Show I I I Ii i High i Quality Hay a Cuts Dairy air Costs Feed Labor 80 so Percent Of Production Cost Good pasture and quality high-quality low-cost low hay will cut feed and labor costs and greatly increase net returns returns returns re re- re- re turns for dairymen declared Timothy Timothy Timothy Tim Tim- othy Hodge Michigan State College agricultural economist Hodge estimates that feed and labor expense represents 80 per cent of ot the cost of keeping a dairy cow The lower the feed and labor costs can be made the bigger will be the dairyman's net return Pasture and hay are arc the cheapest feed a cow can get Agronomists re- re AMPLE PASTURE E PASTURE SCARCE AND NAY MAY AV AND LOW VOLUME r NET RETURN NET y RETURN y OTHER CIA COST II rl 6 FEED iy y- y LABOR DJ COST MILK FROM ONE COW MILK FROM ONE OI-JE COW The above illustration clearly shows the net returns for ample good pasture and hay and returns returns re re- re- re turns when pasture is scarce and arid of low volume port that 25 pounds of good alfalfa aUala hay will supply all the protein needed needed needed need need- ed to produce about 30 pounds of ot 4 per cent milk mills daily and furnish calcium calcium calcium cal cal- carotene and vitamin D as well Good pasture cuts labor expense ex ex- expense pense because the cows do the har har- vesting Three essentials needed to maintain maintain maintain main main- tain good pasture and get maximum returns from pasture crops are 1 a a good legume-grass legume mixture best adapted to your growing conditions a 2 2 a fertile soil that will steadily furnish a well balanced supply of plant foods Soil tests will show the theland's theland's theland's lands land's need for lime and for tor phosphate phosphate phosphate phate and potash fertilizer 3 3 good management which rotates grazing and avoids overworking some areas while others become coarse and unpalatable Good management management management man man- also involves harvesting pasture growth at the peak of its protein value to insure high quality hay |