cows milking by months (Fig. 11). These data were

/
I

arrangedESeasonal production patterns to Show differences in
the following characteristics: (1) Monthly variation in cow
numbers; (2) monthly variation in the number of cows being
milked; and (5) relative differences in the average dry period.

Monthly variation in cow numbers was not great except in
the summer-fall seasonal pattern. The variation that did occur
is primarily a result of selling cows when the trend in cow num-
bers was downward and replacing with fresh heifers when cow num-
bers were increasing, since cow purchases for replacement only
averaged about one cow per farm for the year.

The monthly variation in the number of cows milked is
closely associated with the milk production peak in each of the
seasonal patterns. And further, as would be expected, all sea-
sonal patterns, except even, have a large variation in the num-
ber of cows milking. The even producers had a fairly constant
number of cows milking throughout the year, although they did

reach a seasonal low in number of cows milking and in total

 

 

H4

 

9.:

..I ~
\Jtd‘

“T

"U Gil.
CQS‘I‘

-.. 11
131.111"

 

 

47
number of cows in June. This would indicate culling and dis-
posal of cows during and previous to June.

As is indicated from the difference between the number of
cows in the herd and the number milking, the average percentage
of cows dry by months in each of the patterns is as follows:
spring-summer, 15.8; summer-fall, 15.9; fall-winter, 18.1; and
even, 14.2. The reason for the difference in percentage of the
cows dry will be explained in the following section of this chap-
ter.

Production per cow.- Assuming average management in all

 

production patterns, herds in the fall-winter production pattern
would show less production per cow than herds in the Spring-summer
type of pattern. This would seem contrary to published data

which show the association of month of calving with production

per cow; the results of which indicate that production per cow

is greater in the case of cows freshening in the fall and early
winter than those freshening in the Spring and summer.10'11

These data are not conflicting from.a research standpoint, but

the data cited, if applied by the average dairy farmer, would be
misleading. The explanation lies in the source and the tabula-

tion difference. The data cited are a tabulation of individual

cow records which do not show herd averages and, therefore, have

 

10T. E. Woodward, "Some Studies of Lactation Records," Journal

of Dairy Science, Vol. 29, (1945).

11"Faot2&s AffeCtihg Seasonal Milk Production and Their Effect
on Producers Costs and.Returns," Report of Subcommittee I,
Elaine Agr. Exp. Sta. Bulletin 459-7, 'A_glri—LL_,-194E'$T. "

 

 

 

49
not been influenced by the difference in the length of the dry
period which would have occurred had herd averages been used.
Furthermore, the source of the individual cow records in the
cited data was from D.H.I.A. (Dairy Herd Improvement Association)
records. D.H.I.A. records are generally accepted as being better
than average, which would indicate better than average manage-
ment.

The alrvey data to determine production per cow were
tabulated by herds so that the influence of the length of the
dry period would be included.

Fall-winter producing dairies show the lowest average
production per cow of the farms surveyed in this study (Table
IX). Even producing dairies showed the highest production per
cow, but the reason, as has been indicated in all previous
analyses, is primarily a result of superior management ability
and may also be due to higher quality of cows. The D.H.I.A.
records available for this study showed the average percentage
of the cows dry by spring-summer dairies to be 15.9, compared
to 18.1 per cent of the cows dry in the fall-winter dairies.
When farmers of average management ability attempt to attain an
even or a fall-winter dairy to take advantage of seasonal price
variation and to obtain higher production per individual cow
lactation, they are attempting to overcome a natural force

towards spring freshening. Cows will be dry longer due to the

50
TABLE IX. MILK SHIPPED PER COW BY PRODUCTION PATTERNS,

97 SURVEY FARMS IN THE DETROIT NILKSHED, 1947

 

 

 

Seasonal No. of
Pattern Farms Average Production Per Cow
Number Pounds Milk
Spring-Summer 47 6,410
Summer-Fall 15 6,859
FaIIAWinter 15 5,559
Even 20 7,042

 

 

 

added difficulties of breeding during the barn feeding period

compared to breeding during the summer pasture season.

Breeding decisions.- The reasons why dairy farmers

 

freshen cows when they do are many and varied. In the interview
schedule, several questions were devoted to finding out why far-
mers freshened their cows when they did. The information
received even then was not complete. The following table shows
the results of their answers to queries about their reasons for
decisions as to the time of breeding. The question to which the
farmers answered was phrased as follows: "How do you decide

when to have your cows bred?"

TABLE X.

51

DECISIONS AS TO TIME OF BREEDING COWS BY PRODLCTION

PATTERNS IN 97 SURVEY HERDS, DETROIT MILKSHED, 1947

 

 

Deciding Factor

PrOportion in Pattern

 

 

 

$23525; 83’3” r3211? Em
Per Cent Per Obnt Per Cent Per gent
With Bull on Pasture 6 5 4 -
Soon after Freshening 42 42 25 47
To Obtain Fall Freshening 48 43 63 43
To Obtain Freshening
in Other Seasons 4 10 8 10

 

 

 

 

 

 

The reactions of the spring-summer and the summer-fall

producers were very similar.

There was no similarity in the answers of the fall-winter

production pattern to the other groups.

The fall-winter group

gave the answer "to obtain fall freshening" in the greatest per-

centage of cases.

from the answers given by the even producing group.

Nothing especially significant was apparent

Their

answers were quite comparable with the spring-summer and summer-

fall groups except that none of them let their bull run with the

COWS 0

Their interest seemed mainly in getting cows rebred.

A question designed to determine the reasons why dairy

farmers had their heifers bred when they did was also asked.

52

This question was proposed because it was realized that the breed-
ing program.of the mature cows in the herd would not give the com-
plete picture, as on the average a dairy herd has a complete turn-
over every four years.12 This means that approximately twenty
per cent of the herd is made up of first-calf heifers. The
season of the year in which a majority of these heifers entered
the herd is eSpecially important to the seasonality of milk pro-
duction because of the influence on the milk production pattern
when a fresh cow enters the herd and because in following years
her freshening date would be approximately one year from the
date of her previous freshening.

The following table is essentially the same as the pre-

vious table on the reasons for the breeding date of cows.

TABLE XI. DECISIONS AS TO TIME OF BREEDING HEIFERS BY PRODUCTION

PATTERNS FROM 97 HERDS IN THE DETROIT LCELKSHED, 1947

 

 

 

 

 

 

=E: Percentage in Pattern
Deciding Factor Spring- Summer- Fall- Even
Summer Fall Winter
With Bull on Pasture 7 5 ll -
According to Age or Size 55 6O 39 47
To Obtain Fall Freshening 38 35 5O 53

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

12w. H. Vincent, "Dairy Costs and Returns in the Detroit Milkshed,"
Mich. Agr. Exp. Sta., Mimeo. F.M. 434, (1948).

 

53

Note particularly that the spring-summer producers and
the summer-fall producers give the answer "according to age or
size" in over fifty per cent of the cases, while the fall-winter
producers and the even producers gave answer "to obtain fall
freshening" in the majority of the cases. It is evident that
the fall-winter producers and the even producers put more stress
on the time of freshening heifers for the purpose of maintaining
their reSpective production patterns than do either the spring-
summer or the summer-fall groups.

To determine what actually happened in these herds with
respect to the time of heifer freshening to see if the answers
given were in line with the timing of freshening heifers, a tab-
ulation was made by production patterns of the percentage of
first-calf heifers added to the herd during the last half of the
year (Table x11) .

TABLE XII. NUMBER OF FIRST-CALF HEIFERS ADDED TO THE HERD

AND THE PROPORTION ADDED DURING JULY-DECEMBER,
97 SURVEY HERDS IN THE DETROIT MILKSHED, 1947

 

 

 

 

Seasonal Number of First-Calf
Pattern Heifers Added Per Herd
Total Proportion Added
July-December
Number Per Cent
L———.———. ——
Spring-Summer 3.1 62
Summer-Fall 1.7 72
Fa114Winter 2.9 66
Even 402 , 78

 

 

54

The even producers freshen more heifers into the herd each
year, and a greater percentage of these are freshened during the
latter six months of the year than any of the other production
patterns. Since the survey was made, the author has been con-
tinuing work in the Detroit milkshed in the capacity of project
leader of the Dairy Cost Study. Consequently, he has had an
opportunity to talk with many of the successful and unsuccessful
dairy men in the milkshed. The author has found quite conclus- .
ively that among the more successful dairymen there is a general
feeling that to obtain even production, a number of heifers must
be freshened into the herd during the late summer and early fall

months.

Difficulties in obtaining desired time of freshening.-

 

 

 

The time of breeding is the most important factor in determining
the milk production timing of the dairy herd. To control the
time of breeding in an effort to level the milk production tim-
ing, a farmer must be especially watchful for heat periods of
cows in his herd during the late pasture season and the early
part of the barn feeding period. This requires skill and man-
agement ability on the part of the dairyman. There are diffi-
culties and problems involved. An effort was made to determine
these difficulties and how the herds in the various production

patterns were handled in respect to them.

55

The principal hypothesis being tested here is that in the
herds that are turned out at least once a day, the farmer will
have more opportunity to detect the cows that are in heat than
in the herds which are not turned out. By being able to have
these cows in heat bred during the barn feeding period, they will
freshen during the months when milk production is ordinarily low
and, thereby, increase production at this time.

The herds surveyed were tabulated on the basis of the
number of times during the day that they were turned out (Table
XIII). There is not much difference in the percentage of the
herds in each pattern that turn out at least once a day, but
when the herds that are never turned out are considered, there
is a great deal of difference. The difference is mainly between
two groups of patterns, the spring-summer as compared to the fall-
winter and the even groups. In the former, fine percentage of the
farmers that never turn out was much greater than the latter two
groups.

In the survey schedule the question was asked of the
cooperators if they had trouble detecting cows in heat during
the barn feeding period. Thirteen per cent of the spring-summer
compared to thirty per cent of the even producers did have
trouble. This would indicate one of two possibilities; they are:
(l) The even producers were more aware and gave more thought to

the time of breeding; and/or (2) they had more cows coming in

TABLE XIII.

56

PERCENTAGE OF HERDS TURNED OUT FOR EXERCISE

DURING THE BARN FEEDING PERIOD, 97 SURVEY
HERDS IN THE DETROIT MILKSHED, 1947

 

 

 

 

 

-_rIA PrOportion in Pattern
It” Spring- Summer- Fall- Even
Summer Fall Winter
Per Cent Per Cent Per Cent Per Cent
Cows Out Every Day 69 57 73 7O
Cows Out Occasionally 4 29 20 20
Cows Never Out 27 14 7 10

 

 

 

 

 

heat during the barn feeding period.

To determine if this trouble in detecting cows in heat was

the result of not turning cows out for exercise and thereby not

having nearly as good a chance to determine if a cow were in

heat, Table XIV is presented.

 

 

 

 

 

TABLE XIV. FARMERS HAVING TROUBLE DETECTING COWS IN
HEAT WHERE COWS HERE OR WERE NOT TURNED
OUT DAILY DURING THE BARN FEEDING SEASON,
97 SURVEY HERDS, DETROIT MILKSHED, 1947
_‘ ‘11‘22
Proportion Having Trouble Detecting
Item Cows in Heat
Spring- Summer- Fall-
Summer Fall Winter Even
Per Cent Per Cent Per Cent Per Cent
Herds Out Daily 6 l3 9 21
Herds Not Out 33 17 5O 50

 

 

 

 

 

57

Some farmers were having trouble detecting cows in heat
and others were not. This table concerns those that said they
were having trouble. They are divided according to whether they
turned their cows out daily or not. It is very evident that
those herds which were not turned out had a great deal more
trouble detecting cows in heat than those herds Which were
turned out. This describes a fundamental management practice
in the successful managing of the breeding time of the cows in
the herd in an effort to maintain a desired production pattern.
If a farmer is going to compensate for the natural causes of high
spring and summer production, he has to control the breeding pro-
gram. To control the breeding program.he must know, or be able
to tell, when his cows are in heat. During the barn feeding
period it is the general Opinion that it is difficult to deter-
mine if cows are in heat becmlse of the cows being stanchioned,
or otherwise fastened. This fact makes it desirable for a farmer
to let his cows out daily, not only for the value of the outdoor
exercise, but because it makes detection of heat periods much
easier.

Another factor that is very helpful in the successful
observation of heat periods is for the farmer to keep good
breeding and calving records. This is important because of the
stable time element in the esterus cycle (ovation cycle) in the

cow. By keeping a record of previous calving date and previous

58

heat periods, the time of the following heat period can be

approximately predicted.

In this way breeding records aid the

dairyman in observing heat periods, especially during the barn

feeding season.

The results given in Table XV show the per-

centage of farmers in the various production patterns who kept

breeding records of their herds.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

TABLE XV. PROPORTION OF FARQERS KEEPING
BREADING RECORDS, 97 SURVEY
FARMS IN THE DETROIT MILKSHED, 1947
Proportion in Pattern
Item .
Spring-Summer Summer-Fall Fall-Winter Even
Per Cent Per Cent Per Cent Per Cent
Keeping Breed-
ing Records 80 71 73 100

 

 

 

 

 

 

Table XV indicates two important points. One is that most

of the farmers in the Detroit milkshed keep some kind of a breed-

ing record.

The second is that the producers maintaining an even

production pattern all kept breeding records compared to the

eighty per cent of the spring-summer group that did.

This again

points to a higher degree of management, or at least a greater

interest in the dairy enterprise on the part of the even pro-

ducers.

To further look into the difficulty of obtaining the

59

desired time of freshening, the following question was asked of
the farmers surveyed: "Do you have trouble in getting cows to
freshen in certain seasons?" The question was phrased and was
asked at such a time during the interview so that it implied to
the farmer, "do you have any trouble getting cows to freshen for
base period?" The results of Table XVI would indicate that the
Spring-summer and the summer-fall producers were not concerned
about time of breeding, and the even producers and the fall-
winter producers were experiencing more difficulty in obtaining
the desired time of breeding due to being in the barn when the

greatest percentage were to be bred.

TABLE XVI. PROPORTION HAVIHG TROCBLE IN GETTING GOES TO FRESHEN IN

CERTAIN SEASONS, 97 SURVEY FARMS IN DETROIT AILKSHED, 1947

 

_.-- —.-.- Q'- -' s-s m

Proportion in Pattern

 

Item Spring- Summer- Fall-

Summer Fall Winter Even

 

Per Cent Per Cent Per Cent Per Cent

 

Having trouble getting cows to
fredien in certain seasons 25 21 5O 7O

 

 

 

 

 

 

-. ——.—a _- .. o—w ~.—- -.—.-.—.-. ~ . -—‘-,

Culling and Replacement

 

The rate of turnover in dairy herds in the Detroit milkshed
is about once every four years. Seventy per cent of turnover was

accounted for by fresh heifers coming into the herds. Cows

60

bought accounted for thirty per cent of the turnover.15

There is a general feeling that one method of reducing
seasonality of production is through buying cows to be put into
the herd when production is low. This would in almost all cases
mean buying cows in the late summer and during the fall in an
effort to bring up the characteristically low fall milk produc-
tion. In an effort to learn the degree to which the buying of
cows'was practiced and what period during the year they were pur-
chased, the number of cows bought was tabulated by feeding per-
iods from.herd records of the even and the spring-summer pro-

ducers (Table XVII).

TABLE XVII. PROPORTION OF TOTAL COWS BOUGHT IN 1947 BY

FEEDING PERIODS, 56 HERDS IN DETROIT MILKSHED

 

 

 

 

 

Production No. of 'Winter Feeding Early Pasture Late Pasture
Pattern Herds Period Season Season
'Number Per Cent Per Cent Per Cent
Even 33 45 ll 44
Spring-Summer 23 58 19 23

 

 

 

 

 

Source: Dairy Cost Study, monthly records of 56 herds, Detroit
milkshed, 1947
.About forty-five per cent of cows bought by the even pro-
ducers were purchased during the late pasture season. This

includes the months of.August, September and October. Purchases

 

13T. L. Hodge, ”Dairy Costs and Returns in the Detroit Milkshed,"
Mich. Agra EXP. Sta. 11111160., Ago E00110 454, (JUly, 194:9).

 

 

 

61
were heaviest during the month of October. In contrast to this,
the spring-summer producers purchased only twenty-three per cent
of the cows bought during the year in the late pasture season.
The spring-summer producers purchased relatively more of their
cows in the other periods of the year than the even producers.

This section on the time of purchasing of cows for
replacement lacks significance due to the low number of cows
purchased. Even though there was a total of 56 herds in this
analysis, the number of cows bought for replacement only aver-
aged a little over one cow per herd.

The replacement of cows through purchasing them has not
been an effective method of controlling production timing. The
arguments presented above - only small differences in purchases
by the two production patterns and only a small proportion of
repLacements due to purchased cattle - are the most important
reasons why this is true. Furfiier, the leveling of production
timing in the aggregate by the purchasing of cows for production
during the low periods is not very effective because most of the
purchases are made locally. By purchasing locally at farm sales
and individually buying cows, farmers only shift their own pro-
duction timing pattern. If the cows bought were purchased from
outside the milkshed during the period of lOW'milk production,
the effect would be to increase production during that period.

The tire of’culling cows from the herd did not appear to

62
be significant in its effect on the production timing. The
results in Table XVIII indicate only that the spring-summer pro-
ducers sold relatively fewer of their cows during the spring and
summer months than did the even producers. This would be true
mainly because the spring-summer producers would have relatively

more of their cows milking during the pasture period.

TABLE XVIII. PERCENTAGE OF TOTAL CGHS SOLD BY

QUARTEHS, DETROIT MILKSIED, 1947

 

Proportion of Cows Sold Each
Production to. of Production Pattern in:
Pattern Herds

 

Winter Spring Summer Fall

 

lumber Per Cent Per Cent* Per Cent Per Cent

 

Even 53 23 22 22 53

Spring-Summer 23 36 19 16 29

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Source: Dairy Cost Study, monthly records of 56 herds,
Detroit milkshed, 1947

Feeding Practices

 

It is the opinion of some research workers that a substan-
tial portion of seasonality of milk production could be elimin-
ated by adjusting the feeding program. About forty-four per cent
of the even and the fall-winter producers who were surveyed in
this study said that feeding variation was the main factor giving

them trouble in maintaining fall production. This is evidence

63
to the prOposition that the feeding Program on the dairy farm is
important in its effect on the milk production timing of the
dairy herd.

Measures of the value of various feeding programs are
difficult. Feeds vary in value not only by kinds, but by
nutrient and vitamin content. For instance, two farmers may
have reported that they were feeding alfalfa hay to their cows
during the winter, while in reality they may have been feeding
alfalfa hay that differed widely in nutrient and vitamin con-
tent. The same thing could be said about all other feeds--pas-
ture is especially variable. Because of the difficulty of deter-
mining a value for the feeds fed by the various groups of pro-
ducers, this section on feeding practices is limited to quanti-
tative measures of feeds.

In Chapter III there was an analysis of the effect of
pasture on the milk production timing of a dairy herd. Evidence
presented there showed that production increases when cows are
turned out on pasture in the early pasture season. The early
pasture season is characterized by moderate temperatures, lush
young pasture growth, and comparative freedom from insects. As
the pasture season advances into July and August, there is a
decrease in the rainfall and an increase in temperature and
insects, with the resultant effect of reduced milk production.

The problem of the farmer is to maintain, insofar as is

64
profitable, the high production of the early pasture season dur-
ing the late pasture season by supplementing the available pas-
ture with other feeds. The pasture program of the spring-summer
and the even producers shows some differences in intensity and

pasture supplementation which may be important (Table XIX).

TABLE XIX. COLVZPARISON OF PASTURE PROGMIS ON EVEI‘I AND SPRING-SUILER

DAIRIES, 63 SURVEY FARMS IN THE DETROIT MILKSHED, 1947

 

 

 

Item Even Spring-Summer
No. of Farms 19 44
Tillable Pasture
Acres per Cow . . . . . . . . . . . . 1.87 2.01
Days on Pasture . . . . . . . . . . . 150 156

Percentage Supplementing Pasture with:

Grain.............(%) 85 83
Hay C O O O I O O O O O O O O O (70) 54 44
Silage o o e e o e e o e o o o (%) 38 31

 

 

The even producers show a more intensive pasture program
than the spring-summer dairies. The intensity of pasture usage
is evidenced by the acres per cow. However, this is not con-
clusive. If techniques for measuring pasture value were better

developed, then some weight could be given to an objective meas-

65
uring of the differences in pasture programs by the producers in
the various production timing patterns. It is safe to say that
increases in the amounts of total digestible nutrients, whether
from pasture or other supplementary feedstuffs, will result in
increases in milk production when holding other factors influenc-
ing milk production constant. This phenomenon has been tested
by the U. S. Department of Agriculture within limits of dimin-
ishing returns in a study called Input-Output Relationships in
Milk Production.14 The results revealed that increases in the
amounts of total digestible nutrients supplied will result in
an increase in production over normal milk production curve. The
marginal increase in production shows a typical diminishing mar-
ginal product curve (Fig. 12).

To obtain even milk production timing, holding date of
freshening and other factors affecting seasonal milk production
constant, additional amounts of total digestible nutrients must
be fed to the level of the amount of the total digestible
nutrients supplied during the early pasture season. This would
result in even milk production except as milk production would
be increased by the "x-factor" found in early pasture grasses.

The farmers surveyed made numerous comments in regard to
the feeding program to maintain even production. One farmer who
has a very high producing herd said that his herd drOpped in
production when he turned his cows on pasture. He felt that the

14E. Jensen, J. W. Klein and Others, "Input-Output Relationships
in Milk Production," Technical Bulletin No. 815, U. S.
Dept. of Agr., WaShington, D. C., (hay, 1542), p. 40.

 

67
reason for this was that he fed at a very high rate in his barn
feeding programs. When the cows were turned on pasture their
feces became very loose and they went partially off feed, and
as a result their production dropped. The great majority of
farmers accepted the fact that their cows increased in milk pro-
duction when the cows were turned on pasture.

Farmers attempting to obtain level production usually have
to supplement their pasture during the late summer and fall months
by an increase in total digestible nutrients intake through the
use of grains, hay and/or silage. Pasture, especially wild pas-
tures of June grass, decline severely in value during the hot,
dry months of July and August. This affects milk production
adversely. There is also the effect of the heat, not only on
'the pasture with its resultant effect on production, but also
the direct effect of the heat on a cow in reducing production.
These reasons, together with the fact that insects are more num-
erous at this time, have an adverse effect on milk production.

A great many farmers have overcome the effect of the
season on pasture by using pastures which will produce suitably
when the native pastures dry up. The legumes, Sudan grass and
Reed Canary grass are plants which yield well during the months
of July and August. Alfalfa, usually grown with Bromegrass,
makes up a large proportion of the dairy pasture in the Detroit

milkshed. Sudan grass is often used as emergency pasture because

68
of its characteristics of growing to a highly palatable luxur-
iant crOp in a few weeks after planting quite late in the spring.
Reed Canary grass is adapted to low swampy conditions, has excel-
lent growth characteristics, and maintains growth through the
late summer months. For these reasons it, too, is becoming
highly regarded as dairy pasture for the late summer period.

Fifty-three per cent of the even producers compared to
sixty-two per cent of the spring-summer producers said they
had all the pasture they needed. The spring-summer producers
Jere producing relatively more of their milk during the summer,
partially because they do have more pasture to use. The reason
for the even producers indicating that they had more of a pas-
ture shortage than the spring-summer producers could be that
they were more aware of the effect pasture plays in their herds'
milk production in the late summer and early fall.

Most of the dairymen surveyed did practice supplementary
feeding during the months of pasture Shortages. There was very
little difference among the seasonal production groups as to the
number feeding some kind of supplemental feed. The differences
themselves would mean little at any rate because of the vast
differences in the pastures being supplemented and in the amounts,
kinds and quality of the supplementary feeds. The rate of grain

feeding, though, did indicate some significant differences among

the various production patterns (Fig. 13).

 

70

Data for Fig. 13 were obtained from the survey cooperators
by obtaining from them the average amount of grain fed per cow
for the barn feeding season and the average amount fed per cow
for each month during the pasture season. Results of the tabu-
lation show that the even and the summer-fall producers feed
more grain on the average all through the year than do the spring-
summer and fall-winter producers. The former averaged about two
pounds per cow more gain per day than the latter. It would indi-
cate that the spring-summer producers feed according to produc-
tion less than any of the other production patterns because
their cows were producing at their peak during May, June and
July.

Grain feeding is the most important method of regulat-
ing the feed intake and thereby influencing milk flow. Grain

"grain factor" must

for other supplementary feeds containing the
be fed to make up for any decrease in the value of pasture.
Pasture, although there may be quite large quantities per cow,

is little more than standing hay after June.

The barn feeding program is important in its effect on
production timing, although it is not as important as the feeding
program during the summer and fall because the seasonal shortage
is most acute during the fall months. The amount of feeds fed

during the barn feeding season affects the condition and health

of the cow,'which in turn affects the milk production in the

71
months following. A cow in good condition after barn feeding
would be inclined to produce more milk when turned on pasture
than one in poor condition. However, the effects of good body
condition at the end of the barn feeding season on milk produc-
tion of cows would be slight at the end of the pasture season if
they were allowed to become thin while on the pasture. But if
they were kept in.good condition through the pasture season,
there would presumably be a greater milk flow during the months
of normally low production than if she had been allowed to
become thin during the summer.

There is a definite lag in milk production response to
increased amounts of total digestible nutrients by cows in poor
condition. A number of the farmers surveyed felt that production
drops in many herds during the summer because farmers think that
their herds are getting enough feed from.the pasture through the
summer. Becwise of being extremely busy and through failure to
notice the decrease in the value of their pasture, the produc-
tion in these herds begins to<irop. By this time much body flesh
has been drained through the milk pail and production will be at
a lower level.

Feeding grain according to production means that a certain
number of pounds of grain is fed to a cow producing a certain
amount of milk with consideration for differences in butterfat

content of the milk produced. Many rule of thumb formulas are

72

used to arrive at the amount of grain to feed. Probably the
most pOpular rule of thumb is to feed one pound of grain to every
four pounds of milk. Generally it is thought that feeding cows
according to individual cow production is better dairy herd man-
agement than feeding the cows all at the same number of pounds.
The cooperators were asked if they fed grain according to pro-
duction to give a further indication of their management ability
and to determine if more of the producers in the desirable pro-
duction patterns fed to production than did the other producers.

TABLE XX. PERCENTAGE FEEDING GRAIN ACCORDING TO

PRODUCTION BY PRODUCTION TIMING
PATTERNS, 97 SURVEY HERDS, 1947

 

Proportion of Producers in Each
Item Pattern Feeding Grain According
to Production or Some Other Method

 

 

 

 

 

 

Spring-Summer Summer-Fall Fa114Winter Even
‘22£_Cent EE£_Cent PE£_Cent ‘23: Cent
Feeding According
to Production 56 66 4O 80
Other Methods 44 34 60 20

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Table XX indicates that the even producers had a higher
percentage feeding their cows according to production than by any
of the other production patterns. The conclusion is that this

would indicate the even producers are probably better managers

73

and that by feeding according to production, other factors being
equal, the chances for maintaining even production timing are
greater.

The cooperators were asked if they fed grain to<iny cows
(Table XXI). The purpose was to indicate another measure of the
ability of management and to determine if there were differences
among production timing groups. Feeding grain to dry cows is
considered a desirable herd management practice because it
increases the amount of flesh on the dairy cow and thereby

results in greater milk production.during the lactation.

TABLE XXI. PERCENTAGE FEEDING GRAIN TO DRY CONS BY

PRODUCTION TIMING PATTERNS, 97 SURVEY HERDS, 1947

 

L;

Item Proportion in Pattern Answering Yes

 

pring-Summer Summer-Fall Fa114Winter Even

 

Do You Feed Grain
to Dry Cows? 71 64 80 80

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The even and the fall-winter production indicated that
they were more disposed to feeding grain to dry cows than were
the other two patterns. It would indicate a greater interest
and management ability if the assumption that the increased milk

production that resulted was more profitable were true.

74

Diseases and Injuries

 

thagement practices extend beyond feeding and breeding.
The amount of disease and injuries is partially a function of
the ability of management. Many farmers commented on their pro-
duction timing as being off because of diseases and injuries.

Bang‘s disease was mentioned by a few farmers as being
the cause for their milk production timing having shifted to a
less desirable pattern. Bang's disease shifts production timing
often by causing abortion previous to normal freshening. The
disease may also affect the breeding efficiency of cattle, evi-
denced by irregular heat periods,or may go so far as to cause
sterility. Other diseases of the reproductive organs were men-
tioned as a cause for Shifts in production timing, too. Cystic
ovaries, hard or non-breeding cows, sterility in bulls-~all tend
to cause trouble in a dairy herd breeding program.

The smaller herds tend to notice the results of diseases,
deaths and injuries that remove or shift a cow's production tim-
ing more than do the larger herds. This is true because one cow
produces a greater percentage of the total milk in a small herd
than in a larger one. Some of the small herd owners attributed
their particular production timing pattern to the results of dis-

eases and injuries.

75

CHAPTER VI

MIS CELLAI‘Qr ECUS FACTORS

Distance from market

 

Distance from market is associated with seasonal produc-
tion patterns (Table XXII). There is a tendency for the pro—
ducers who are closer to market to produce more evenly. Fifty
per cent of the even producers were located within fifty miles
of Detroit, compared to thirty-one per cent of the spring-
summer producers. At the other extreme, only about nineteen per
cent of the even producers were located beyond the seventy-five
mile zone, compared to twenty-five per cent of the spring-summer
producers.

There are a number of reasons why the farmers located
closer to market tend to produce more evenly than those farther
out. First, they have undoubtedly been shipping milk to the
fluid market in Detroit longer. This would mean that they have
had more time to adjust or correct their production to an even
timing pattern. Then, too, because of being associated with more
neighbors shipping to the market, they should have more educa-
tion in the reasons for a seasonal milk incentive plan.

Second, farmers located closer to market are in an area

of higher land prices and would, therefore, be inclined to pro-

duce more intensively than farmers on lower priced land.

76

TABLE XXII. RELATION CF DISTANCE FROM MARKET
TO SEASONAL PAT‘l‘ERl-IS, 346 SAI'IPIE
PRODUCTION RECORDS, 1947

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Preportion of Producers in Each
Seasonal Pattern by Miles from Market
Less than 49.9 50-74.9 75-Over
§3£_Cent Per Cent Per Cent
Spring-Summer 31.0 44.0 25.0
Summer-Fall 42.6 42.6 ' 14.8
Fall-Winter 36.8 36.9 26.3
Even 50.0 31.3 18.7
All Farms 1 37.6 39.9 22.5

 

 

 

 

Number_3£'Years Shipping Fluid Milk

 

There was some association between the length of time milk
was shipped and seasonality of production. Shippers in the market
less than three years tended to be more seasonal than those in
the market longer than that. Those shipping less than three years
tended to concentrate in the spring-summer type of pattern. Anal-
ysis of percentages in various patterns by length of time milk
had been shipped to Detroit showed practically no difference
between the various patterns. Adjustment of production timing
after commencing to ship milk to Detroit under the base-excess
plan, if an adjustment is made, usually takes place in the first

feW'years.

77

Characteristics of the Operator

 

 

Probably the most important factor in whether a herd is
an even producer or produces in a pattern.characteristic of some
other seasonal group is the ability and other characteristics
of the Operator as a dairy farm manager. The importance of the
ability of the Operator in determining the milk production pat-
tern On any farm has been implied or specifically mentioned in
the previous sections of this report. More specifically it has
been shown that there is a positive association between the
ability of the Operator and an even milk production pattern.
This section of the study deals more closely with character-
istics other than the ability of a farmer as a manager; namely,
age and attitude.

Age of the operator.- There is a definite indication that

 

younger farmers have a tendency to produce in the Spring-summer
production pattern (Table XXIII). A logical reason for this is
that they do not yet have the experience that is associated with
ability of management that they will gain as they become Older.
Other reasons might be that they have not as yet reached their
optimum.in size of business and capital resources. At the time
of the survey, the enumerator contacted some of the older (70-
75 years Old) farmers within the sample, and upon questioning
them as to the reasons why their milk production pattern was of

a particular nature, their replies were in essence that their

78

TABLE XXIII. PROPORTION OF OPERATORS BY AGE
GROUPS IN TWO TYPES OF SEASOHAL
PATLEAnS, 97 SURVEY EARLS, 1947

 

 

 

 

 

 

Preportion of Shippers in Each
N0. of Age (flassification Shipping in:
Age of Operator Farms
Spring-Summer All Other Patterns
Years Number Per Cent Per Cent
Under 34.9 17 23.4 12.0
35 - 54.9 47 44.7 52.0
55-Over 33 31.9 36.0

 

 

 

 

production responses came about through chance becmise of being
unable to bother with any seasonal milk production improvement
program. Their reasons were mainly of a physical nature.

Attitude_2£ the Operator.- The attitude of the Operator

 

is a difficult quality to measure objectively. The degree of
the ability of management that has been referred to in this study
has been influenced by the farm operators' use of approved and
desirable farm practices. His attitude and beliefs were deter-
mined through questions concerning seasonal milk production con-
trol methods, his feelings towards the base-excess plan, and his
interest and knowledge of the problem.

The proportion of farmers in each pattern keeping a farm
record book gives an indication of the interest and attitude of

farmers. About ninety per cent of the even producers compared to

79
about fifty per cent of the producers in the other production
timing patterns kept farm account records.

The belief of any particular producer as to why his herds'
production.response fell intO'the various patterns is important
in evaluating a seasonal pricing plan. If a producer felt that
his production response was undesirable but because of some pro-
blem that he did not know how to overcome, then action could be
undertaken to help him. If the producer had an undesirable
production-response but did not particularly care what his pro-
duction pattern was, then other means would be used to allev-
iate his problem. In the first instance above, the producer had
an undesirable production pattern because of some problem that
he did not know how to overcome; if by Chance this were a breed-
ing problem or a similar production problem, the action would
probably be through an educational medium to show or teach him
the methods of controlling such a problem. Or if, as in the
second instance, the undesirable pattern was the result of dis-
interest, the action might take the form of an increase in mone-
tary incentive.

The tabulation of answers to the question asked the spring-
summer and summer-fall producers as to why they had such a pro-
duction timing pattern was designed to find out if the producers
had their particular production timing pattern because of pro-
blems; if so, what they were; or merely because of disinterest

(Table XXIV).

80

TABLE XXIV. REASONS FOR SEASONAL PRODUCTION PATTERNS AS
GIVEN BY SPRING-SUMCER AND SUHHER-FALL PRODUCERS,
62 SURVEY F'RKS, DETROIT HILKSHED, 1947

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Proportion in Each Seasonal Pattern
Giving the Following Reasons for
Seasonal Their Particular Production Timing
Production
Pattern Breeding Take Advantage Other
Problems of Base Plan
Per Cent Per Cent Per Cent
Spring-Summer 51 2 ' 47
Summer-Fall 35 41 24

 

 

 

 

 

From the farmers' reaction to the question, it was very
evident that they Jere interested in the seasonal milk problem.
Although it should be mentioned that two of the forty-five Spring-
summer producers interviewed were under the assumption that high
spring production was desirable and such a production pattern was
the direct result of the base-excess pricing plan.

Breeding problems were very definitely in the minds of
the spring-summer and the summer-fall producers as the’cause Of
their seasonal production patterns. The higher temperatures and
greater number of insects during the late summer months were not
mentioned; nor was the quality and amount of feedstuffs except in
the relatively few references to pasture. The multitude of
answers that were given, other than the main one of breeding pro-

blems which were n‘rouned under the "other" classification are
I b L. 9

81
given as follows in the order of their importance: need to use
pasture; cost of winter grain; poor pasture in latter months;
sold cows and diseases; starting or increasing herd; age and
health of the Operator; low producers; no plan; and competition
for labor in the fall.

It would seem that farmers are not fully informed on the
response in milk production that can be Obtained from changes in
feed nutrients. They tend rather to ascribe their difficulties
in obtaining a more desirable production timing pattern to a
factor which is more evident to them, namely, breeding diffi-
culties.

In any sense it seems that an educational program to help
farmers alleviate their production timing difficulties is the
best corrective action if such is desirable for the dairy farmers.
The criterion for determining whether the Spring-summer producers
would gain by shifting their production to an even pattern should
include a measure of net income and labor distribution. This
evaluation is being taken up in another phase of the seasonality
problem.

The even and the fall-winter producers answered the ques-
tion regarding why their production pattern was such quite dif-
ferently than the spring-summer producers (Table XXV). The
interest in the seasonal problem, though, was just as great.

Evident in the responses of the even producers is that

82
they had an even production timing pattern to take advantage Of
the base-excess plan. This was also true to a lesser extent in
both the summer-fall and the fall-winter production patterns.
TABLE XXV. REASONS FOR SEASONAL PRODUCTION
PATTERNS AS GIVEN BY EVEN AND FALL

AND WINTER PRODUCERS, 35 SURVEY
FARMS, DETROIT MILKSHED, 1947

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Proportion in Each sEEESEEIHEEEEEEn
Giving the Following Reasons for
Seasonél Their Particular Production Timing
Production
Pattern Take Advantage Breeding or Better Other
of Base Plan Disease Problems Labor Use
Per Cent Per Cent Per Cent Per Cent
Even 85 - 15 -
Fa114Winter 40 3O 15 15

 

 

 

 

 

When asked how they Obtained such a production response,
the even producers answered, “by a planned breeding program" in
about fifty-four per cent Of the cases. The fall-winter pro-
ducers gave the same answer in about sixty-five per cent of the
cases. About twenty-five per cent of the answers of the even
producers mentioned buying winter feed and/or a balanced feed-
ing program as a method to help solve the seasonal production
program on their farms.

The attitude of the Operator is important in proposing a
shift in production timing. An objective measure of whether pro-

ducers were contemplating a change in their production timing is

83
given in Table XXVI.

The table indicates that not all producers were satisfied
or were producing at the Optimum; as is indicated by about fifty
per cent of them planning a production timing change. Again, as
in previous tables, it is evident that Of those planning to shift
production timing, the method to be used for the most part was by
changing freshening dates. It should be mentioned that many were
planning to shift production by freshening heifers. The farmers
that planned to shift production by this method were included in
the "other" column.

The farmers surveyed were asked whether they had heard of
a need for more even production. A surprising number of them
said that they had not heard of a need for more even production
(Table XXVII).

Roughly, only one-half of the farmers had heard Of the
need for more even milk production. They indicated for the most
part that the source of this information was farm papers--the
producers association house organ being mentioned the greatest
number of times.

It seems very significant, though, that of those who had
heard of the need for more even production, only thirty-six per
cent said it influenced them in making production timing changes.
This might indicate that either the reasons for more even pro-

duction were not being brought out clearly or that appeals other

8h

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

mm Hm mm m on Fe um manna Had
00H u u I mm ma om nobm
0m 0m ow Om pm mm mm nopnfi31aamm
mm ma on ma be no ma Haamnuoassm
mm am mm m on so as hasssmquaumw
vase pom pqoo mom page sum page sum page gem pnoo no genssz
nonpo Haom wqanosmonm mowndgo
ho hum ownanu wquoom 02 no»
unoppam
vmasm wswqqdam omega .nhoppam owndgo manna defipostAA
an eon: om op soapos op swam no .02 Hanomuom

 

 

 

I
[I

 

>¢mH .mEm<m MHbMDm pm .wzHEHB

ZOHaoDQomm MAHE wzHHmHmm

QMdEOB Mdefimmmo mo MQDBHeed

.H>MH mqmda

85

 

 

 

 

 

am en en es as «spam and

mm ad 05 o» om nopm

mm sH V am we ad “opengwaaaa

mm mm as as ea Haaa-aoaasm

mm as as am we uuaasm-wqaaam
pace tom page pom pnoo gem neon “cm

02 no» 02 no»

 

 

 

newssnu mafiawa noupeavOAm mama
0# 50% oenosflmnH mane can
«no» wqauosqu omega

 

noapesuoam no>m aom
umoz mo vumom chem

 

“page shopvdm nOHPOSUOAm Hanomwom
zoom aw whoosuoum mo nowpuomonm

awma .mnmmm wm>mpm Hm .maaHmm onaoanomm
amazmsumzH mam mHmH Hazy Ezmaam may mza
onaoDnomm mama zm>m mmoa mom aamz a mo

nmamm msam same mmmsmam no ZOHBmomomm

 

 

unoppsm
magma _ 83038.“
mo 0 Hanomdom
.Hstx admaa

86
than monetary are not effective.

Certainly there seems to be room for improvement in the
educational means of transmitting this type of information to
more farmers. If the problem of milk production timing is
important, then more than forty-six per cent of the farmers
should realize that there is a need for a leveling of milk pro-
duction through the year even though only about one-third of
them actively try to effect a change in production timing

because of this knowledge.

(0

"7
I

CT," W'li-f-j 1H-
.3 -o—Ps VJ.

81.13311 ' All} OZT‘LL' SIC) "S

Kilk production responses ir. th argrecate result in excess
supplies in the spring and summer and shortages in the age fall
in relati1n to demand in the Detroit f‘uid mils market. The base

excess pricing pl an provides an incentive for even milk productisr

. I . W ‘

wing to tne dc; ’ry fcrnmrs 1n tns mil. shed.
Host farmers in the milk shed have not adjurte ed
duction timing to an even patte1n. The object of this study was

0 J

to determine what differences existed between the farms as to

the organ izations, pr: ctices, and attitude pnd ability of the
nave made a hift to even production and these pro-
highly seasonal. A.representative senyle of about 97 pro-
ducers from the Detroit milk shed provided the nain source of
data.

31ers are t-ree natural forces on sing seasonal mil
duction the must le oveicore if a farrer is to attain atn even
production response, they are, (l) cimnnges in the amounts. kinds.
and quality of feed fed, (2) a natural tendency for spring freshen?
ing, and (3) variation in weather conditions.

Overcon ning these one ic causes of seasonality is liLe y to
result in increased costs. The incentive plan is designed to
more than compensate producers who shift to even milk production
timing.

There xere differenc in the f“ 1 organizaticn of the dairies

88

producing seasonally high in the spring-summer compared to the

even producing dairies. The springrsummer dairies had a greater
percentage of their land in cash crops and roughages, both hay

and pasture, than the even producers who had the greater proportion
of their land in feed crops. Greater importance of the dairy
enterprise relative to the rest of the farm on the even producing
farms compared to the spring-summer producing farms was noted.

The even producing farms were more intensive as measured by the

tillable acres per dairy cow. These differences may cause a question

to be raised as to whether the farms with even producing dairie

U)

would be more profitable than farms with springrsummer dairies
in view of the differences in percent of high value cash crops
and presumably lower production costs on the part of the spring-
summer producers.

Breeding timing is the major factor affecting milk production
timing. Freshenings of cows concentrate in two periods of the
year one period includes the months of January, February, and
March; and the other is the months of August, September. and October.
The even producing herds have the greatest percent of the cows
freshening in the latter period.

Farm Operators with average management ability will not ob-
tain increased production from cows by having a greater proportion

of his herd freshen in the fall. Greater breeding difficulties

89

will result in longer average dry periods and consequently not
increased production per herd.

Breeding difficulties are increased by havin a greater pro-
portion of cows due to be bred in the barn feeding season over
the difficulties encountered during the summer pastureseason.
Breeding troubles were reduced on farms where cows were turned
out daily and where records were kept of calving and breeding
dates.

The even producing dairies put more stress on the number
and percent of first-calf heifers freshening in the fall than
the springrsummer dairies. The net cost of delaying the breed-
ing of heifers for fall freshening is not as great as the cost
of delaying the breeding of a cow because of the increase gain
in weight and size of the heifer.

Buying cows to freshen in the fall was not an important
method of controlling the milk production timing in the Detroit
milk shed. Purchases of cows forfall production unless they
were purchased from outside the mil; shed would not affect the
aggregate supply of milk in the market in the fall.

\ Farmers in the spring-summer type of production pattern had
more pasture for their cows and they indicated that this was a
partial reason for producing most of their milk in the spring

and summer.

A greater proportion of the even producin. dairies cmuplo-

90

mented their pastures dun ring the mor+hs of noimally low pasture
production. They fed about two pounds more grain per day per
cow than did the spring-summer dairies. Pastures must be supple-
mented when they begin to decline in value starting the latter
part of June. A larger proportion of the even producers fed
grain to cows accor d3_r n? to production and fed grain to drv cows
than t: e farmers in seasonal patterns.

There were slight differences among producers in various
seasonal patterns in regard to distance from market. Factors
such as: length of time that the producer had been shipping fluid

milk to the market; association with more neighbors snippi

u

5
to the market; higher land.prices. consequently more intensive
use of the farm, therefore more knowledge of th epr ric cing plai
and the need for level nilk production would be the najor reasoqs
explain ni2ig less seasonality closer to tie market.

Farmers thin.~ of overcoming the forces which result in high

1..

spring-summer mi n production by changing the bree dir g tin

La

’4.

of their herd. Theyd id not indicate to any extent :‘e control

that can be influenced by feeds. There is a need for mo; e educa-
the In miers in not only the methods of controlling creed?
ing timing out also that changes in feeds and changes in the amounts
and quality of the feeds are factors that will helpl him control

milk production timing. Ehrther, there is need for more effective

C.)

ways of educating the farmer that there is a seo.srnal: ill: ~:r -
hlen. Kany farmers would shift prodic ion timing to an even supply

respor -se if tl-ey knew 18 there was a need for it.

91
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Bibliography of References Cited.
El‘b, ROWO, Alidre‘WS, FONO, and Hilton, JOHO

19112 Seasonal Variation in Semen Quality of the Dairy Bull.
Journal of Dairyr Science, Vol. 25.

 

Hodge, T.L.
l9LL9 Dairy Costs and Returns in the Detroit Milk Shed. Michigan
State College Agricultural Economics Department mimeographed
bulletin hSh.

Homer, J .T.
1928 The Detroit Milk Market. Michigan Agricultural Experiment
Station Special Bulletin 170. ’

Jensen, E., Klein, J.W., and others.
l9h2 Input-Output Relationships in Milk Production. United
States Department of Agriculture Technical Bulletin 815.

Morrison, F.B.
1914? Feeds and Feeding. The Morrison Publishing Company,
Tthaca, New York.

 

Regan, W.M., and Richardson, G.A.
1938 Reactions of the Dairy Cow to Changes in Evironmental
Temperature. Journal of DairyScience, Vol. 21.

 

Report of Subcommittee I.
l9h8 Factors Affecting Seasonal Milk Production and Their Effect
on Producers Costs and Returns. Maine Agricultural Experi-
ment Station Bulletin [59.

Vincent, W.H.
19148 Dairy Costs and Returns in the Detroit Milk Shed. Michigan
State College Farm Management Department mimeographed
bulletin h3h.

Woodward, T.E., and Jensen, E.
19,42 The Influence of Season on Milk Production. United States
Department of Agriculture unnumbered publication, Washington,
DOC.

WOOdward, TOE. '
19h5 Some Studies of Lactation Records. Journal of Dairy
Science, Vol. 29.

 

92

Bibliography not Cited.

‘Fowler, H.C.
1933 Seasonal Variation in Milk Production Under the Basic Rating
Plan. Vermont Agricultural Experiment Station Bulletin 353.

Johnson, Stewart.
19116 Price Plans for Reducing Seasonal Variation in Milk Product—
ion. University of Connecticut Agricultural Economics
Department mimeographed bulletin 14.

Pollard, Anson Jr.
19h2 Seasonal Variation in Production in the New York Milkshed,
and Its Relation to Production-Adjustment Plans. Cornell
University Agricultural Experiment Station Bulletin 783.
Ithaca, New York.

Pullen, Winston E., and Luke, H.Alan
19149 Factors Influencing the Seasonal Adjustment of Milk Pro-
duction on Farms in the Boston Milkshed. United States
Department of Agriculture Bureau of Agricultural Economics
(unnumbered preliminary report).

APPENDIX

4--

. ...—_._._———— _____-

_"—__~——~ '—-

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

PM No- ‘ Interviewer n J“
an.
’- ct-ion Flair}? {3539511313 .9? I” 31’.
STUDY OF SLASONMT TY OF JALK PRODUCTEON
IV TH}. IYfiJDIT JITI‘.fiUfl3
'ane Address
immber of years farming on your own 3 on tnis farm c
fares owned: total 5 tillable u Acres rented: total 3 tillaole ,

c you keep a farm account book?

 

 

.euter of DHIA, yrs. Association

 

 

CROPSsJCRES AND PRODUCTION; 13L?

 

 

 

au—‘u‘---

 

 

 

._———

 

 

 

 

Crop ' Acres} Yield Froduc~ E Other land I Acres
tion 3
‘93“ for silage T: )_Tillable pasture
Eznfifor grain PuJ [ 1 _
" J Idle tillable lend {
ats Bu * .....TOTAL TI" ,, ACRES
.ley Pu Nonrtilc pasture

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

-—Pa15-‘;x‘r~— -

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

3 heat Bu Woods not pastured
I ’ I«‘:u~rr~.:3’r,ds~5 rdsaj etC~ 1
. _v_ 1_““_ _
. , V .d , ,hq 'F
pyheans i pun 131A“ Agnes l
..._. i.—._ _ L
ffins, dry field 1 Bud
“ T ‘ ‘.
zotatoes Bu! 4
I M" ? A ‘
. I J
1 m
I «w . Alfalfa . T-i § FGCd Purchases
_ i I. 1*fimt?
Glow :- 'r-u [ Kind Kent.) Price Valie
r ..
_ T~§g __l Soy beanroil meal %
.*—— Mixed Tnl_> 1 Linseed oil meal L
7 1 I
_ Timothy T1! g Cotton seed meal
5
_ E i Mixed dairy feed
. I
3&9? crOps A kinerals
I
t
'iL-Erjer fallow xxxx 3cm ‘
“3me (29.013 ACRES ' mm 1 xxxx { TOTAL

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

‘0
c
u
I
0- .
I

r. .

—- ad. —-- ...M.

09' Do .0.-
~73»: we- “.7 ;T
'J . .

I

I. D " C —

. . - . o'. - . =
. . \‘ '. I.

. U .

' I
‘- '0. ’9. , t I
o J U k.

--.—J
C
. .

a
0‘ . .
‘ . .J
' ’ . . ,. . n . ‘ -. . '
o
. . .
, o
I
I
v 0 .
v
' ' I ‘ -
I C
, . i g . . o - . .
I 0' .' :
V . .
. . ‘ n 5 .
‘ a f ‘- - .
. n ‘ I n I. o I.
- - ' . ' - I . u ; v ' I c
Q - I 9
~ . . v . . c - _ ' ' _ . - ‘ -
n . t J
- . .' ‘, r _
' g 'l . ' ‘ k I I I a I G . O '. .-.
c. -. u u . I . a . ..
. I ..I _ - - n . o .
I. I 0 o
- u. 00 - . . o n 3 I . o ‘ . t
— . ‘ a ‘ ‘
. . . '2 ' . . -
. - g 0 P
. .' l I. . ' .L . : ‘ -' -
- .. ‘
u h 0 - n - - O c l -
. u' . - o ‘ - ‘. . ‘ A V n
. .
:'-. .2. : m ' z" r ,.
. . . . t _ a -- : .. - - I . . — . o - - '
I U 0
I
.- - n o. . u u ' \ o o o . I ’ O . - -I-o. I. . — . a o. n a . a- a. -. D u u u .- -. .
t — . . . . “ ‘ ‘ .' -
a - . a o
. c ‘1 3 I I. : n . - c \ v. v 0 I. .0 ‘
I U
u u -
p O a
1.. . ; |
I
a g u- - ... ~- ... .- ..' h. o— i -l I. now--»I;'. \- m-o . -n--l_-.- aid-Mn. .n . 0 d -O--.- “0-... .-"o--oo-- .. —-u--.-.--
‘ ’ I ‘0. . n u an I. r.. a. . o .. o
. .,. . 1. l' g . g . g', : ‘ . :1 .. r o J ‘1. .'
a. ‘ . v u . ...... - "N ‘. ‘ ‘ .
o ‘ - a. - Q~ - I n I n J- 1....:.;.:. .‘. “...-‘- ‘h-.~o--.J .- ..., .Aoll . ... ..4. .. o o- —-- .... o - ... \o—n
- ' I ‘ _ . . I I _
.. . ’ - ... .I'. ' 0' . . - .
.. ‘ a 2 g _ I
Q ' y - - . . ‘ .. .. . ,' T ,
l
' o D a
9 ' ‘
.I ' I
I' o
. l . .
o | ’
- . '~ - _ - . 2' . . ,. .
I I
x .. , .
l . . -
. . - . 9 J
n C _
I o
o n . O - - '_ . ' - I- . ‘_ . .
a. - - . ' ' . u I ‘ ‘ '
. - ' . ' - o . .
~ I
n c n. - I n ‘ I .
. . 2 ' I ' . I
u ' i n ' . o
, ‘ ‘ .. -. ' ' -' '
. _ O
o o - . ‘ . . .u . ‘
a ' o . u' I-
. . . l ..
. . - . . . " i : ‘
o n l _ . ‘ ‘ . a
. a . ' ' , o ' c ' . a
‘ c n I O 0 O I‘ I o
I . ' I
.. - - p u I O I 5 . - .
~ ., o .
.. i.. ". O
a ‘ Q. ' " - ‘ A
. . ‘.p . a v . I- . - '
.. 3'
’ _ .>. 3 , c - ~ H , - ..., . o . 1. ' -_ . (a- a g . 0
' . - 1; l — - J1. ,- . J u . ' -
. ' . ., d t
- - .2 . - ~ °
I h ' ' 3 . o "- "' '
' l w, , ' .a I
. -. .I r; : I c I O 0 ‘ qr—
.. A A ' g ' .
n f 0 h l - .
. . o '. g . . . .5--
.—-.-. on ‘ . | o o z - . . o - . . . :n-o .....: o '
.. . ‘. . .5
. .‘ q o v . o I ‘ <
. - 0- I , .‘o ‘. s .- . I o
., , 1. . ' . ... 3 . . v. c 4w. t
‘ . a“-.. .. . o. - . - l "v . ' a " ' 7...“. $
t o - ‘ o ... _ t . _' 'c
r -. r - - , . .- , ,°
.. ' ..I- o . . 2 \ 5H - u A v u ' .4 -- ‘ . ' L. I g . .... ~.?‘~ {0:2 0.
I ‘ ‘ -
. b - - -A - '- ‘ I-~_ “db
0 . ' 0
" g . ‘ .
_ , , t . .. u- 1: qua .. ma
.. . 1. - - - ., - . . . .
' I
. - 4 .. x v, . an r . \ -
‘ 0 g ' \Q ' ' y . h v ' , ( a o "i 'o 0‘ ... f;
s . -‘- .. -'-~'~’ J- u‘ d J . '- -'- .éqiva'filfi' ‘
. . as
- ° .. ".1 . . ' . -ar- 2 -.r:""" ‘ ""~ '" ‘ " - -
._ - as- -..——
- . . s -
O .A
. o _
... . ..o . . . r A ’ fu‘.‘L‘oo -...“ -... o . \— ... . .. . .or ...-.... . . --... ..- .... - -owmaowww.
' . ' .; .' » . .
0.. -.-...cc... 9 ' {I . -.p '
. , ,. a . . a. ‘ . q_ . , 0
. .. " "'2 . ’ "}L‘¢'-.-".' ’ ‘ L: t: '-.\ .;--; . '3
o

. Tit.“ kw!
f"

 
  

 

:? J' i a
'T ’ '“L :zfi'tiziifim

2 n3». "-1.?“ W

..-.—

I—

-M

 

 

 

’1

a:
r‘
O
C)
H;‘
'P" 1
l

Elnd of Acrea Kind of How of head Date on

.w Oih£r_fcédvf¢d.
pasture livestook m

Amt” per day

“A” ..I
b—H
T’fn
#5
L»!-

l—{i .

 

 

 

 

Tillabla:

7"-"
i

 

——-.‘-—1h——-
q.——_.L-—-—-r------—

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

>

4—uh—du—w—ulhu—Jmmp—‘ub—‘qL-n—Ion A

Permanent:

fih—‘_—W F'—
l
g
—r——-d-——.1_ito_qp—_d———.Q__—. ...—...:
F
4

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Wu—nArC-‘fl—“Tr— -——.
——-1>—<>—.—-f-—dQ—-u+—————-——r

 

 

 

 

i
l
l
I
I
I ..., n.-. _!
!
l
l
l
i
l
I

l L i '

,~____ _ ! _,
in Do you have all the pasture you noel? a If not whom is it short ‘

3: Lhat practices (reseeding, manuring, fertilizing) do you use for partura improv r i;

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

‘ SP.CIAL BACHEFES
Kind Hake Size { Year Cost Whoa
I acouircd now
m ; 1 i, t _. ..
I . -.
l Tractor: l~ ’ I 1 Xi:
- I 9.4'“ m
2 .. I ”If 1.».
I)" UCR ‘ '

 

Combine

an“ ”Wt—... In ...-.-..“

 

 

Baler
Field chapper
Milking machine

 

 

“LI—I‘m:-

Water heater

Milk cooler

 

_— m M! ‘ '
f ”“1!
"1"‘_""- qua—— qp—-17-—- ~1—u— -§'-—‘p-_ 4mg
*4
‘
J

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

i a

 

” IMPROVHMFN§§

 

l l .BarnS; Pen or stanchion ; space for cows, young stock”

’ W.

 

 

horses, and

‘ Storaoe for tens of hay, tons of straw” Condition: good

 

 

 

 

3 fair , poor .. (check one)

(5 bi 0: x It‘s Usual settled depth of Silage ftn

 

 

“I“:‘r~ _",'v'-;' ~ "1 ‘ 0" ." ¥ ‘7f.'1..".? 4? A "1; '\' '. ,(\
. : space L): . . yu,lo.o of ”gall gzdln; bu, 01 Germ

’1
r- o
‘I
J
C
"f
1
pa
..
IA
‘ l
‘fln
-
~1-

P ' _' 1, 1‘ .
v ‘- . -
i-‘. \.-.!)\ A) “3'”. J; 4'

"fine of road; paved 3 grave 3 (AN, ' (,;_:£'..::\;13~L 9;)..3)

Llectri City in main buildings __ L. ‘I‘elephone w __ _ A I'Luw1-‘eir253 water

Distance from milk Station; M miles~ Nam: of sin? - f _ -,
_)AIIL‘Y CIT'I'LIJI
lO luLPntuzy, 1937

 

 

 

 

De inning of Year End Of 1:ar
. . . w--"'-tL L. —-~~ - I"~~m~ .{;***"* ~ : w-~»~
~56 54 Sex J NO- Val'ue p81 head I‘otau. Va‘iuc 1.0.; I aim per 1..ng 3 3.13.1. £511.73

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

‘ ———— hum-"Pm-

 

 

 

 

 

 

Bows 9 9+

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

__ “.T .M _ "-..-..“

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

ow . LL=-8 3 5
s 3 ‘—* 1‘ A~< nowwmwwmnp—a -m-1.vM»-oum-w—a- ~~v-u.—-W 1‘4 -
1“ 0w 5 3 3 3 I 3 3
‘ *w ...—w.“ -.—..- I-Qr-u-U‘ -..—k. .‘ ”--.—---‘wm-NM—‘O‘O ‘- ‘flm '0-«h~--'—- -'. - r ‘7 a
‘ I
U
Cows 3 2 5 5 I I
‘— ‘ ——w— ‘= i-II- ' ...L1- _. fi-ur-wnsn-u..s: --- “>“Ah—v—fiv‘ «V- .vsr-tv‘ wumn .--- ~ -- .~
‘ I
" (:1 I. era 1 2 L , I
h- v— ‘ _._—- -"- - if: .rmh.’ lhr-v—w-.—k.w.n— -- l.‘_‘.blu- --.L -./.- ‘dw —— v.5 <;Av-— -. . \-
L431 ves L 5 1
— I 3 V'MW ‘__--"~__h____._ _-___v_.~.,_..‘ '“fi--.” a..-"~ r...
! ‘3 y I
i -
3n] 18 3 . 3 5- ‘
..-—. ’ '— “ M 5 '- Wm 24;... -‘»-'.--' ”1"‘A-fwm-M a... n—‘vn'r— w—u-n- - a: 1 u.— ”.4 .:.-.~ -. . v. ---r --
- .- . ’ v I », ' ‘37
2- Addltlons and ramOLalsx leaf
w ' w.— 74...... -— 0“ ‘3 fl ‘ --m—W—firw‘fi--'fificfiht"~u nan-n «n. GUI-I'v— ....m

r 3 ‘1 ,' ' . ., . .
ITat-LL). Jan F"b 3. Jar Apr JLL-‘Ly Jmm3 J ul J 5..ng 3:..L-spt 3(scyt 33;: 3 I c ,

_A‘“ wv— .H.“-

Item

 

 

 

 

...—1.- “ " _ . “-mlr-Qavml ugh—4A -.1 ~- —.n—.~. .L'
J

5
3
1-... L.

I . L‘
~53” 8 .33th .3 3 I

' ' ‘ ;I.T:r~_':tlfia EWI Tflwd‘.’

Firstwalf heifers ' I I.

I
I
I
i
I

 

 

 

 

 

r-"

 

uz fauna—r.“
I

 

 

 

 

 

 

‘ .er — ‘r-a—‘W ~3v-‘waan-r: ~~-W‘JM»~-’
C CW" 9 hour h t 3 3 5 -j 3 r
—“. 1 — —. ‘‘‘‘‘‘ 4'h—a—K—r‘-.~a— «Lu—nu «no 1»-.-—aw-~-.... «— ~—- 'd‘“-‘ L. -..--.—
3 3 1 . I
or; 5 rem 0v led ;; I , 3 g 1 3
”THE “M“ I I 3 t: I I
‘3 -Ir-—nt-' w‘- '.,...._,.. s—f arc-mw‘ warmth-n-

. I
W‘.-M‘“I‘L-cgt'p‘ju~MJ-um—3rumw.4.m-c‘-:»md 1axw-au,’ .21 g“- unu- lL <5”! ”*v
.I

f I

I

 

 

h.q“

L 1".”

H

‘: 3 3 V
1. L .. I ‘

n-IJIM~‘.-u-T.-‘ y AA... n.-'\ce.~o-|—-.--—o- ..JAA-v- u—v- -.‘.<4-- .-~—-— A ‘ ~I -
. v. ‘ 5 5 5
.-.cws fzwmhened r: 3 , ' : " 3 3 3
-'_‘.— I'm—mf-A- “Wit. 1L ‘

nom—r ..y- ._~-s.-:....g.,__-_w -‘ (Lfl-tia-Il- .. nix-M nflJI-C-W L: .1. 5.. mm nburuh' ‘Mw‘anaflrn‘ -m—g4’-o‘: 'w. «Awhwmkmimwm duce—r4.-

3! Of cave bought; How many'v.ere milking .“ hSW'many to £13.116n in Feb = Apr

"T“:‘Julm

 

rwwwI-w» Iw-3m~w

A

 

i

.3 1:0“? *V‘.‘ at

 

 

 

9 MarJuly 9 Aug -=~ Oct , 130v v Jan ?

 

L: Ifumber of heifers boughtm ; unbred ; to freshen Feb ~ Apr ,

iLSawauly , Aug - Oct ,. Nov -~ Jan ’3

' azmm. M mufmn ”-0 “actw;.~:vwfl 43-0"

. r’
\

Cows sold: For dairy purposes 3‘ ; because of Bang”s 3 mastitis 5

awn—nu... V...—

 

 

breeding, difficulties 5 low production 3 8338

m...“- (ud‘i‘flbauszfl .- ”.mz‘;-

it. Heifers sold for dairy purpcees 0t} 9?

muttw-M'm—z- L ~W;~f"mv‘ *4 W —— — A—

 

17. Do you ueuaflly raifie or buy yeplur mama

L.-

‘J I
)

{J‘s

“‘1

’._J
(.

."\,‘

 

 

FV*‘*”“‘ TlfflCTUTL?3

gggw much train is fed per milking now per day in Winter? . _ _“ In flay m-u--§
14 '. (- a

June 3 July/w 3 August 3 sept ...“: Oct __

 

 

 

 

130 you feed grain to cows according to milk production? (Yes or No)

 

32f so, complete the following:

High production ( lbsc milk per day , lbsu grain per day

 

 

Medo production ( lbs” milk per day), “t lbsg grain per day

Low production ( _¥ lbso milk per day), m lbs? grain per day

m- ‘—‘.

 

VUas there any period during 19h? when you fed no grain to your milking COWS?i_L .-.
If‘so,'when and how long?

 

130 you feed grain to-dry cows? 1 If so, how long?___._.___Lbso per day

“When did you start keeping your cows in the barn last fall?n_
USually «

Have you changed your feeding practices greatly during the past 5 years?

 

 

If so, how and why?

 

 

How are cows waterei? Bowls in barn 3 tank in barn - outside

Wm— m ’

BREFDING PROGRAM

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

(Cheek answer)
HOW'dO you decide when to breed? Heifers Cows
an With bull on pasture . o . o a n v 5 w . r s a . = r r a a o 0
b0 Bull turned out at certain times n , ~ : n - c - o o c a r . 7
cu According to ass (usu'lly months) a v - , - ~ A KXKX
do As soon as possible after freshening ( days) . o p e yxxx
en To Obtain fall freShening o o c o o c o o o o o o o c o o o o
to To obtain freshening in other seasons 9 c o o o e o o o o o c A

. . Yes 0 0

Do you use artificial breeding? . o a o o . . . a . o . . . e o o ( r N )

 

Number of cows last year a

 

Do you have trouble in getting cows to freshen in certain seasons?

 

no If 80, describe

 

 

be Has artificial insjmination helped overcome this difficulty?

Do you turn cows out in winter? a a o o u o o o c g c o c o o c
How often?

 

 

Do you have trouble detecting cows in heat during the barnufeeding

season? . . . , . . . . . o a .

0 " O O C D O '1 0 I O 9 O O O O

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

gutter ole

 

Seasonal hired labor:

'5 How is manure removed?

Oper
0p

C.
;.

*1

Do you use fast milking?
When did you start?

at.

n J
g: L,

 

 

 

mum-WW..- A. ..w-I-n—v'. Wham-

J.

on

.3

f

4 n

i
as. J. o

..J

Nor

L-O you Ruiz? brecfling TEQUILA? ~
Describe
("1111's, 1.11:7}: mix-3 17911.?
— .—v 3 .'.u- --" A ‘43:; t l
1 H 21% " $1-33 TEL" 1’: . -
Kind :BeginnLIg of Yr H er of Your l1 Tunnisae
, V 5 '3
nurses 1 L
: -—-- it 0—... M‘-
:‘cef cattle: cows H I,
H V‘ V.
Feeders H . 13* K
V k“ f A“: 1 ’ 'o- v.5...- ..n—mu—nc.
_ Other young sto ck: J§___ __ _ J! 2*. >73? .H.... .
- q s:
1:3vs E U
-. 1 n. ‘
V1 gs L feeder { 0.4}.
Ives {
v - -_ i '.l w ”-.". .....-
lambs? feeder l H )C Di
~ . l ‘3
EAL“: $.11..." "fin-FEEL 3.3.37.
1': orke 11".”! 1‘1: Off fzm‘q
‘ m-~-~‘”" 'Whmzf'l. , ".r' :1 ":"“:'s" :5- ‘."‘>"“”""'""‘"
T'pe I‘ge on 141.311”): =1.“ «1; ct‘tiigt‘il ‘24,; (4.4 ‘3 “74
J ‘ ’ f at m, of
months months
Dem 113;:
(inexwltor ‘
Wife
.wgular hired: -
'- ~4 «MW nuld Mn "- ‘-4'-' h-‘d 1 ‘ ‘
i Operation: No of man days

a
main—Inn. L” I. 1w..."- -12. ‘u-fi‘”

of man days

of man dry-s

arm—DAMW

(Tea or NH)

 

 

8118?

w B3 3:

GMT 101‘ s Spreader loader s»

I.“

 

 

_-_————-— ————-‘_-""—-

 

 

 

q—I

.‘
\J")

5-1
..

—.e “ “Am. ...-a 0

Milk sold in 1%? to other than the nets-cit msn‘ket,

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

”mmmmu‘mw 131.. 141311., "
Purchaser _
ibiswer "l" or "2"
10 Spring e summer
ao Last year you delivered ‘_ percent as much milk in _M_
as in 0 Why? (Cheek answer.
(1) Breeding problems a o o 0 U c p c . 1 a 1 e o n c o ,1” fi_'~ _ ,‘
(2) Need to use pasture o o a o o o o o o _ n C . a o u _~u
(3) Cost of winter grain and roughage o o c o 1 o a o a a o __Umw_ ~_m~‘" _
(h) Competition with other enterprises in fall . o o o o C _
20 Fall m winter - even (cross out all but one)
ao Last year you delivered percent as much milk in ill,_” as *“.u,_lmuhf?
(1) Take advantage of base plan . o o o a a o . o o e . o . _
(2) Competition with other enterprises o o o c a a o o o c m‘”__
(3) Lack of pasture o o o o a . n o o c . o o o o o o . o c _ __r _ _
(h) Use family labor in winter 0 o a o . a a o . o v c o c ~_mui_wmw.l~m“i_i
be How do you accomplish this (Itmu Ba}?
(1) Buying and selling cone 0 o o o o o a ?_c_¢ o o o o c a __
(2) Planned breeding pregram o . . . . . a . o a . . . o . ‘
(3) Buying winter feed a . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ‘
co Have you had any difficulty in maintaining this production pattern?

a If so, what?

 

 

How many years have you shipped fluid m 1k to Detroit?

 

During the past ten years has your seasonal pattern changed?

 

If so, in.what.ycer? ' c

From

 

to

«mi-*1 L—

11 ‘What‘was the nature of the chanie?

m."

Q‘—

 

-“—_.———~ ‘*'

C)

 

2‘0

Khy did this change oeuvre \g.fqfl a;
a. Planned shifts in freshening dates ; n a a . t . c o a ,

Q ' w-.~-—-- .‘t:..‘z.:

Unavoidable Shifts in freshening dates a J : z a c , . a n . o

b
C I).l-1..r' 0118;: e of C ow': 0 a" V: _~, r C i m 5 f " o r c .; Ll » H ‘ c- '. :1
d

Sale of cows L a a , , o a a w a c

;l~‘mmc~4— .- .4...

 

 

‘ ___..__ . n .- w.» *w’a.»
l’
”-0—."— _— ___m_ .4- Ln 3 ”a..- A: *4
f
-—-— h A A -— Von-u ea—n'u.

 

f.)
(‘1'
Ca
r4.
(“'2
5‘
y-
1 ..I
r—L
- Q

What changes did you make in your fawning proa‘em
10 Less cash crepe and more feed 0 p ;;;(.r 2

Wm WM‘ 7‘ A

 

 

 

 

2“ More grain and less pasture , d . o o n a a c ; r c o ~ :'-c.v ~ h m_ .“;_i..
.3, More pasture and less Lrain o o a u c o » 7 L 9 a H a c w 7 buw__* w
14- Hired more labor 0 a o c u v a . c a . o = ( a a a u o , n o ~ ' c , ‘__.“.i,
.So Hired less labor o o g a o : a u . a q o,.,;,.\ A , . , c -,t c c_wm___ *__
r r r , ( P , F , A _‘ ‘
u _ t r t . . 0 ~ n t n a a r . a c A
*_ a o c v n c a . a v 0 Q o o = s p a c c '

 

 

-Do you plan to change your present seasonal pattern?

 

If so, why? “ How?

—- ‘ ‘— Mir—‘-

 

lt Raise more winter feed o e c o o n o n r o c 0 o o o u r n : g c

Buy more winter feed . a

1)
v
v.)
o
O
>
U
n
n
0
D

)

J
a
o

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

"- r - -
3c- Cndnge freShenlng Cid-Bet: o o . o o n o c- o o n o. o o e- r: u o r, : n
‘— --‘A-“MVM
Lit- Buy COWS o n A o o c v e a n o o o o o r :- o o c e n o o o n c c
s “i sell Cows s.‘ '5 " f‘ ‘2» G O U 0 f 0 O O 0 0 O 3' O n C n 0 O 7 ’3‘ 0 r- 1; D
—-—-‘1—
0 3 ') O 0 O U 0 Q 3 9 O 0 C H . o '3
5 F ( I 3‘ Q U C " . ° . ‘ 3 3 7 O
7". ~. g, A ...— : M.“
A) \ 3 0 -‘ Q '3 'J O C 0 ‘I C' '5 '7 O 1 ‘0. C C
“...... —.o.——— A— -—- ham—mu—

 

 

Have you heard anything recently about a need iOr more even production?

From what source?

 

m Ma...- .—

 

Has this influenced you to make any changes in production?‘

 

ihat do you think of the present pricing plan (nasezsurplus)? o a n c a

 

 

ONLY

USE -

 

 

 

 

M'TITI'ITIQIITILTLI’IEIIIJWfliflilflfliiljl'lflflflifllaflitmflmS