#: 35

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35

UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA

Department of Agriculture and

.)

UNITED STATES DEPARTME&'T OF AGRICULTURE

Bureau of Agricultural Economics Cooperating

-----0----­

SECOND ANNUAL &1PORT

of the Better Farming Club of Rice County

,

By

W.P. Ranney and G.A. Pond

,

,

R.C. Bevan~ Field .'"gent Harry Hass, County Agent

-----0----­ Division of Farm Management and Agricultural Economics University Farm st. Paul? Minn. March 1930

- l, ...

Second .Annual Re:':lOrt of the Rice County Better Farming Club, for the Year 1929 Prepared by W. P. Ranney and G..... Pond

INDEX Introduction ... SUl-:mary of FarIil Inverrliories and #

...............................

Page It . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ..

~·I.tnount

SUIi.lIIl8.ry of Farm llirnings ........................

of Livestock .•..•••.• f!

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ..

Utilization of Land and Yield of Cro~s •••••••••••••••••••••• Effect of \'Iell Balanced Efficiency on Farm Profits ••••••..••. Measures .~ Farm Organization and Management Ef fic iency ••••• Find Your \1eak Links ................... \) ........... .-........................................ .. Prices Received for Products Sold •..•.•••.••••••••••••.••••• Factors of Cost in Dairy Production •••••••••••••••••••.••••• Feed Costs and Returns from Dairy Cows •••••• ~ ••••••..••••••• Feed Costs and Returns from Young Cattle •••• , •••••••••••.••• Factors of Cost in Pork Production •••••••••••••••••••••••••• FeedCosts and Returns from Poultry •...•..............••...•. Feed Costs for Horses ••..•.••..•.••.••.••....•••.•.•.....•..

1

4

5 & 6, 7

8

9

10 11 12 14







le

18

20

22

INTRODUCTION . The Division of Farm Manager.1ent and .i..gricultural Economics and the Division of .:~gricultural Extension of the University of Minnesota, the Bureau of Agricultural Economics of the United states De:")artment of l~griculture and thirty-seven farmers in Rice County, Minnesota, have been coo)erating during the year 1929 in a farm account proj ect ~ knovvn as the Better Farming Club of Rice County. Ten more farmers completed tho project in 1929 than in 1928. The work was started January 1, 1928 along with similar clubs in nearby counties, viz., Dodge, Goodhue, Freeborn, Steele and Waseca counties. The project has been under the direction of G. A. Pond of the Division of Farm Management and :..gricultural Economics 9 University of Minnesota, with the assistance of other members of the same department: W. P. Ranney 9 one of the aut hors of t his report; and Wm. H. Dankers who aided in c losing the books at the end of the yea..r 1929. Hearty sU~Jyort and assistance has been rendered by Harry Hass, county agricultural agent of Rice County. ,Ty'p.e._2.f _l'~~~nA i~_ E,,9.§l Cou.n..tx. The farms selected for the study are livestock ftl..rms on which dairy cattle are t he principal source of income. :~lthough some milk and cream are retailed in cities and considerable milk sold for shipment to the ~vin Cities9 cream for manufacture into butter is the principal dairy product sold. This is marketed through farmer owned coo~Jerative creameries specializinz in the manufacture of high qurlity butter. The skirmnilk is retained on the farm and fed to hogs and poultry. These tvio classes of livestock are also an im~)ortant source of income. The principal crops grown are corn, oats, barley and hay. These ps are raised primarily as livestock feed altho a seasonal surplus may be sold. 'Wheat is grown to a limi'i;ed extent as a cash crop. These farms are fairly typical of the system of dairy fo.nning )revailing, in southeastern Minnesota. This report shows that the receil)ts from the sales of dairy )roducts constitute a:.?i?roxinately two-fifths, and r~ceipts from hogs sales about one-fourth of the average cash incomo for 31 cooperators in Rice County. These are a~)proximately the same rosults as shown by the 1928 ro)ort.

- 2 -

Reccrds ...... •.. - ....KE:mt '

..---

~-:::.:---

The records kept by the coo?orators included inventories at the beginning and end of the year, cash recei~ts and expenses 9 a report of feed fed to the varioU'S classes of livestock9 and a record of farin produce used by the farm family. SU~)J.)lementary information vias also secured during the year regarding crop and livestock production and practices. The cooperators were assisted and suporvised in kee:;>ing their records by the fiold agent, Mr. R. C. Bevan 9 who visited oach farm in the six counties several times during the yoar. In add~tion to securing the suppl~Jentary in­ formation, the field agent's duties included numerous services, viz., securing a monthly list of prices of farm products prevailing in the area, helping the farmer to place uniform values on real estate and equipment, checking the cash and feod records, and answering any questions that might arise as to how the entries should be made in the account book. The supervision resulted in uni­ formity in the type of records secured, in the inventory valuations and in the prices at which feed and farm produce wore charged. At the end of the year each farm was visit ed by a repres ontative of the University \~o checkod the records for completeness and accuracy. Tho books were then taken to the central office at University Farm, where every entry was again chocked and omissions were noted. ;;.ny discrepancies found wore roferred back to tho farmers for correctipn. This double checking insured a. high degree of accuracy and completeness in each individual record. PurE~Sl_.E.L fF.o j 0

ct

The Bettor Farming Cl~b renders assistance to tho cooperators in keop­ ing such records as will enable each operator to know the returns for his labor and management, the returns to capital and family labor, and the actual earn­ ings from the farm that the family had to spend for living and ~orsonal use, The main purpose of the Club is to secure such data and information, which when compared with that secured on othor farms will enable the cooperator to increase his efficiency in various enterprises and to organiz~ his farm on a more profit­ able basis. For the latter purpose it was necessary for all the cooperators? tenants as well as owner operators? to include the whole farm business in ardor that the results would be on a comparative basis. The earnings as shown in this report are computed on an owner basis for the purposes of comparison, but each tenant was su:..)plied a statemont of his earnings on the basis of the rental system under which he was operating. :.ltho there is some variation in prices paid for feods bought, uniform prices were used in making up tho feod su~~ries and in placing values on the inventories of feod and farm products. ~C!?:.E..~EJ- _.IJ1'y_9.&m.o_n..t..i.E.1~_r;n_~1.!.f!.iE_e!l_s.

The average size of the farms in this report was 139 acros. The average farm inventory was $2L,720. This does not include 'che valuo of tho house in which the operator lived~ .:..s changes were made in size of farm in a few cases 9 and somo new cooperators included, the averago size is a little belml that in 1928, in which yoar the average sizo was 148 acros, and average farm inventory was $22,308. But tho distribution of tho inventory ~~s practically tho same in both years with a slight incroase in total value of feods cl.nd livestock, especially hogs. In 1929, fifty-two per cent of tho ~verag0 farm inventory consisted of land; 17 per cent of permanent improvoments; 8 per cont of foods and supplios; 8 per cont of machinery and equipment; and 15 per cent of livestock, of which almost one-half or an average of $1,478 consists of the average cow invontory.

- 3­ !~P9-!-"y,!3_;!3,.....2.Lj;~h9_ r.'?:r1!~_ERs.~.n..o~_s_

On pago 5 and 6 Qre proso:1tod fiooncif1.1 summaries of tho year's business ~ showing the avoro.ge results for the 37 farms en which tho work W0.3 complotod for tho trrelve months j!oriod, Janlli'1.ry 1, 1929 "';0 Docombor 31, 1929 a.nd tho hiGh ::l.nd low figure for oo.ch item. In the "your farm colUIxm" the results of ouch individu::l.l' f . -_.

••• _

•• - - _._'0' •. - ......

2891 1478 818 412. 49

8423 638 4237 350 3932 172 1858 520 }.3..~ ._ . , ,4.6.0____ ...?-.O•.. 'Sroe'k

••

•

--.------- •.--- ._u._·_.... - -- ... _d_" -

o

••••• - - -

---·:~v-era-gc--

70tal horse animal units (3) Horses CoHs Total Productive .illimal Units Cows other cattle Hogs Shoep Poultry (bens)

".'_,.,..... _ ........ _ _ _ _ _* __ ... _'_ IIF,_,,._-_ _ _ _ _ _._ ....... ,.

~

.......... .,. ____ •._ ..... "" ....._._._"',"'" _ ..

' . '_ _ _ _

__'....

~.

_~

•••

0

.""

••

'-L-o~;i-""

Farm 2.0 2.0 .04 6.2 2.6 1.8 .4

1.0 7.6

15.4

1.8

.6

0

_

8.8 6.6 2.4 58.4 25.2 19.2 18.7 7.6 3.6

5.0 4.6 .4 27.0 13.6 7.2 4.6

Nunlber of cows per workor

-

i:{£g-h" -

Farm

.NJl!ll.?.9.r_...2.L.£..oIJ:.s....i?2.r__19._Q~_~,£.S.. " .. __ .... " ... _.•....•. ____._~ ....

120 120

.1

.~9_~_._._?:L.·,9 ____1.:...0.§____ __,.... _ ... _ _ ...,,__ ._-,_ _ _ _ _ _ '"

~_

(1) Productive man work units are a moasuro of sizo of business based on tho avorage

.

;,m-ou~ ~C-o""{·~an·-1ab'O'"rr~-qu-rrod per hoc:.d of ~Jroductivc livostock ;:md ;?0r acre of

crops. They may also bo used as a measur~ of labor efficioncy. The units used wera computed from duta presentod in Minn. Tech. Bul. 1.",4, ";~ Study of Dairy f,ann Organization in Southeastorn Minnosota". (2) ~atID~p§t2_ b~sod on farmor's ostimnto of amount used for farm purposes only. (3) ~-~!l.~]._.E!l_~:t ropresents an BYorD.go mature horso, cow or tho equivalont in other lJ.,:,ostock, based upon tilv amount of foed oaton and r.1anuro producod. The above unJ.ts arc computed as an averago of tho monthly units.

... 5 ­ .SJ,ijJJs':1M.Y••0 .f.l.a.I1ll.. ;-;,a.r.n.:i,.JlK~__-_.. .1.92..: i. _".

c:'J51:L~.P]::!'t9l1:S

Your

F:'52

119"

604 13 508 :'·65 127 154 902

298 ~3

196 ?6 48 11

21~2

1407 1180 '7.22 ]696 370 4471

"24 "47'i lfi42 :--r()4.8 1]0

4~05

"torn

~:O70

]207 1: 28

.2·.t-O

2170 1618 2007 208::.-

1~~6Q

66

~',647

12/,,9 1592 1961 1402 1095 1521 1580

139 1'41

2586 1~"'8Z

166~

462 55 1097

h"·.,,, 390 1038 10£...0 168'';' 'i-92 312

2.7

25 0.·17 275 761 547 31 106 291

279 278

369

47 105

S09 175

16~'7

;):.',0

97

1577

eGf1

1"9 268 45

~-550

L1139 l;'·65 1480

~-

7'~0

349 1500 1631 . 1889 13,"':0

':98'.l:

lZ9i~

11,,9

2i:"1~i

7t..:6

2bO'~

935 375 1866 1576 1063 2300 510

I'" ~J

" c'"",

2287

7/~5

2503

-

9540 681 16::- (j

'':'~8

906 1'149 2027 916

-

~905

2c~'i3

~9

3138 788 2;:'13 79

2!)74

1437 449 2083 1308 5986

,-;,9

3-.. 287 19

] 7~8 ""93

22,.7

79 1712

K98 3:::9 1862 ~4,59

1846

•

7285 1%.'10 41:)04 9352 8508 92f\1 5616 10892 6309 75044400 10173 10075 7981 10596

2263 J~90

1766 2752 2102 ?969 2;:40 2792 1966 1996 1558 L72 1068 2:10 7 1961

7100

~Y071

11295 7880 9221 12::'23 9163 7386 80r2,0 6255 4794 81!.c2 11246 7750 .;,910

1780 1617 2Pi95 2796 }:)9: 170 1203

1774

:;297 ?()97 6371 . 714':< ~"88

"726 66.52 '121)0

2!;,27 ?.531 3 h 83 15?78 LU'16 '872 s.1"9 "4r:;2 2-°78 ~9E;1

51):38 82:'9 1)876 7"08 .: .10 2 .3 ISO .87 30.3 145.9{" 26.;9 129.20 ~1. 7 1:.6:"

20 25

?t:;

10' .96

100.83 79.76

22

?in

1"'6.12 IGS.22 ]117.76

00 L"'8. 95 .:"i6 1511.73 3.78 162.41:; 157.76

?·8

10').r::~

17

19 ?:1

83.55

12

23

1117.07

17.80 135.27

53.92

~3

41

174.32

17'1.32 7.11 h8.08 3.00 Hi? .64 8.,:;'4 137.37

88.38 7?-.10 90.08

,51 18

,10

18

1~5

;~0.G4

o

o

201. 71 141.09 '?49 1"'?!.39

99.82 56.22 89.65

42 60

•95 1~J."'. 17

l' :.. 95 ~ 62 1".1:. t:;f)

82.70

o n

J::~.26

7.89 136.37

78.17

14 00 12 16 1.:2 112

l' Z.08 127 .. 7:Z 1:"1.17

1:-:C.08 2.45 125.28 171.17 12;1.98 12?-.72

61.71

2:11. 71

9.M

141.09 Jry;r.;.88

6.08

2.e7

8 25 84 26 25

.49

12.93

~.84

8

13 ?-2 26

1'~7

156.64

f.39

CO'1:'S

171.76

1("'.81

.80

t'r:! YC of s ,IF s tot i 1

97.40 82.49 91.35

151.19

16.90

fu d

f cos t '"''t'oc'. "'11' _ __ ._ _ . g,Q.w

u s ( doth rr jn Bvc­ ""oc~~e §1g Qlc, _~, _ __

(cents)

~le2

- 1929 (-'('- ~O·,~ ':s is) V:t1uc of ""Y' o:jl1ce '1')(- r CO"" D1:irv -':ilk 'l'prE'C. 'J'ot"ll 1)e"r. ::r:t

:to'"

1""~

1.2,,,,.98 F: .32

17?~2

I'; •

r:;6. ";'2

"'] • 08 67 .'~9

77.96 67.0(

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.

/.::.:

~

o

37 17 H 6 ""2

'19

13

(2

8

21 6

28 10

.....

t-; •

B'lrm l~o

•

·';'193 ,,,,163 ~032

,:.,151 /,,081 ',;,181 I.cOl ';' 1

leed Costs

Rc.t11rn: for D')jrv Co's - 1929 (1')(:r CO',7 h'l'ljs J - con tj nucd V1.hn of "Yll"odllCE:; 1')(r cow Fc:cd Feud 'x raow Returns r. :i', n,. F. D'l:iry m1k :j,1')n r(,c. Total D(mr. l'JE.'t 'lb01W vo h1n­ ner Coneen. ROlJ~h. P'.lsturtS Tot'3.1 cost "'1('r

:9 .11·~, ~6.85

56.30 7·9 .:~i: 1i0.52 42.()1 ";":.92 '.:8.10 'cO. [')9 82. '?7 50.';3

3~.]5

3::.118 2e .~9 27.61 27 .L~G

12 9 12 9 0 I)

9 20 1] 0 &

2~ .!)~

0

22.95 2;::.05 ?1.?7 21.09 20.9Z, 19.25 ]f..7£ 16. G5 17.99 17.17 ] ~l. 20

:0 2j 0 2:3 7 2G 0 1h

7.~.09

9 ."~7

50 8 0 10 0 ]G 7

ZC)

f:.f 7

28

t;,;~3

1~.'2;7

10.0,1, 10.02

.....

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Feed Cos ts

---,-­ r'::!.r'm

Ho.

{r191

4193 4231 4041 4171 'a 53 4121 '.1005 :;'051

Feeds Used nor Head! Los. Cone en. Hay & Sj 1 'loge 'lib 016 Skjmmilk Uilk Foddor

62 199 37 507 643 27 68 627 199

1669 2661 1635 1889

873

2925 2326 3583 1066 1965

182'1

6644

1116 12::>0

2895 Z:013

3!'29

6211

157 393 27 215 233 277 332 179 304-

1900 1111 16:!:: H-3·':'O 40 ~1 3'11[,1 4.:1 :S2 7975 ·~091

8025 16285 SlR5

4041 tiO'!r2

,;'085 ·±025 4121

14044

7182 13762 ?OlL lG455 ~135 390 4192 11355 ~151 9C75 4191 16510 41~2 3910 ,~Oe3 13930

-

12~

110 30 82 112 55 57 92 147 116 144 103 120 114

t'

38

56 91

GC 115 74 !i5 52 120 9'') :)0 49 79 5-'i­

'" 0

J1'trm ~!o •

T'Ots.l f(cd (lbs.) Th r 100 :rr en s

ConcEn.

L.t021 •...0""1 L..

l~3

",051 -;;'032 40;:>1 '",193

,­

Skimmilk

11072

~12£

1'~352

..573

,JOJ7 5701 12556_ 11302 13002

Z.~'1i

52:':'0 3725 7958

Feed Costs !m1 Hrt'-'118 for }'o1'lt:--y - 1:::29 - ('ont:n"{ d Cost of food ncr Rf p'rns 100 'tT(ns V,11'C T'r l' 100 lrcn~ '1. f'OV(" Cooocn. Skim- Total Egc;s POP 1 try Total food cost milk pcr 100 trcns ',(135.57 1£ 7. ci3 75.09 ':;e .1;' 150.95 137.59 1 ,1. 61

~il0.32 ll.,~-::,

8.70 13.Li 9.31 19.90

.1'1 9_:.89 In3.07 91.'..,8

,,2';'.35 47.57 57.3'.) -2.80 fi?89

.2.3 fi8.t'S

t~

:192.75 22'~ .14­ 102.9';' e.. ). DG lfiO.78 1-.,G.40 lRO.3::

'j.D G 2"'.3f 18.3_5

E';~s

hjd

!)nr P"cn

1';.:"4,

74 79 22 41

-.17

~,;

-.50

'£~

-~1.1B

39

• ?

t\:)

,,(1'­ 'l~()

I-'

gfjrO

ti3:h:

133.

~B

10.91

1,;' ".f)(j

197.8::

i . ~)

67.79

9[;",. ~5

141.09

e,:;'

F9.rI!l l~o

%colts

arc of rors( s

•

52

·:'072 ·:·0::'4

025

1~.';;I

·~0 .2

22.~

9,1

1~%

1",135 '~13/~

,.::).31 f••

,

'7

" • .&. J""

1.221 -..151