/.
July 1973
A.E. Res. 73-11
DAIRY FARM MANAGEMENT Department of Agricultural Economics •
Cornell University Agricultural Experiment Station New York State College of Agriculture and Life Sciences A Statutory College of the Slate University Cornell University, Ithaca, New York 14850 b
•
...
TABLE OF CONTENTS 1
INTRODUCTION .
Distribution of Dairy Farms
2
Growing Conditions •
3
Prices .
4
SUMMARY OF THE FARM BUSINESS •
Labor, Livestock, and Crops Grown
..
Capital Investment.
6
6
Receipts •
7
8
Expenses •
10
Income •
12
ANALYSIS OF THE FARM BUSINESS
Size of Business •
Rates of Production
15
Labor Efficiency •
15
17
18
Use of Capital.
19
Cost Control •
Feed Costs •
Machinery Costs
Labor and Machinery Costs
Miscellaneous Cost Control Measures
22
24
25
26
Combination of Factors •
Farm Business Summary by Herd Size .
Selected Business Factors by Herd Size •
27
28
30
Farm Business Chart
32
22
SUPPLEMENTAL INFORMATION •
34
Cost of Producing Milk •
Farm Business Summary, 26 New York Dairy Renters Farms, 1972
35
36
38
40
41
42
Farm Business Summary, Top 10 Percent of the Farms by Labor Income.
43
Farm Business Summary, 571 New York Dairy Farms, 1972
44
Age of Operator
Farms With Free-Stall Barns
Selected Summary Factors for 1962, 1967, 1971 and 1972 •
Farm Business Summary, 28 New York Dairy Crop Farms, 1972
INTRODUCTION
Farm business management projects are a basic part of the management
extension program in New York State. In 1972, more than 600 dairymen
participated in College sponsored management projects. These projects serve
a dual purpose; they provide the basis for extension educational programs and
also data for applied research studies.
Each da~ryman kept farm business records. Some were in electronic farm
accounting programs, while others used farm account books for keeping records.
In all cases, the information was submitted to the College for summary and
analysis.
Extension agents cooperated in the organization of local groups and in
collection of the data. Regional summary reports were prepared for use by the
agents in winter meetings with farmers. The aims of these extension activities
were to help the dairymen develop their managerial skills and solve business
management problems.
The records from all regions of the State have been combined for use in a
continuing research study of factors affecting dairy farm incomes. The major
purposes of this research are to: (1) keep abreast of changes taking place in
dairy farming, and (2) provide current farm business data for use by dairymen,
extension agents, teachers, agribusinessmen, policy makers, and others
concerned with the New York dairy industry.
A total of 571 farm business records have been included in the general
dairy summary for 1972. Farms with combinations of dairy and other major
enterprises were excluded from the general analysis reported in this
publication. Special features in the 1972 study include a summary of the
financial situation on 416 farms, an analysis of 198 farms with free-stall
housing facilities, and an analysis by age of operator. Also included are
summaries of 28 dairy-cash crop operations and 26 renter operations, and a
comparison that shows changes in dairy businesses over the past decade.
This study does NOT represent the average of all dairy farms in the State.
Participation in the project was on a voluntary basis. Although cooperators
were located in various parts of the State, not all areas were represented
(see page 2). The 571 farms represent a cross section of commercial operators
who, in general, are somewhat above the average for all dairy farms in the State.
Acknowledgements
C. A. Bratton, G. L. Casler, G. J. Conneman, E. L. LaDue, C. W. Loomis,
A. C. Lowry, R. S. Smith, and S. F. Smith, with the assistance of the
Cooperative Extension Agents supervised the farm business management projects
and the records which made this summary possible. Summarization and tabulation
of the records and all computer operations were completed under the supervision
of Myrtle Voorheis and the typing was done by Angie Torchia.
3
Growing Conditions
TEMPERATURE, GROWING SEASON AND PRECIPITATION
Selected Stations
Table 1.
Average
temperature
May - Sept.
Station
Ma~
Preci;eitation
Total Annual
- Se;et.
Length of
growing
season*
1941-70 1972 1941-70 1972 1941-70 1972 1947-67 1972
days
inches
degrees
61.8
65.0
64.0
63.0
62.5
61.9
66.3
62.8
63.5
Alfred
Auburn
Batavia
Canton
Lowville
Norwich
Poughkeepsie FAA
Salem
Utica FAA
62.0
NA
65.3
62.0
NA
62.2
66.8
63.0
64.4
31.0
17.3
14.1
15.3
16.5
16.5
18.4
16.7
18.4
18.1
NA
20.1
21.7
NA
22.0
23.9
22.1
27.1
36.8
32.0
32.6
34.5
38.5
39.9
38.0
39.0
40.6
53.2
NA
41.2
44.7
NA
49.1
54.8
47.7
61.6
125
174
154
127
123
120
164
119
157
112
NA
165
131
NA
112
144
143
156
between the last temperature of 32 degrees in the spring and the first
in the fall.
~~ Days
Weather is a factor to be considered when studying a farm business for a
specific year. The growing conditions have a marked effect on the crops for
that year. It is for this reason that data are presented on the growing
conditions for 1972 and for the period 1941-70.
In general, the 1972 crop season can be characterized as having excessive
rainfall, normal temperatures, and the length of growing season varied con­
siderably in different parts of the State. Data are presented for nine weather
stations. The rainfall is reported by months for the growing season. There
was much heavier than normal rainfall throughout most of the season and in all
areas (table 2).
Table 2.
Station
GROWING SEASON RAINFALL
Selected Stations, 1941-70 and 1972
Alfred
Auburn
Batavia
Canton
Lowville
Norwich
Poughkeepsie
Salem
Utica
SOURCE:
June
Ma~
July
September
Au~ust
1941-70 1972 1941-70 1972 1941-70 1972 1941-70 1972 1941-70 1972
3.84
2.. 82
3.17
3.37
3.42
3.92
3.37
3.75
3.52
4.76
NA
6.03
3.60
NA
5.79
7.74
5.03
6.17
3.76 16.60
NA
2.90
2.69 5.77
2.91 3.85
NA
2.94
4.13 8.85
3.42 7.99
3.89 6.51
3.55 10.50
3.73
3.43
3.05
3.45
3.26
3.95
3.20
3.66
4.17
3.15
NA
1.62
7.07
NA
3.31
4.13
6.16
3.04
3.00
2.57
3.50
3.45
3.58
3.17
3.59
3.43
3.54
2.89
NA
3.04
5.51
NA
1.93
2.14
1.61
3.77
2.93
2.35
2.87
3.31
3.31
3.27
3.16
3.67
3.32
Climatological Data, New York, Environmental Data Service, NOAA,
U. S. Department of Commerce.
3.58
NA
3.67
1.66
NA
2.16
1.93
2.81
3.65
4
Prices
PRICES RECEIVED BY N.Y. DAIRY FARMERS, 1962-1972
1967
= 100
I
Slaughter cows
~
130
130
..
120
120
-'110
110-
100
100
90 ­
Milk.
y
- 90
................... 80
80
1962
1964
1966
SOURCE: U.S.D.A. Agricultural Prices
1968
1970
1972
Priees are an important business factor. The relationship of prices
to prices paid determines the general level of incomes. The graph
above shows the trend in prices since 1962 for the major items sold on dairy
farms. A look at the 1972 price situation shows it to have been one of rising
prices.
re~eived
Milk. prices for 1972 averaged $6.25 compared with $5.98 in 1971 and $4.14
in 1962. Both dairy and slaughter cow prices in 1972 were at new highs for the
decade. In general, prices received by dairymen in 1972 were good.
Table 3.
PRICES RECEIVED FOR MILK AND COWS BY N.Y. FARMERS, 1962-1972
Milk.
Year
1962
1963
1964
1965
1966
1967
1968
1969
1970
1971
1972
3.5% B.F.
(ewt.)
$4.14
4.15
4.21
4.27
4.79
5.07
5.43
5.66
5.89
5.98
6.25
Slaughter
cows
( cwt. )
Dairy
cows
(head)
Monthly farm price
per 100 pounds
of milk., 1972
$14.26
14.01
13.17
13.91
17.35
17.10
17.60
19.30
20.70
21.20
24.48
$245
234
237
238
271
January
$6.37
February
6.29
March
5.97
April
5.70
May
5.62
June
5.58
July
6.14
August
6.72
September 6.96
October
7.05
November
6.95
December
6.69
303
320
336
353
372
410
PRICES PAID BY N.Y. DAIRY FARMERS, 1962-1972 1967
= 100
r
..'
Machi­
nery -130
••••• ._ /.<...
130
Wages
.Jr ....
120
..... /'"
....:./...
110
../
/
'
. .' /
.'
/
...
-120
,.,...Prices paid
/,'-
-~
­
Feed
100r-·-················~·····._...-~........._........-'"........"......-...-.-;>.·;:--..~~o:c:~""<::.~90
,-­
~
__ --­
110
-100 Fertilizer
-80
1964
1962
SOURCE:
1966
1968
1970
1972
U.S.D.A. Agricultural Prices
From 1962 to 1972, the index of prices paid by New York dairy farmers rose
steadily, but some items changed more than others. From 1967 to 1972, farm
wages rose 40 percent, machinery rose 34 percent, feed rose 12 percent, and
fertilizer rose 3 percent. These variations have an influence on management
decisions.
Table 4.
Year
1962
1963
1964
1965
1966
1967
1968
1969
1970
1971
1972
PRICES PAID BY
~~
YORK DAIRY FARMERS, 1962-1972
Index 1967 = 100
Feed Fertilizer Wages Machinery
96
98
95
96
100
100
97
97
103
108
112
100
100
99
100
100
100
98
94
98
101
103
80
81
83
86
91
100
109
116
126
130
140
86
88
89
92
95
100
105
111
117
126
134
Prices paid
by New York
dairy farmers
Dairy
ration
(ewt. )
Wages
per month
with house
90
92
92
93
96
100
103
107
112
120
126
$3.68
3.79
3.72
3.79
4.00
4.00
3.70
3.70
3.90
4.13
4.27
$218
222
228
236
254
280
302
321
354
372
393
6
or
S'UMMARY
THE FARM BOSIltESS
Labor, Livestock, and Crops Grown
The tirst step in a tarm. business 8U1111D1!1.17 and ana.l¥s1s is an exud nation
ot the things they had to work with. Below is. the s'UJlllD8.l7 -of the resources
used OIl the 571. dairy tarms included in this study.
TASLE 5.•
LASOR FORCE, LIVESTOCK NUMBERS, AND ACRES
OF CROPS GROwN
571 NEW YORK DAIRY FARMS, 1972
~~-------------------------------------------------------------AVERAGE OF
___ &A~~f__
---lI~
_____----__________ -HX_fA&~ ________52l-EA&HS____La.___~~
uaoa
MONTHS OF:
OPERATORS
FAMILY UNPAID
FAMILY PAlO
HIRED
OTHER
--- -_ .... ­
14.3
2.5
2.7
7.9
_.0....1
TOTAL MONTHS
27.~
MAN EQUIVALENT (NO. MEN)
AGE OF OPERATOR
2.3
42
1.0
21
9.0
72
70
46
20
361
220
96
63
25
60
1
500
309
90
Ll~fSIOt~_!~~HBfBl
cowS
HEIFERS
a
t&QfS-1At&fS_G&~~l·
HAY
HAY CROP SILAGE
GREEN CHOP
CORN S IL AGE
CORN FOR GRAIN
OATS
TOTAL ACRES OF CROPS
~.,~
...
( 554)
(105.
( 38)
, 540»
«150 J
45
(145)
(570)
2
2
350
23
5
2
2
IBB
1
815
240
80
~-.~~---~-~~----~-------~--:-,,--------~~-------"'--~-
*Average tor tarms reporting so acres do not add to total.
grow1ns is in parenthesis. Number of t&r11.8 PartnerShips (or tem1~ corporations) are relative17 COlllllOrl on New York
or the 571 farms, 102 had two or DIOre operators with a total. of
682 operators. Thus, about 18 percent ot the ta.rms were partnerships. 'l'b.e
average man equivaJ.ent was 2.3 with 9.0 the largest. Famil¥ members provi~d
19.5 months of labor or 70 percent ot the total. The avel"8&e age ot the tirst
operator was 42 and the second (partnership) was 34.
dairy tarms.
7
Capital Investment
The end-of-year inventory is used as the measure of the capital investment.
The inventory should reflect the "fair market value" or what things would bring
at a well-attended sale. However, in a period of rising prices, there is
likely to be some lag in values used. The total investment on these farms
averaged $174,000.
Table 6.
FARM INVENTORY VALUES, JANUARY 1, 1973
571 New York Dairy Farms
My
farm
Item
Livestock
Feed and supplies
Machinery and equipment
Land and buildings
$
TOTAL INVENTORY
%of
Average of
571 farms
total
24
6
20
50
100
$ 42,003
10,074
34,255
87,448
$173,780
Machinery and buildings are depreciable items in a farm business. Since
investments in these items usually come in large amounts, some accounting
method must be used to spread the cost over the years of expected life. The
depreciation for machinery and for real estate was calculated (table 7) and
then entered as expense items (see page 10).
The average machinery depreciation of $4,784 is 12.2 percent of the
beginning inventory plus purchases, This suggests an eight year average life,
but since beginning inventory items are already partially depreciated, the
average life would probably be ten years or more. The small building
depreciation of $439 shows that the summary does not include much write-off
for buildings. This may indicate that rising real estate values about offset
building depreCiation.
Table 7.
MACHINERY AND LAND AND BUILDING DEPRECIATION
571 New York Dairy Farms, 1972
Item
Beginning inventory
Purchases
My
$
Land and Buildings
farm Avo 571 farms
Machinery
farm Av. 571 farms
My
$31,703
7,517
$39,220
$
$82,379
5 2662
$88 2041
Total (1)
$
End inventory
Sales
$
$34,255
181
$
Total (2)
$
$34,436
$
$87,448
154
$87,602
$
$ 4,784
$
$
DEPRECIATION (1 minus 2)
$
439
8
Receipts
The receipts give a picture of the nature of the business. They also are
a basic part of the financial phases of the analysis of the operation.
Table 8.
FARM RECEIFTS
571 New York Dairy Farms, 1972
My
farm
Item
Milk sales
Average of
571 farms
$_-­
Livestock sold
%of total $5 6 ,858
6,811
87
10
358
504
111
1
Crop sales
Government payments
Gas tax refund
Machine work
1
74
60
Work off farm
Miscellaneous
715
Total Cash Receipts
Increase in livestock
and feed inventories
$_-­
TOTAL FARM RECEIFTS
$_-­
1
100
2,885
$68,376
Milk sales on these 571 farms accounted for 87 percent of the total cash
receipts. Livestock sold, the second largest item, accounted for an additional
10 percent. The cash flow into the business on these farms averaged $65,000.
Increase in livestock and feed, which are noncash receipts, averaged $2,885 or
4 percent of the total farm receipts.
Table 9.
INCOME ANALySIS
571 New York Dairy Farms, 1972
My
Item
farm
Average of
571 farms
Average price per cwt. milk sold
$_--­
$6.41
Milk sales per cow
$_--­
$812
Total cash receipts per man
$_--­
$28,475
The average price per hundredweight of milk sold b7' the 571 tams in 1972
The average price is calculated by dividing the gross .milk receipts
tor the year by the total polmds ot lI1lk sold. The variation in average price
received is shown below:
was
$6.41.
AVERAGE PRICE
NUMBER
aEkfl~U_fOa_~~K
OLfARt!S
PERCENT
o.f_E.AB.tiS
4
36
35
13
BELOW $6.00
.5&.00- 6.24
6.25 - 6.49
6.50 - 6.14
6.15 - 6.99
OVER $1.00
_Zl
__2
TOTAL
511
100
22
205
199
11
41
1
Dairymen often·...., tpere is nothing they can do about the price received
'tor milk.' '.l'bis JII8¥ be true as it perta.1ns to the price at a partioular tille,
but the variation shown here does indicate that the average annual prices
received for milk b,y t&1'llers do vary. Management practices account tor same
ot the diff'erences. Seasonality ot production and butterfat test are two
:management i tema that affect the average price tor the year.
Gross receipts are sometimes used as a measure ot size of ,business. The
census ot agriculture US8S this ......sure in classifying tarms.!he di.tribution
ot total tarm receipts of the 571 farms in 1972 is shown below:
TOT AL FARM
_aEC.f..l£IS_ UNDER
.5 20,000 -
30,000
40,000
50,000
60,000
80,000
100,000
120,000
-
$20,(\00 29,999
39,999
49,999
59,999
19,999
99,999
119,999
______
MJ.~af&
EAa.~S
__ ____
~
f.f.&C.E.tiI
5
1
36
6
85
96
88
15
11
15
18
9
8
102
51
44
AND OVER
_bZ
_11
TOTAL 511
100
C>.nl.y' five of the 571 tarms had receipts under $20,000. Consequent17,
practiCally all the tarms in this stud:;v would be classified by the census as
Ecan<mJ1c Classes I and II farms ($20,000 8lId over). Three-fifths of the 571
tams had receipts of over $50,000, and 19 percent had receipts of $lOO,ooo
or more.
10
Expenses·
Keeping check on where the money goes is part of the job of a manager. A
study of the expenses is essential in a business analysis. Expenses need to be
broken down in some detail to be useful in making management decisions.
FARM EXPENSES
Table 10.
571 New York Dairy Farms, 1972
My
Item
Labor
Hired labor
farm
$_-­
Feed
--niiry concentrate
Other feed
Machinery
Machine hire
Machinery repairs
Auto expense (farm share)
Gas and oil
Livestock
Purchased animals
Breeding fees
Veterinary and medicine
Other livestock expense
Crops
Lime and fertilizer
Seeds and plants
Spray, other crop expense
Real Estate
Land, building, fence repair
Taxes
Insurance
Rent
Other
Telephone (farm share)
Electricity (farm share)
Interest paid (488 farms reported)
Miscellaneous
TOTAL CASH EXPENSES
Machinery depreciation Real estate depreciation Unpaid labor Decrease in livestock and feed inventories TOTAL FARM EXPENSES
$- - - -
11
The cash expense classifications used on page 10 are taken from the
IICornell Farm Account Book.n Lists of the items included in each category
are p~esented on the inside back cover of that account book.
Machinery and real estate depreciation - expenditures for machinery and
buildings are usually made in large amounts. To include all the expenses in
the year of purchase, inflates the farm expenses. Consequently, depreciation
has been calculated and carried as an expense item on page 10.
Unpaid family labor refers to work done by members of the family who are
not paid cash wages. The operator estimates the number of months of unpaid
labor. This is charged to the business at $300 per month.
Decrease in livestock and feed inventories is the amount that the
beginning inventory for these two items exceeds the end inventory. Since this
indicates a "using up!! of capital items, it is considered as a farm expense.
Some individual farms had a decrease, but the net inventory change for the
571 farms was an increase.
Interest paid on farm indebtedness was reported by 488 farms and averaged
The payments have not been included in the farm expenses since the
accounting system used in this analysis calculates an interest charge on all
capital used and deducts this from the farm income (page 12).
$4,060.
Total farm expenses for the 571 farms averaged $49,600 or $141 per day.
The cash operating expenses averaged $43,700 or 88 percent of the total, and
$624 per cow. The total farm expenses averaged $709 per cow.
Farm expenses can be classified on the basis of fixed, variable, and
capital items as shown below:
Overhead Expenses (fixed)
Land & building repairs
Property taxes
Insurance
Rent
Electricity
Telephone
$1,165
1,604
1,123
816
999
243
Total Fixed Overhead $5,950
Capital Expenses
Machinery depreciation
$4,784
Real estate depreciation
439
Total Capital
Operating Expenses (variable)
Labor
$ 5,431
Feed
15,018
Machinery repairs
2,816
Gas and oil
1,519
Machine hire
700
Auto
281
Livestock purchased
3,144
Livestock expenses
4,189
Fertilizer and lime
2,484
Other crop expenses
1,392
Miscellaneous
739
Total Variable
$5,223
$37,713
On these farms, the variable expenses accounted for 76 percent, the fixed
12 percent, and the capital depreciation 11 percent of the total farm expenses.
- - .. - -
- - ... - -...-
- - ..
~----
...
-~.--
..- - - -...
-.-~--.~----
..
---~
...------..
-~-
..- ...
~--.-----
..­
12
Income
Researchers have developed a number of ways to measure the income from a
farm business. The measure selected usually depends on the point from which
the results are being studied. Several common measures are reported here.
FARM INCOME AND LABOR INCOME
571 New York Dairy Farms, 1972
Table 11.
My
farm
Item
Total farm receipts
Total farm expenses
$
FARM INCOME
Interest on avo capital @ 7%
Labor income per farm
$
Number of operators (682)
LABOR INCOME PER OPERATOR
Average of
571 farms
Percent
of recei;ets
$68,376
100
49 z636
73
27
17
10
$18,740
11 2 79 6
$ 6,944
1.19
$ 5,835
Farm income measures the return to all capital and the operator's labor
and management. It is the total receipts (including increase in livestock and
feed inventories) minus the total expenses (including decreases in livestock
and feed inventories but excluding interest payments).
Labor income is the return to the farm operator for his labor and manage­
ment. This is the measure most commonly used when studying or comparing farm
businesses. To get the labor income, a 7 percent interest charge on all
capital is subtracted from the farm income,
Distribution of Labor Incomes Per Operator
Labor income
Farms
12er operator
Number
Percent
Minus
138
24
o - 4,999
24
$
137
5,000 - 9,999
143
25
10,000 - 14,999
80
14
15,000 - 19,999
41
7
20,000 - 24,999
15
3
25,000 or more
17
3
One hundred thirty-eight or 24 percent of the farms had a minus labor
income. This indicates that the business did not return enough to pay all
expenses plus 7 percent return on the capital invested. On the other hand,
there were 32 or 6 percent of the farms with labor incomes of $20,000 or more.
13
Table 12.
FARM CASH OPERATING INCOME AND DEBT PAYMENT ABILITY
571 New York Dairy Farms, 1972
My
Item
farm
Total cash receipts
$_-­
Total cash operating expense
YARM CASH OPERATING INCOME
Family cash living expenses*
DEBT PAYMENT ABILITY
*
$_-­
$_-­
Average of
571 farms
$65,491
43,663
$21,828
7,165
$14,663
Estimated at $6,000 per operator per year.
Farm cash operating income reflects the cash available from the year's
operation of the farm business for family living, interest and debt payments,
and new capital purchases or investments. A family may have had additional
cash available if some member of the family had a nonfarm income, or if money
were inherited or borrowed.
Debt payment ability is a measure of the amount of cash available for
debt payments. It is calculated by deducting family living expenses from the
farm cash operating income. Since actual living expenses were not available,
they were estimated at $6,000 per operator. It is assumed here that new
machinery and real estate are purchased with borrowed capital. This measure
is useful in planning debt payment schedules.
Rate of return on investment is calculated by deducting a charge for the
operator I s labor from the "farm income. 11 This is then divided by the average
investment for the year to determine the rate of return on investment. In the
calculation below, $6,000 has been used arbitrarily as the value of the
operator's labor. This is comparable to what "good" hired men earn. Rate of
return really reflects the return to capital and management.
Table 13.
RATE OF RETURN ON INVESTMENT
571 New York Dairy Farms, 1972
My
Item
farm
Farm income
$_-­
Value of operator's labor*
Return on investment
Average capital investment
$_-­
$_--
RATE OF RETURN ON INVESTMENT
Average of
571 farms
$18,740
7,165
$11,575
$168,527
_______ufo
* $6,000 per operator - some farms had more than one operator.
6.CJ1o
14
Farm income, ~s calculated here, is the return from the business for three
major input items: (1) the operator's labor, (2) the operator's management,
and (3) the total capital investment. In calculating operator's labor income,
the first two inputs are combined, and in calculating rate of return on
investment, the last two are combined.
"Profit ll is a measure commonly used in nonfarm businesses. This measure
is used where the management inputs are actually hired. In some farm manage­
ment studies, the management input has been valued at 8 percent of the cash
farm receipts, and the operator's labor at the average wage for hired men with
houses. Using this procedure, the profit was computed as follows:
FARM INCOME
Less: (1) Operator's labor @ $90/week
(2) Management @ F!P/o of cash receipts
(3) Interest on capital @ 7%
$18,740
$ 5,569
5,240
11,796
22,605
PROFIT (LOSS)
(-$ 3,865)
These 571 dairy farms in 1972 showed an average loss of $3,865 after allowing
the operators an average of $10,809 for their labor and management, and 7 per­
cent interest on the capital invested.
The operators in 1972 were asked to estimate the value of their labor and
management (what they might earn if hired as a manager). Many indicated they
had no basis for making an estimate but 333 did submit a value. The average
for the 333 was $8,950. This is nearly $2,000 less than the calculated
figures used above. However, if the operators' estimates were used, there
would have been an average loss of $2,000.
Returns Per Unit of Input
Income from a business can also be calculated in relation to various input
units. For example, since these are family-type farms, the labor and manage­
ment return can be figured on a per-man basis. This is shown below:
Returns to All Labor Labor income per farm
Value hired labor
Value unpaid labor
Total returns to labor
Average man equivalent Returns per man equivalent
Returns per hour (3,000 hrs./yr.)
$ 6,944 5,431 750 $13,125
2.3
$5,707
$1.90
In like manner, returns can be calculated on the basis of production
units or on a per-cow basis. These are given below:
Returns per Cow
Cash operating income per cow $312
Farm income per cow
$268
Labor income per cow
$99
Profit per cow
minus $55
15
ANALYSIS OF THE FARM BUSINESS This part of the report includes a systematic analysis of the farm business
to determine strengths and weaknesses. Five business factors are examined:
size of business, rates of production, labor efficiency, uSe of capital, and
cost control. The 1972 averages for selected measures for these factors are
reported along with general relationships of factors to labor income.
Since the measures examined here are interrelated, all factors should be
examined before arriving at major conclusions.
Size of Business
Size of farm has an effect on other factors such as labor efficiency,
cost control, and capital efficiency. The prices received and paid by a
farmer are often affected by the volume which is a function of size. Farm
management studies have shown that in general larger farm businesses (when
well managed) make larger labor incomes. Two basic reasons for this are that
larger businesses make possible more efficient use of overhead inputs such as
labor and machinery, and there are more units of production (milk) on which to
make a profit.
Table 14.
MEASURES OF SIZE OF BUSINESS
571 New York Dairy Farms, 1972
My
Measure
farm
Number of cows
Total acres in crops
Man equivalent
Total work units
Pounds of milk sold
Total cash receipts
Total investment
Average of
571 farms
70
188
2.3
$_-­
$_-­
754
887,500
$65,491
$173,780
Number of cows is the average number in the herd for the year.
available, the D.H.I.C. annual average is used.
Where
Total acres in crops includes all acres on which crops were harvested
during the 1972 year. It does not include cropland pasture or uncropped land.
Man equivalent is the amount of labor available on the farm during the
year in terms of full-time man years. Work by part-time workers and family
members is converted to full-time man equivalent.
Total work units represents the number of productive man days that would
be required, under average conditions, to care for the acreage of crops grown
and the number of livestock handled. A man work unit is the average amount
of productive work accomplished in ten hours.
1.6
Table 15.
COWS PER FARM AID LABOR INCOME
571 New York Da.ir:f Fa:rms, 1972
l'Iiiiiber
of cows
iUi'Ilber
of f&l"JlS
Percent
of farms
87
155
15
Less than 40
~- 54
55.- 69
100
,115
130
150
21
12
66
40
- 114
- 129
- 149
&over
$ 3,222
5,115
5,512
5,700
6.766
7,474
1,734
9,747
16,243
27
122
84'
85 - 99
'70 -
Labor income
Eer operator
7
6
4
4
4
36
23
21
21
The relationship of size of business and labor income was observed for
size as measured by number of cows and by man equivalent. On the buia of
herd aize, in general the larger the business the 'higher the labor income per
operator. The exception of the 115-129 cow group- is not readil¥ e.xpl.&inable.
The 1972 relationship is consistent with that of earlier studies. A
well-maaaged large fal'll. w:t.ll provide the operator a higher income thall a
wel.l-managed small one, but a large f&rll. poorl¥ JIII.Il8ged also can lose more.
Man equivalent is often used as a measure ot size. It is of interest
that 76 percent of the far.ms had man equivalents of less than 3.0 (table 16).
Thirty-nine percent of the tanu had less than 2.0 men. The relation'hip of
II8Zl equivalent a:o.d incane was not regula.1!'.
The one-man with extra help and
the tams with 3.0 or more men bad slightl¥ higher incomes than those with
two to three men•. This suggests that there &re itau 111 a4d1tion to size ot
la'bor force tbat att"ct income.
MAN EQUIVALENT PER FARM AND LABOR INCOME 571 NEW ~QRK BAlav. fARMS, 1912 TABL E 16.
----------,..------------_
..... ... _-----------------------,
MAN
NUMBER
PERCENT
NUMBER
LABOR INCOME
-.
EQUl~Alf~I
_____ u~EAa~S _____ Qf_fAa~~ ____ _Df_tQ~S _____ef&_UeE&Ala&
1.0 - 1.lt
1.5 - 1.9
- 2.4
- 2.9
- 3.4
- 3.9
4.0 AND OVER
2.0
2.5
3.0
3.5
96
11
42
1.24
22
28
50
158
53
67
26
47
$
5,740
5,980
9
60
75
12
98
3,780
5.t 950
5
117
144
6,600
a
5,080
7,840
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Bates ot Produotion ~oduotion
per a.n1-.J. and per acre are tactors that atf'ect t&l'll. inoc:ae. Tab1e 17.
MEASURES OF BATES 0., PRODUCTIOlI
571 I'ew York Dairy Farias, 1972
Averap
ot
571 tams
Po\Inds of mUk so14 per cow
Tons ha¥ per acre
Tons oorn silage per acre
Tons ot ba¥ equivalent per acre
of all rougbases
Bushe1s ot oa.ts per acre
BwJhe1s grain. com per acre
12,700
2.4
11
2.8
Ito
52
Pounds of milk s01d ~cow is eal.cul.ated by dividing the total pounds
1ii t& average ~er of OOWl. The average tor the 571 taru was
12,700 pounds per cow.
Ililk sold
Tons oL..hP.f !9,u1.val.ent per acre of a.lL~!! is detezom.1ned by
oonvertiiii ill sUage produced to tons of iiei equivalent and dividing the
total tons ot ha¥ e~val.ent :trca all roughage by the total acres used tor
rogg'bages. This m9&sure gtves aD. indication of how inten!ively the roupage
1and is used.
.
Studies have shown repee.te~ that tarma with higher rates of production
tend to have higher labor inecmes. In 1972, the t&1'll.S with the higher rates
Qt production tended to be la.rger, bought more teed per oow, and 1n general
had higher inoomes. The 16,000 and over group was an exeeptic:m.
TABLE 18.
MILK SOLD PER CO~ ANn LABOR INCCME 571 NEW YORK DAIRY fARMS, 1972 --------------------------------------------------------~-------POUNDS OF MILK
NUMBER
NUMBER
FEED BOUGHT
lABJR INCOME
__ Sa~Q_efa_'~ ____DE_fAaHS___Df_'OWS_____ef&_'O~ _____eE&_CeEBAIOa
UNDER
10,000
10,000 - 10,999
11,000 - 11,999
12,000 - 12,999
13,00I'J - 13,999
14,000 - 14,999
15,000 - 15,999
16,000 AND 0 VER
57
54
90
116
127
78
32
17
64
58
66
77
71
74
78
67
J.
155
172
199
204
219
226
246
224
J. 39 2,891 3.666 b,342 5,928 9,331 11, 791 1,680 --------------~------------~---------------------------
18
Labor Efficiency
AccCD.Pl1shJBents per worker are used to _a~ labor ett1cien.cy.
.an 1lIIportant factor attecting labor incomes.
Table 19.
This is
MEASURES OF lABOR En'ICmcY
571 Hew York Dairy Farms, 1972
Average of
571 fuu
Measure
385,900
.Pounds of, milk sold per IIIIZ1
lumber of cows per man
Work units per lI8Il
Crop acres per man
30
328'
82
Pounds of milk sold per :man is det8l'm1ned. by' d1T1d1ng the total pounds of
milk sold hi the IIIIZ1 equivalent. This is probably the bost measure of labor
efficiency for d.a1l7 farms. The 571 farms aV81"&8ed 385,900 pounda per MIl.
Labor accCDpllshm.ents (efficiency) depends on a number of thinss. AIIang
these are the amount of mocbanizatiOl1, the field and buUd1ng la\Y'OUt, the work
methods used, and the ah1l1tiea of the workers. All of these are BIZIAI..aDt
i tellS 'tmder the control of the operator.
The relationShip of labor etticien.cy to labor income was posi~ive on the
571 farms. The higher the pounds of milk sold per man, the higher the income.
The higher outvut per IllIZI. was accomplished in put by' more and higher producing
cows (table 2O).
TABLE'20.
MILK SOLO PER MAN AND LABOR INCOME
571 NEw YORK DAIRY FARMS, 1972
----------------------------------------------------------------POUNDS OF MILK
NUMBER
NUMBER
LBS. MILK
LABOR INCOME,
__ SQ~O_e£~_~~ ____QE_EA&HS____QE_'QbS____el&_~QW _____eEa_DfEBAIOB
UNDER
250,cnO
300,000
350,000
400,r.On
450,000
500,000
600,000
-
250,(,)00
299,999
349,999
399,999
449,999
499,999
599,999
AND OVER
70
84
103
96
73
60
62
23
43
50
01
70
76
8]
95
129
i.
10,900
'1,800
12.400
12,800
13,100
13,200
13,70()
13,600
.l
270
2,100
4,280
5,100
1$;090
7,100
10,820
17,200
-----------------------------------------------------------------
19
Use ot C&i!ital
The average end-ot-year inventory on the 571 tarms was $173.780. This
includes both owned and borrowed capital. The use of credit is part of' capital
management. Since ce.pital is a key input item. it is important to ana.l.yze the
use of capital in the business • The anal.y'sis in this section ex:am1nes how the
capital is used and tbe tinancial situation ot tbe ts.rm tam11:y.
MEASURES OF CAPITAL EFFICIERCY 571 New York Dairy Farms. 1972 Average ot
571 t&1'llS
Measure
Total capital per man
Total capital per cow
Machinery .and equi].'lllent per cow
Land and building investment per caw
Land and building investment per crop acre
Total capital per cwt. milk. sold '
Capital turnover (capital T receipts)
$_-­
Capital efficiency is often associated with size ot herd. For this
reasdh. the 571 tarms were sorted on the basis of' number ot cows and the
capital e:f'ticiency meaaure.,rwere calC'Jl.ated. There seemed to be a relation­
ship between size. emd capital ef::f'lciency for t&l'llB with 85 cows or IIOre. This
is probably related to the tree-stoJ.l. barn. situation which is e.xam1.ned on
pages 38 and 39.
TABLE 22.
SIZE OF HERD AND CAPITAL EFFICIENCY
571 NEw YORK DAIRY FARMS, 1972
____________________
NUMBER
NUMBER
OE_~U~
54
69
84
99
- 114
- 129
- 149
(.
7'11
_
•
_
_ _ ............ _ _ _ _ _ _.
. . , . ._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
OVER
87
155
122
66
40
36
23
21
21
~
___ .LAJU.I&.Llti~S.ItlE.~I_t?E.&_'ClW; _____
______af_fA&MS_______IQIll_______8fll_fSl'IE_____
UNDER 40
40 55 70 85 100
115
13U
150
~
$2,693
2,411
2,499
2,664
2,667
2,059
2,428
2,176
2,199
$1 ~ 189
1,147
1,256
1,371
1,364
1,327
1,296
1,055
1,125
!ACHl~l
$563
$545
$509
$539
$498
5499
$438
$414
$342
20
The financial situation is an important part or the ana.lysi8 ot a :farm
business." This indicates the condition of the operation as it relates to
present financing and future' ex;p!ftBs,:poss1bUities. In the 57l. records tor
1972, a total of 416 inelwi3d a financial situation stat-..nt.
FARM FAMILY FINANCIAL SITUATION
416 NEw YORK DAIRY FARMS, JANUARY 1, 1973
TABLE 23.
_______
lI~~
MY
% OF
__________________fAaH_
___NU. OF __ ~ OF ___ AVERAGE__IOIAL
AS.SfIS
FARHLAND & BUiLDINGS
LIVESTOCK
MACHINERV
FEED &. SUPPLIES
co-op INVESTMENT
ACCOUNTS RECEIVABLE
CASH & CHtCKING ACCOUNTS
SAVINGS ACCOUNTS
CASH VALUE LIFE INS.
STOCKS & BONDS
NON-fARM REAL ESTATE
AUTO(PEPSUNAl SHARE)
ALL OTHER
.J
REAL EST AT E MORTGAGE
-------1I E.~S ON CATTLE & E(,)UIP. -------INSTALLMENT CONTPACTS
-------SECURED NOTES
------UNSECUR.ED NOTES
----..--­
STORE. ACCOUNT S
------PERSONAL DE: ST £. OTHER
-------WORTH
416
416
100
100
100
416
100
321
213
313
212
19
273
168
.L.IA111LIIIE.S
NET
fAa~S
416
TOTAL ASSETS
TOTAL LIABILITIES
tAa~
---------------
66
90
51
66
A~aU~I
1
91,392
41,809
33,857
9,912
3.410
3.711
1,600
1,974
46
21
11
5
2
2
1
1
61
302
73
122
29
3,293
1.538
3,095
969
1,458
416
100
198.138
351
288
148
134
86
51
176
31
42
36.118
24.156
2.985
2.955
2,194
635
1.748
400
96
70,791
100
109
128
40
15
69
36
32
26
J
2
100
1
2
o
1
34
4
4
3
1
2
127,347
----------------------------------------------------------------The fam invento%'y' accounted for 89 percent of the total t8llli.l.y assets
reported. Accounts receivable, the cash vaJ.ue of life insurance, and co-op
investments were the largest nontum items. Real. estate mortgages were the
largest liab11ity and accounted tor 51 percent of all debts. The percent ot
tarms reporting gives an indica.tion of the frequency' of each item. For
example, 51 percent of the families reported savings accounts and 86 percent
reported real estate mortgages.
2l
TABLE ,24.
DEBT COMMITMENTS ANO FINANCIAL MEASURES 416 NEW YORK DAIRY FARMS, 1912 --------------------------------------~-----------.
' NUM~ER
AVERAGE
MY FARM
OF
_____ ________________________________________
~
EAaH~
$_-------­
TOTAL DEBT PAYMENTS
FINANCIAL MEASURES: NUMBER OF COwS
ANNUAL DEBT PAYMENT/COW
DEBT PMT. AS !C MILK SALES
PERCENT EQUITY
•
PERCENT DEBT ON REAL EST.
DEBT PER COW
-------
$-----..-..-­
--------~
--------,
-----------
$_-------­
_____ OF FARMS
&EeCallb~
$13,818
353
353
353
353
416
400
416
10 $198
25!C
64~
51~
S1,011
--------------------------------,...--------
....
-----­
at the 416 farms, 353 reported their total debt ~ts tor the ~ 19-72.
The debt papent tor interest a;nd principle averaged fl3,878. These cClll!lld.tmen.ts
aver&8ed $1.,150 per month, $198 per cow per ye&l', 'a;nd 25 percent ot the Id.l.k
receipts.
Debts on the 416 tarms reporting UIOUIlted to 36 percent of' the total.
assets. 'rbis pves an average equity' ot 64 percent. The averase debt per cow
was $1,011. There was a wide range in these factors among the f&%'118 reporting.
F1NANC I AL SITUATION BY SIZE OF HERD 416 NEW YORK LAI RY FARMS, 1972 TABLE 25.
-----------------------------------------------TOTAL
NET
TOTAL
PERCENT DEBT
HERD SllE
bUJ.tw.fR_llf
lIABIlPER
-1C.WiSJ..___fA RHS _CaoWS____AS.S..E.ls..___lIlf,S._____llOlilt1__EQUlIl___C.ClII_
UNOER 40
40 - 54
55 - 69
10 - 84
85 - 99
100 - 114
115 - 129·
130 - 149
150 f. OVER
65
106
93
59
30
21
9
17
16
34
47
61
16
92
106
121
136
2Q6
$
S
$
104,696
127,379
170,519
229,841
286,929
.334,882
361,055
330,326
512,088
31,371
49,095
63,676
19,468
102,665
106,528
166,538
106,600
185,!>08
13,325
18,264
106,843
150,373
184,264
228,354
194,517
223,126
326,580
~.
10
61
63
65
6468
54
6lt
64
S
923
1,045
1,044
1,046
1,116
1.005
1,316
784
901
---------------~---------------------~---------------------------
22
Cost Control
Keeping costs in line can make the difference between profit and loss.
Small as well as large costs must be checked. An analysis of the various
costs is one step in maintaining good cost control. Several important costs
are examined below.
Feed Costs
Purchased feed is the largest single expense item on most New York dairy
farms. For the 571 farms in 1972, dairy concentrate accounted for 33 percent
of the cash operating expenses so feed is the first item examined.
Dairy feed costs are affected by many things. In late 1972, feed prices
rose sharply. There is no satisfactory single measure of feed cost control so
the feed situation is examined in the business analysis of feed costs. Below
are some measures related to feed costs on a dairy farm.
Table 26.
ITEMS RELATED TO FEED COSTS
571 New York Dairy Farms, 1972
Item
Feed expense
Dairy feed purchased
Feed purchased as %of milk receipts
Feed purchased per cwt. of milk sold
Feed purchased per cow
Crop expense per cow
Total feed and crop expense per cow
Total feed and crop expense per cwt.
of milk sold
My
farm
Average of
571 farms
$--~
$14,403
~---
$1.62
$206
$55
$261
-----%
*--­
*--­
$_-­
Roughage harvested (hay equivalent)
Hay (tons)
Corn silage (tons + 3)
Hay crop silage (tons + 2 or 3)*
Total tons hay equivalent
Tons hay equivalent per cow
Other considerations
Acres in crops per cow
Lime and fertilizer expense per cow
Lime and fertilizer expense per crop acre
Number of heifers per 10 cows
*
2%
$2.06
219
210
28
457
6.5
~,---
2.7
$35
$13
6.4
Depending on moisture content of silage.
The above measures of roughage harvested consider quantity only. Quality
is also important and should be considered when studying the feeding program.
23
Feed cost is influenced by' a number ot tactors. On the production side,
it is attected by' the amount of h01U9-grown grains, quality and quantity of 'the
rougbage, and the number of youngr:tock. On the purchasing side, it is inf~uenced
.. by the tamer t s &billty to purchase concentrates at reasonab~e prices.
Feed ~ha8ed as Ji!!rcent of mUlt receipt! is calculated by dividing feed purchased
mtlk receipts. ThIs m&asure ean be used to determine whether the feed costs are in Une. The mIIOlmt of home-grown grain must be considered as you eva.luate this measure. M1lk prices also in:f'~uence this factor. Feed purchased ~ cow is ealculated by dividing the total expense for dair.y concentrate bi~e aVe'rage number of cows. Because this also includes the amount spent for ca1.:f' and heifer feed, it actually represents the feed cost per cow and the replacEll!l8nts being raised. Crop expense per cow is the total spent for fertilizer a.nd lime, seeds and
,plants, spray, and other crop expense divided by' the average number of' cows.
This represents the direct cash costs for growing feed.
Total. feed and Crop !!pens,! is the purebased feed .expense ~U8 total crop
expense. TiiIs iiidlcates the BmOlmt spent to provide the feed requirements of
the herd. If the dairyman gets a ,high amount of nutrients per dollar spent and
feeds these nutrients so as to get efficient milk prod.uctian per unit of '
Dutrient, he will keep bis feed aDd crop expense per hundredweight ot JIi.l.k down.
lfumber of heifers per 10 cows is tigured by diTiding the nUllber ot heifers Of' cows and mu1tiPS1ng by ten. by' the number
TASLE 27.
PERCENT PURCHASED FEED IS OF MILK RECEIPTS AND LABOR INCOME 571 NEw YORK DAIRY fARMS, 1972 .----------------------------------------------------------------­
FEED
NUMBER
NUMBER
H.E.
LBS. MILK
LABOR INCOME
~
~\_Uf_~L~~
OVER
35
30
25
20
40:;
- 39
- '34
- 29
- 24
UNDER
Z()',f;
__ Of_fAa~ __ Of_k~~-_Efa_kUa ____efa_kQ~____eta_aeE&AIOa
18
45
102
168
115
123
71
68
69
67
71
75
5.8
5.8
6.1
6.5
6.7
7.1
12,500
12,000
12',300
12,600
1.2,900
1,,600
1
200 1,200
3,700
5,300
7,300
8,500
------------~----------------------------------------------------
In general, the lower the percent of' the milk check goins tor purchased feed, the higher the income (t&b~e 27). Farms with a lower percent of the mAlt check going for purchased teed bad IIOre tans of' ha¥ equivalent per cow. !Ca!;h!nery Cost.
. Machanizatian em d&i.17 :f1!L'1"lllS bas been proceeding at a relativall' rapid
pace. This increases the importance or an~1ng the machinery costs. On the
571 t'a:nU, machinery costs accO\Dlted tor 25 percent Qt the total fUll expenses
in 1972. Below are the calculations ot the macbiner,r costa and related :factors.
Table 28.
MAClUNERf COST
571 Rew York Dai17 lams, 1972
Average of
511 tams
It_
Depreciation (trca p. 5)
Interest • ;;, on av. inTentor,y
Mach1Da bire
Machinery repairs
Auto expense (tum sbara)
Gu and oil
Total machinery costs
*--­
PerCent
of total
38
19
6
23
2·
12
-100
'--­
.Machinery cost:
per cow
per cwt. m:Uk Bold
-------------------------------------------------------------Depreciation and interest accounted :for 57 percent ot the mch1n817 cost
on these tams. TheBe are tixed coat items so must be used on enough un1ts to
keep the costs at a reasonable level. In general, the lover the machinery
cost per cow the higher the labor incCDe (table 29).
T/.8lE 29.
~ACHINERY
COST PER COW AND
LA~OR
INCOME 571 NEw ynRK DAIRY FARMS, 1912 --MACHiNERy----------NUMBE~----------PERCENT.--------LA;oR-INcOME
tcSI-fER-CQW________ OE_EARMS_________DE_EA&HS________ef&_UefRAIOa
UNDER $100
100
150
200
250
300
-
149
199
249
299
& OVEF
25
147
206
141
38
14
It
26
36
25
7
2
$1,920 8,050
5,760
4,200
1,690
1.240
--------------~-----------------~----~---~------------~---------
25
Labor and Machinery Costs
If a machine is added without expanding size or reducing the labor force,
costs will be increased. "Labor and machinery cost" provides a measure of the
efficiency of the operator's machinery and labor combination.
Table 30.
LABOR AND MACHINERY COST
571 New York Dairy Farms, 1972
My
farm
Item
Labor cost:
Value of operators' labor*
Hired labor**
Unpaid family labor
Total Labor Cost Total Machinery Cost (p. 24) $ 7,165
5,431
750
$13,346
12,409
$_-­
TOTAL LABOR AND MACHINERY COST Labor
per
per
Labor
per
per
Average of
571 farms
$25,755
$_-­
cost:
cow
cwt. milk sold
and machinery cost:
cow
cwt. milk sold
$
$
$191
$1.50
$
$
$368
$2.90
* Valued at $6,000 per operator - some farms had more than one operator.
Includes family paid and nonfamily hired.
**
The labor cost exceeded the machinery cost on these farms. Hired labor
accounted for 29.6 percent of all labor and averaged $498 per month.
Table 31.
ANALYSIS OF LABOR COSTS
571 New York Dairy Farms, 1972
Item
My
Percent of labor furnished by:
Operator
Family unpaid
Family paid
Hired
Cost per month of hired labor
Labor
co~t
per man equivalent
farm
Average 571 farms
%
---~%
--_%:
--_%
$_-­
$_-­
51.6%
9.010
9.8%
29.6%
$498
$5,800
26
Miscellaneous Cost Control Measures
Cost control applies to all expenditures both large and small. Reducing
various cost i terns to a per cm., or per acre basis provides cost control measures
which are easy to understand and they can be used for analyzing farms of various
sizes. These factors are influenced by a number of things so must be used with
that in mind.
COST CONTROL MEASURES
571 New York Dairy Farms, 1972
Table 32.
My
Item
Overhead
Land and building repair per cow
farm
$_--
Taxes per cow
14
$-~-
Machinery repair per cow
Gas and oil per cow
Machinery cost per cow
Dairy
Veterinary and medicine per cow
Breeding fees per cow
$17
23
16
Insurance per cow
Electricity per cow
Machinery
Machinery depreciation per cow
Average of
571 farms
$ 68
40
22
177
$_--
$15
10
Other livestock expense per cow
35
Crops
Fertilizer and lime per crop acre
$13
Seeds and plants per crop acre
Other crop expense per crop acre
3
Gas and oil per crop acre
8
General
Total labor per cow*
Total feed and crop expense per cow
Total expenses per cow
Total expenses per $100 receipts
*
Using $6,000 per year for operator's labor.
4
$191
261
709
73
27
Combination ot'Factors
Individual tactors have been examined in the analysis up to this point •
.It has been suggested that these tactors are interrelated. In this section,
the combination of tour important tactors is stUdied., The tactors used here
are size, rates ot production, labor efficiency, and cost control as measured
by number ot co:ws, pounds ot milk sold per cow, pounds of milk sold per liI8n,
and percent purchased teed was ot milk receipts.
. For
above or
basie of
above or
each tactor, the tams were divided on the basis ot whether they were
below the average tor the 571 tarms. They were then grouped on the
the number ot tactors better than average. The combination ot tactors
below average vi th:1n the three middle groups varied.•
TABLE 33.
COMBINATION UF FACTORS ABOVE AVERAGE* AND LABOR INCOME 571 NEW YORK DAIRY FARMS, 1972 ~------------------------------~------------------------------NUMBER OF fACTORS
NUMBER
PERCENT
LABOR INCOME
--------AaD~E-A~fBAGf
__________ Of_fABH~___ Of_EAa~ ___ff&_DefRAIOR
FACTOR.S 8ETTER THAN AV ERAGE
55
10
$12.700
3 FACTORS BETTER THAN AVERAGE
113
20
10,000
2 FACTORS BETTER THAN AVERAGE
151
26
4,200
1 FACTORS BETTER THAN AVERAGE
167
29
3,600
0 FACTORS BETTER THAN AVERAGE
85
15
1,700
4
------------------* Factors were: .
-----------------'-------~--:--~------,..~--~
Size - number of cows - average 70.
Rates ot production - pounds ot llilk sold per cow - a.verage 12,700.
Labor efficiency - pounds ot milk sol.d per man - average 385,900.
Cost control - percent purc~sed teed was ot llilk receipts - average ~.
The rel&tionship between the number of tactors better than average and labor income is shawn in table 33. As the nUDiber ot t-..ctors better thaD average decreased, labor incomes decreased at a rapid rate. It is important in managing a ta.rm business to give attention to all. major tactors affecting the business. Concentrating on o.nJ.:y one or two tactors and neglecting the others, will 'Qot give the kind of net inQ.aJDe most farmers want. CompariSon
bz
Herd Size
In mking an anaJ.ysis ot an individual ta.rm business, it is helpful. to compare it with businesses ot approximately the same size. On the tollowing tour pages, the business SUJID8.l7 and business tactors tor the 571 tarms are shown tor seveD. herd size groups. These data also can be used to stu~ the "!ttect ot size on the ID.8l1Y aspects of dairy tarm businesses. 28
Table 34.
FARM BUSINESS SUMMARY BY HERD SIZE
571 New York Dairy Farms, 1972
Item
Capital Investment (end of year)
Livestock
$
Feed and supplies
Machinery and equipment
Land and buildings
TOTAL INVESTMENT
$
Receipts
Milk sales
$
Livestock sales
Crop sales
Miscellaneous receipts
Total Cash Receipts
$
Increase in livestock and feed
TOTAL FARM RECEIPTS
$
Expenses
Hired labor
$
Dairy feed
Other feed
Machine hire
Machinery repair
Auto expense (farm share)
Gas and oil
Purchased animals
Breeding fees
Veterinary and medicine
Other livestock expense
Lime and fertilizer
Seeds and plants
Spray and other crop expense
Land, bldg., fence repair
Taxes and insurance
Electricity & phone (farm share)
Miscellaneous expenses
Total Cash Oper6.ting Expenses $
Machinery depreciation
Real estate depreciation
Unpaid family labor
TOTAL FARM EXPENSES
$
Financial Sllmmary
Total Farm Receipts
$
Total Farm Expenses
$
Farm Income
$
Interest on avo capital at 7'1a
Labor Income Per Farm
$
Number of operators
LABOR INCOME PER OPERATOR
$
My
farm
Less than
40 cows
Farms ivi th:
40 to
54 cows
55 to
69 cows
$20,274
4,471
18,750
46 2286
$89,781
$ 27,689
5,963
25,365
53 2733
$112,750
$ 36,617
8,302
31,123
$25,938
2,967
163
607
$29,675
2 2022
$31,697
$36,535
4,176
325
995
$42,031
2z138
$44,169
$48,603
5,986
293
lz328
$56,210
2,209
$58,419
$ 1,107
6,720
270
258
1,266
238
774
1,636
353
417
1,235
901
309
229
$ 1,960
9,508
367
443
1,695
264
1,059
1,692
474
736
1,679
.1,440
480
374
76~284
$153,026
526
748
1,362
672
520
$18,853
2,501
$22,275
1,781
876
830
$26,406
3,488
290
900
$31,084
$ 3,803
12,563
443
572
2,303
259
1,370
2,259
627
846
1,966
2,114
675
497
1,049
2,398
1,049
1 2188
$35,981
4,194
419
720
$41,314
$31,697
222275
$ 9,422
6z103
ill 3,319
1.03
$ 3,222
$44,169
31 2 084
$13,085
7 2612
ill 5,473
1.07
$ 5,115
$58,419
41,314
$17,105
102380
ill 6,725
1.22
$ 5,512
III
810
29
Table 34 contd.
FARM BUSINESS SUMMARY BY HERD SIZE
571 New York Dairy Farms, 1972
Farms with:
Item
CaEital Investment (end of year)
Livestock
Feed and supplies
Machinery and equipment
Land and buildings
TOTAL INVESTMENT
Receipts
Milk sales
Livestock sales
Crop sales
Miscellaneous receipts
Total Cash Receipts
Increase in livestock and feed
TOTAL FARM RECEIPTS
Expenses
Hired labor
Dairy feed
Other feed
Machine hire
Machinery repair
Auto expense (farm share)
Gas and oil
Purchased animals
Breeding fees
Veterinary and medicine
Other livestock expense
Lime and fertilizer
Seeds and plants
Spray and other crop expense
Land, bldg., fence repair
Taxes and insurance
Electricity & phone (farm share)
Miscellaneous expenses
Total Cash Operating Expenses
Machinery depreciation
Real estate depreciation
Unpaid family labor
TOTAL FARM EXPENSES
Financial Summary
Total Farm Receipts
Total Farm Expenses
Farm Income
Interest on avo capital at
Labor Income Per Farm
Number of operators
LABOR INCOME PER OPERATOR
1%
100 to
150 or
149 cows more cows
70 to
84 cows
85 to
99 cows
$ 46,543
10,838
40,753
104,249
$202,383
$ 58,627
14,972
45,477
124,700
$243,776
$ 70,046
19,024
53,779
146,003
$288,852
$116,208
28,099
66,120
220,797
$431,224
$61,207
7,624
294
1 2 344
$70,469
3,520
$73,989
$74,244
8,865
621
1 2461
$85,191
5,659
$90,850
$101,014
11,544
576
2 2°27
$115,161
3,547
$118,708
$167,934
22,478
663
7,506
$198,581
6,099
$204,680
$ 5,363
16,035
799
395
2,891
267
1,509
3,638
738
1,096
2,468
2,683
743
675
1,196
2,952
1,315
1 2383
$46,146
5,896
420
900
$53,362
$ 8,615
17,647
703
723
3,879
375
1,978
4,088
984
1,3 44
3,490
3,395
1,057
797
1,341
3,495
1,701
$57,452
6,451
928
510
$65,341
$12,874
25,358
1,046
1,442
5,321
274
2,653
5,288
1,277
1,869
4,364
4,708
1,428
1,192
2,078
4,495
2,098
3 2 265
$81,010
7,684
747
540
$89,981
$ 24,223
40,013
2,494
3,339
8,690
613
3,695
13,730
1,433
2,682
6,990
8,076
2,514
2,030
3,412
8,362
3,078
6,822
$142,196
9,524
945
240
$152,905
$73,989
53,362
$20,627
13 2 673
$ 6,954
1.22
$ 5,700
$90,850
65,341
$25,509
16,578
$ 8,931
1.. 32
$ 6,766
$118,708
89 2281
$ 28,727
19 2 707
$ 9,020
1.40
$ 6,443
$ 16,243
1~840
30
Table 35.
SELECTED BUSINESS FACTORS BY HERD SIZE
571 New York Dairy Farms, 1972
Item
Less than
40 cows
My
farm
Number of farms
Size of Business
Number of cows
Pounds of milk sold
Crop acres
Man equivalent
Total work units
Rates of Production
Milk sold per cow
Tons hay per acre
Tons corn silage per acre
Bushels of oats per acre
Labor Efficiency
Cows per man
Pounds milk sold per man
Work units per man
Feed Costs
Feed purchased per cow
Crop expense per cow
Feed and crop expense per cow
Feed cost per cwt. milk
Feed and crop exp./cwt. milk
i Feed is of milk receipts
Hay equivalent per cow
Crop acres per cow
Fertilizer and lime/crop acre
Machinery and Labor Costs
Total machinery costs
Machinery cost per cow
Machinery cost per cwt. milk
Labor cost per cow
Labor cost per cwt. milk
Capital Efficiency
Investment per man
Investment per cow
Investment per cwt. milk sold
Land and buildings per cow
Machinery investment per cow
Return on investment
Other
Price per cwt. milk sold
Acres hay and hay crop silage
Acres corn silage
155
122
33
408,500
100
1.5
364
46
580,600
132
1.7
504
61
770,000
170
2.1
659
12,400
2.2
11
33
12,600
2.2
11
35
12,600
2.3
10
46
22
272,300
243
27
341,500
296
29
366,700
314
$
$
$
6.8
3.0
$9
$
2f1!/o
$
$
$
$
$
$
$
$
$
$
%
$
55 to
69 cows
87
$204
$44
$248
$1.65
$2.00
$
$
Farms with:
40 to
54 cows
$207
$50
$257
$1.64
$2.03
26%
6.3
2.9
$11
$206
$54
$260
$1.63
$2.06
2&/0
6.6
2.8
$12
$6,285
$190
$1.54
$246
$1.99
$8,644
$188
$1.49
$201
$1.59
$10,791
$177
$1.40
$195
$1.54
$59,854
$2,721
$22
$1,403
$568
0
$66,324
$2,451
$19
$1,168
$551
$72,870
$2,509
$20
$1,262
$510
$6.35
71
21
$6.29
82
35
fI!/o
7'/0
$6.31
100
51
31
Table 35 contd.
SELECTED BUSINESS FACTORS BY HERD SIZE
571 New York Dairy Farms, 1972
Item
70 to
84 cows
Farms with:
100 to
85 to
99 cows
149 cows
150 or
more cows
66
40
80
21
75
953,600
196
2.4
837
91
1,159,100
260
3.0
986
118
1,553,800
305
3.6
1,268
200
2,555,500
451
4.7
2,045
Rates of Production
Milk sold per cow
Tons hay per acre
Tons corn silage per acre
Bushels oats per acre
12,700
2.5
12
33
12,700
2.6
11
45
13,200
2.5
11
46
12,800
2.6
12
61
Labor Efficiency
Cows per man
Pounds milk sold per man
Work units per man
31
397,300
349
30
386,400
329
33
431,600
352
43
543,700
435
Number of farms
Size of Business
Number of cows
Pounds of milk sold
Crop acres
Man equivalent
Total work units
Feed Costs
Feed purchased per cow
Crop expense per cow
Feed & crop expense per cow
Feed cost per cwt. milk
Feed & crop exp. / cwt. milk
% Feed is of milk receipts
Hay equivalent per cow
Crop acres per cow
Fertilizer & lime/crop acre
Machinery and Labor Costs
Total machinery costs
Machinery cost per cow
Machinery cost per cwt. milk
Labor cost per cow
Labor cost per cwt. milk
Capital Efficiency
Investment per man
Investment per cow
Investment per cwt. milk sold
Land and buildings per cow
Machinery investment per cow
Return on investment
Other
----prrce per cwt. milk sold
Acres hay and hay crop silage
Acres corn silage
$214
$55
$269
$1.68
$2.11
2&/0
6.9
2.6
$14
$194
$58
$252
$1.52
$1.98
24%
7.1
2.9
$13
$215
$62
$277
$1.63
$2.10
25%
6.6
2.6
$15
$200
$63
$263
$1.57
$2.06
24%
5.7
2.3
$18
$13,717
$183
$1.44
$182
$1.43
$16,510
$181
$1.42
$188
$1.47
$21,008
$178
$1.35
$185
$1.40
$30,282
$151
$1.18
$164
$1.28
$84,326
$2,698
$21
$1,390
$543
$81,259
$2,679
$21
$1,370
$500
$80,237
$2,448
$19
$1,237
$456
$91,750
$2,156
$17
$1,104
$331
10%
7%
$6.42
115
64
1'/0
$6.41
134
84
7%
$6.50
155
113
$6.57
209
178
32
Farm. Business Chart
The farm. business chart is a tool tor use in a:n.&4rzing a dail'Y fa.rm
business. It is a series of measuring sticks caDbined into one tool.
FARM BUSINESS CHART fOR FARM MANAGEMENT COOPERATORS
511 NEW YORK DAIRY fARMS, 1912.
--uuoe-aUillf.si----iUili-ii-£iuuuuiQ~-LitUl&-EEfiEU~i
MAN . NO.
EQUIV- OF
POUNDS
MILK
~L-_'~~-SCLD
4 •.5
3.3
151
105
2.8
2.4
85
71
62
2.2
POUNDS
MILK SOLO
TONS
HAYI
TONS CORN
SILAGE
COWS
PER
MILK SOLO
POUNDS
41
39
601.300
504,400
____efR-kO~ __ -"&f_--ffR-Ak~_HA~___ ef&~AM-
2,066,300
1.316,400
1,085.600
906,000
119,800
15,100
14,400
13,800
13,400
13,000
18
15
13
12
11
35
454,300
32
30
411,000
377.500
~-~-~~-~----------------------------------------~--~~--~~----~350,000
28
2.0
12,500
10
56
2.2
696.100
320,800
26
9
1.8
12,000
618,300
2.0
50
295,500
24
44
1.5
11 ,400
8
547,100
1.9
261,700
22
6
1.4
39
462,800
10,bOO
1.5
205,900
4
18
1•. 2
31
~46,JOO
8.900
1.1
..,...".. ........ ''v
....................."-.,................. _ _ _
.....
.-....._ _.....-._ _ _ _........
~-.._._
..........- . -_ _
farms are considerllbl3' above the aven1g8 for all. farms in New York
State. For example, the median number ot COWl for the 571 t&r.1118 . . 59
cc.pa.red with 39 for all farms in the State.
~''!hese
The Farm Business Chart is a tool which can be used in anaJ.yzinl a business
to determine the strong and weals: points. The cba:rt ahovs JJ.ov far the individual
farm is above or below the midpoint of the 571 tarms for each factor.
The figure at the top of each coltDml is the average of' the top 10 percent
ot the tarms tor that tactor. For example, the figure 4.5 at the top ot the
colUlll beaded "man equivalent" is the average -.n equiY&lent on the 10 percent
ot the tarms with the most men. The other figures in each co1um are the
average for the second 10 percent, third 10 percent, etc. fhe figure at the
battCD of' each column (1.2 tor man. equivalent) is the averase for the 10 per­
cent ot the tams which ranked lowest in that tactor.
Each col'\Dlll'l ot the chart is independent ot the others. The tarms which
are in the top 10 percent tor one tactor would not necessarily be the same
ta:rms which make up the top 10 percent tor 8l1Y other :factor.
This chart is used in ~zing a particular dair,r business by drawing a
Une through the tigure in each col'\Dlll'l which shows where the fa.rm being
analyzed stands for that factor. This helps identit'y the strengths and weak­
nesses. SUIIID&1'1ze these and list them at the bottaa of the next page.
FARM BUSINESS CHART FOR FARM MANAGEMENT COOPERATORS 571 NEW YORK DAIRY FARMS. 1972 COST CCNTIlOL S 94
133
160
182
198
13
18
21
23
25
S102
131
144
156
168
S256
299
324
346
363
Sl.28
1.58
1.74
1.87
1.98
-~--~---~--~-~--------------------------------------~----------214
2.08
27
381
182
228
2.21
28
404
197
246
429
2.36
30
213
270
460
2.53
33
233
318
2.86
39
538
282
.. ....
--....------------........--....
..
~-------------------------~-..
..-----­
Based on. the anal.yzed results sbown on the business chart.. list below the
strong and weak points ot the b,usiness. Then identify the major probl~.
STRONG POIHTS:
WIAX POnr.rs:
MAJOR PROBLEMS:
Atter identify:lDg problems .. consider alternative W8¥s ot solving each
problem. Each alternative should be studied in detail. A bqet1ng torm
can be used tor project1ng the l1kel1' results at each altemative.
SUPPLEMENTAL INFORMATION Cost of Producing Milk
The cost of
business summary
The average cost
comparisons with
producing milk can be calculated by using the total farm
if the operations have dairy as the only principal enterprise.
per hundredweight of producing milk on the 571 farms and
earlier years is shown on page 35.
Age of Operator
Age is often considered as a factor affecting management. To test this,
the 1972 farm businesses were studied on the basis of age of operator. The
results are presented on pages 36 and 37.
Farms With Free Stall Barns
There has been much interest in free-stall barns in recent years. Farms
with free-stall barns were identified by the 1972 cooperators. A total of 198
reported free-stall facilities and were included in a special analysis. The
business factors for the free-stall farms have been compared with the other
types (conventional stanchion or tie-stall barns). Comparisons were also made
by size of herd (page 38).
Trends
The manager of any business must keep abreast of current trends. This is
essential if he is to keep his business in tune with the times. It is also
important as one develops plans for the future. Trends can be measured in
different ways. One way is to compare similar business stUdies to observe
changes that have occurred. On page 40, selected farm business summary
factors are given for 1962, 1967, 1971, and 1972.
Operating Statements
Operating statements are common in business accounting. In farm
accounting, business summaries are prepared and business factors calculated.
This is essentially an operating statement for the farm business with the
highlights of the year's operations presented on one page.
In establishing goals, one is often interested in what the "better"
businesses accomplish. For this purpose, the 10 percent of the 571 farms with
the highest labor incomes were grouped together and an operating statement
prepared (page 43).
Operating statements are included for two small groups of dairy operators
who participated in the farm business management projects but were not in the
571 farm analysis. These are the farms that had crop sales which were equal
to 10 percent or more of the milk receipts and were classified as "dairy-cash
crop" operations. The other group is the "renter!! operators. These are
reported on pages 41 and 42.
~--
-- -
_.-
-.--.-.~--.----.--
..-.---.--­
35
cost of Producing Milk
By adding an estimate of the value of the operatorfs labor and interest on
the capital investment to the total farm expenses, the farm cost of producing
milk can be calculated. The value of the operatorfs time for 1972 was estimated
at $500 per month. Receipts for items other than milk are credited against the
total cost. This assumes that these items were produced at cost.
AVERAGE FARM COST OF PRODUCING MILK
571 New York Dairy Farms, 1972
Table 36.
Item
My
Total farm expenses
Interest at 1% on average capital
Value of operatorsf labor*
Total Costs
Total farm receipts
Less milk sales
Average of
571 farms
farm
$49,636
11,796
7,165
$_-$_-$_--
$68,597
$68,376
56,858
11,518
Other Income
Cost of Producing Milk (total
costs less other income)
$57,079
Hundredweights of milk sold
8,875
Cost per cwt. of milk sold**
$===
$6.43
Average price received
$_-­
$6.41
* Figured at $6,000 per operator (there were 682 operators on 571 farms).
** Does not include any charge for management.
The average cost of producing milk using the whole farm figures has been
calculated for selected years and is shown below. The average price received
is also reported.
Table 37.
Year
1959
1965
1969
1970
1971
1972
i~
COST OF PRODUCING MILK AND PRICES RECEIVED
Operatorfs
labor
Cwt. milk
sold
Cost
Eer cwt.
Av. price
received
$3,600
3,600
5,400
3,274
5,239
7,617
8,222
8,617
8,875
$4.76
4.18
5.41*
$4.73
4.41
5.80
6.10
6.21
6.41
5,400
5,400
6,000
Used 10/0 interest charge (in previous years
5.73*
5.84*
6.43*
5%
was used) •
Age ot Operator
Questions are otten asked about the age ot the cooperators and the
_relationships, it any, to the nature ot the business. Ages were obtained tor
the 1972 records and an anal3'&is made based on age ot the operator8. For
partnerships, the age of the senior partner .... used.
AGE OF OPERATOR AND FARM ORGANIZATION
571 NEW YORK DAIRY FARMS, 1~72
TABLE 38.
--------------------~------------------------------------------NUMBER
MAN
NO. OF
NUMBER
NUMBER
NUMBER
FREE
EQUI
VCROP
HEIFERS
AGE
OF
FARMS
cowS
OF
________________________________________
__
______ STALL
__
UNDER 30
30
34
39
35
44
itO
49
1t5
54
50
55 £. OVER
---
67
88
101
94
65
74
62
37
42
44
50
48
49
59
02
64
77
78
76
76
51
~&fS
ALf~I
160
168
184
210
201
213
178
1.9
2.u
2.1
2.5
2.6
2.5
2.7
aA~S
18
24
35
31
21
21
30
---------------------------------------------------------~-~----
!he age distribution ot the cooperators was tairq even with the large8t
group being those 35-39 (table 38). This is as expected since the J'O\Dl8
tar.mers who are getting establis~ed are most interested in the business
management projects. Some of the older tar.merB mt.¥ bave had 80nS in partner­
ship with them. The age groIXps under 40 had amaller 8iz;! herds, 1eaa crop
acres;, and smaller man equivalents.
TABLE 39.
AGE OF OPERATOR AND BUSINESS SUMMARY
511 NEW YORK D~IRY FARMS, 1912
--------------------------------~------------------------------'AGE TOT Al
TBTAL
NUMBER
LABOR INCOME
_____________
UNDER 30
-- 3439
40 - 44
45 - 49
50 - 54
30
35
55 &. OVER
~RfCfl£IS_~
$50,039
62,543
62,090
74,920
79,99Q
77,203
74,053
___
fxeE~S
$39,475
45,528
45,412
55,104
60,939
55,931
52,814
_____OefEAIORS___ffa_DefBAIOR
.
1.2
1.1
1.0
1.1
1.2
1.4
1.5
$7,171
6,081
5,265
5,379
4,962
5,058
5.590
----------------------------------------------------------------The grou;ps over 50 had the highest average numbers ot operators, which is
a-likely retlection ot the tather and son partnerShips. The receipts and
expenses were saller tor the 86e groups 'Wlder 1&0. The ymmg men under 30 bad
the highest average labor incomea, while the groups from 45 to 54 had the lowest.
37 TABLE 40.
AGE OF OPEkATOR AND CAPITAL INVESTMENT 571 NEW YORK DAIRY FARMS, 1912 ___________
____________
-------------""-----------------------------------------­
.E..till_.w.v.ENI.QB.L.~A.l...ULllE&.c
__AGf_________ 'AII~f-~ ___ ~~AC~~fa~ ___ LA~O_k_a~IlGS&_____IQIAL__
$34,619
38,613
38,823
43,244
46,322
45,273
46,362
UNDER. 30
30 3540 45 50 55. t.
34
39
44
49
54
OVER
$134,356 $64,836
78,008
7,6,987
97,563
99,336
103,560
93,385
S27,()62
30,867
':;3,643
31,376
3b,923
38,186
35,285
156,~81 159,336
189,359
193,911
199,405
185,319
-----------...--------------------------------------~----The average total capital investment was lowest for the age groUp under 30. This is as expected since these young men are just getting started in faming. The largest total investment was for the age group 50 to 54. The operators 50-54 had the largest machinery and land and building investments but slight~ lower cattle investillents. AGE OF OPERATOR AND EFFICIENCY FACTORS 571 NEW YORK DA[RY FARMS, 1972 TABLE 41.
----------------------------------------------------------------____
____
MACHINERY
CuRN
FEED
~
Las&_!lL~
AGE
_____________
.UNOER 30
34
30
35
39
44
40
49
45
54
50
55 t. OVER
---
-
PER
,O~
SILAGE
________ PER ______TONS
fER_Atj£
______ COST
12,400
12,700
1.2,400
12,400
12,400
13,100
12,600
_HA~
380,70G
390,300
388,100
386,300
364,700
386,<;100
342,700
£f&_'O~
10
10
10
10
10
11
11
175
177
189
177
182
193
171
_____ [S OF
Hl~~_
26
26
24
26
26
25
27
----------------------------------------------------------------There did not seem to be any detinite relationship between Jlge and ef'ficieney factors. It is of interest to observe. tho.t milk sold per man was lowest for the 55 and over age group and the highest was the 30-34 sse group. In general, the businesses varied some by the age of operator, but B8e did not seem to be a major factor affecting the efficiency or the labor incomes of these dairy farm businesses. --------------------- ------------
...-.~----
Farms With Free-Stall Barns
A total. of 198 of the 571 farms in the 1972 SumDI8.l'J reported having
.tree-stall barns. These were separated out for anelysis. The averages for
the tree-stall operations have been compared with the other types of housing
in table 42.
TABLE 42.
COMPARISON OF FARMS WITH fREE-STAll BARNS AND ALL OTHERS 571 NEW YORK DAIRY FARMS. 1972 --------------------------------------~----------.--------------FARMS WITH
FARMS wITH
ITEM
MY fARM
FREE STALL
NUMBER OF FARMS
..suE
MAN EQUIVALENT
NUMBER OF COWS
lBS. MILK SOLD
t51LlS._fB.Q.QUC.EIl
lBS. MILK SOLO PER cow
lBS. MTLK SOLD PER HAN
UUIAJ.._JJ.s.f.
lAND & BUILDING VALUE
TOTAL INVENTORY VALUE
lAND & BUILDING PER COW
TOTAL INVENTqRY PER COW
TOTAL INVENTORY PER MAN
TOT. INV. PER CWT. MILK tllSI_U'-lOB..s. TOT4L LABUR COST
TOTAL MACHINERY COST
LABOR COST PER COw
MACHINERY COST PER COW
lABOP & MACHINERY COST
PER CWT. MILK
VETERINARY COST PER cow
El~H'lAl-S~~~AB1
TOTAL FARM RECEIPTS
TOTAL FAFM EXPENSES
LABOR INCOME PER OPfRATQR
RECEIPTS PER COW
EXPENSe PER cow
LABOR INCOME PER COW
s._______.. . __
$ _ _ _ __
$$_-----­
_ _ _ _ _ __
$-----.-..­
$_------­
,--:'------­
,-------­
$_-------­
,-------­
$ ________ _
,------­
$_-------­
$_------­
$ __.-.____ _
i _________
$_-------$ ________ _
OTHER TYPES
198
373
2.9
97
1,233,600
2.0
56
703.600
12,700
432,300
349,100
$118,477
$236,353
$1,262
$2,517
$84,014
$20
$17,053
S17,163
S181
$182
12,500
$70,978
$140,568
$1, 261
$2,522
$69,415
$20
S11,381
$"1.888
SZ09
s180
$2.90
$15
$97,54,
$71,90<3
,539,322
$7,139
$,+,8l1
$54,380
Sl,OOl
$9bo
5733
S090
s105
$98
-------------------------------------------- ... _-------­
39 TABLE 43.
COMPARISON Of FARMS WITH FREE-STALL AND OTHER TYPES OF BARNS
BY HERD SIlE, 571 NEW YORK DAIRY FARMS, 1972
---________________ tlf&U-S1Lf-____ ______________
----------------~-------------------~---------------------------lESS THAN
60 TO
80 TO
100 TO
120 OR
~
---------__ -------bQ_'Q~S___ 1~_'QWS ___g2_'Q~S __ 112_'DWS_~DBE_tDWS
NUMBER OF FARMS
FREE STALL
OTHER
28
254
NUMBER OF MEN
fREE STALL
OTHER
46
11
14
37
23
33
11
1.7
2.1
2.3
2.7
3.1
3.4
3.4
47
44
69
66
89
88
109
104
158
151
51,292
Sl,223
Sl,322
$1,216
$1,332
$1,528
$1,267
$1,436
$1,324
LeS. MILK SOLO/COW
FREE STALL
11,900
OTHER
12,400
12,700
12,400
12,800
13,lno
13,400
13,300
LBS. MILK SOLO/MAN
FREE STALL
311,200
OTHER
327,600
428,800
383,100
426,100
373,500
435,000
436,100
513,300
418,200
S175
S191
5176
S199
$191
S197
S168
S194
$188
$171
S114
$189
$116
$146
$15
$13
S16
S18
514
SIS
$4,660
$4,126
$7,342
$5,140
SlO,~68
NUMBER OF caws
fREE STALL
OTHER
LAND & BLDGS./CQW
fREE STALL
OTHER
1-.8
LABOR COST/Caw
fREE STALL
OTHER
S217
MACHINERY COST/COW
fREE STALL
OTHER
5201
$183
VETERINARY COST/COW
fREE STALL
OTHER
S210
54
12,500
$15
$13
S14
S14
LABOR.INC./OPER4TOR
FREE STALL
$2,720
OTHER
$4,729
$5,151
58,085
Sl,113
13,000
$5,489
~---------------------------------------------------------------
In general, for each herd size, the free-stall fa.rms had fewer men but
more cows, higher machinery but lower l&bor cost per cow, and (except for less
than 60 cows) higher labor incomes per operator than the other farms.
-....
40
Table 44.
SELECTED FARM BUSINESS SUMMARY FACTORS
New York Dairy Farms, Selected Years 1962-1972
Year
Item
Number of farms
¥inancial Summary
Average capital invested
Total farm receipts
Total farm expenses
Labor income per operator
Size of Business
Number of cows
Pounds of milk sold
Crop acres
.Man equivalent
Total work units
Rates of Production
Milk sold per cow
Tons hay per acre
Tons corn silage per acre
Labor Efficiency
Cows per man
Pounds milk sold per man
Work units per man
Cost Control Factors
Machinery cost per cow
Machinery cost/cwt. milk
Feed bought per cow
Feed bought/c'Vrt. milk
Feed & crop expense/cwt. milk
i Feed is of milk receipts
Ca~ital Efficiency
Total investment per man
Total investment per cow
Machinery investment/cow
Total investment/cwt. milk
Other
Price per cwt. milk sold
Acres hay & hay crop silage
Acres corn silage
Total acres in crops/cow
Lime & fertilizer expense
per crop acre
Farm income per cow
Labor income per cow
1962
1967
1971
1972
503
548
569
571
$53,541
$21,351
$16,406
$2,019
$88,050
$44,309
$31,545
$7,511
$147,378
$64,682
$44,857
$8,127
$173,780
$68,376
$49,636
$5,835
38
394,893
101
1.8
524
51
616,600
138
1.9
594
67
861,700
185
2.2
729
70
887,500
188
2.3
754
10,392
1.8
12
12,100
2.6
17
12,900
2.7
16
12,700
2.4
11
21
219,385
291
27
324,700
313
30
391,700
331
30
385,900
328
$106
$1.02
$147
$1.41
$1.66
33i
$137
$1.13
$165
$1.37
$1.74
26i
$173
$1.34
$194
$1.51
$1.95
24i
$177
$1.40
$206
$1.62
$2.06
25i
$30.,074
$1,425
$296
$14
$48,300
$1,800
$397
$15
$69,680
$2,290
$478
$18
$75,560
$2,480
$489
$20
$4.33
70
16
2.7
$5.25
76
24
2.7
$6.21
155
51
2.8
$6.41
156
57
2.7
$7
$130
$60
$12
$250
$147
$13
$296
$142
$13
$268 $99 4l
FARM BUSINESS SUMMARY
Average of 28 New York Dairy Crop Farms, 1972
RECEIPTS
CAPITAL INVESTMENT
1/1/72
1/11a
Livestock
$ 30,256 $ 35, 0
Feed & supplies
14,809
13,702
Machinery & equipment
35,801
39,529
Land & buildings
96,017
99.222
TOTAL INVESTMENT
$176,883 $188,093
EXPENSES
Labor
Hired
Feed
--niiry concentrate
Hay and other
Machinery
Machine hire
Machinery repair
Auto expense
Gas and oil
Livestock
Purchased animals
Breeding fees
Veterinary, medicine
other livestock expense
Crops
Fertilizer and lime
Seeds and plants
Spray and other
Real Estate
Land, building, fence repair
Taxes
Insurance
Rent
Other Cash Expense
Telephone (farm share)
Electricity (farm share)
Miscellaneous
TOTAL CASH EXPENSES Machinery depreciation Building depreciation Unpaid labor TOTAL FARM EXPENSES
$ 6,896
9,405
111
Milk sales
Livestock sold
Crop sales
Government payments
Gas tax refund
Machine work
Work off farm
Miscellaneous
TOTAL CASH RECEIPTS
Increase in livestock
and feed inventories
TOTAL FARM RECEIPTS
$43,111
6,763
9,999
1,694
168
387
358
1,531
$64,011
4,277
$68,288
FINANCIAL SUMMARY
680
3,264
214
2,097
3,730
579
804
2,754
Total Farm Receipts
Total Farm Expenses
Farm Income
Int. on av. capital @ ?'/o
Farm Labor Income
Number of operators (33)
LABOR INCOME/OPERATOR
$68,288
49,052
$19,236
12,774
$ 6,462
1.17
5,523
BUSINESS FACTORS
2,976
1,376
910
1,112
1,956
955
1,502
216
847
926
$43,310
4,639
593
510
$49,052
Man equivalent
2.4
Number of cows
54
Number of heifers
41
Acres of hay
100
Acres of corn silage
50
Total acres of crops
263
Lbs. of milk sold
685,500
Lbs. of milk sold/cOW
12,700
Tons hay/acre
2.6
Tons corn Silage/acre
Lbs. of milk SOld/man
285,600
Cows per man
23
%Feed is of milk receipts
2'C'/o
Feed & crop expense/cwt. milk $2.14
Lime & fertilizer/crop acre
$11
Machinery cost/cow
$251
Av. price/cwt. milk
$6.29
11
42
FARM BUSINESS SUMMARY
26 New York Dairy Renters Farms, 1972
CAPITAL INVESTMENT
RECEIPTS
$1/1~72 $1'1/73
Livestock
31, 57 3 ,719
Feed & supplies
9,784
9,996
Machinery & equipment 20,532
22,900
0
Land & buildings
0
TOTAL INVESTMENT
$61,973 $67,615
EXPENSES
Labor
Hired
$ 4,390
Feed
--niiry concentrate
13,164
Hay and other
405
Machine!:,l
Machine hire
472
Machinery repair
2,354
Auto expense
176
Gas and oil
1,156
Livestock
Purchased animals
3,278
Breeding fees
692
Veterinary, medicine
948
Other livestock expense
2,249
Crops
Fertilizer and lime
1,666
Seeds and plants
490
Spray and other
338
Real Estate
Land, building, fence repair
511
Taxes
84
Insurance
624
Rent
5,056
Other Cash Expense
Telephone (farm share)
179
Electricity (farm share)
972
Miscellaneous
625
TOTAL CASH EXPENSES
Machinery depreciation
Building depreciation
Unpaid labor
TOTAL FARM EXPENSES
$39,829
3,449
0
300
$43,578
Milk sales
Livestock sold
Crop sales
Government payments
Gas tax refund
Machine work
Work off farm
Miscellaneous
TOTAL CASH RECEIPTS
Increase in livestock
and feed inventories
TOTAL FARM RECEIPTS
$47,398
6,613
1,158
475
72
102
28
~21
$56,167
3,274
$59,441
FINANCIAL SUMMARY
Total Farm Receipts
Total Farm Expenses
Farm Income
Int. on avo capital @ 710
Farm Labor Income
Number of operators (29)
LABOR INCOME/OPERATOR
$59,441
43 2578
$15,863
4 2 535
$11,328
1.11
$10,205
BUSINESS FACTORS
Man equivalent
2.0
Number of cows
58
Number of heifers
42
Acres of hay
96
Acres of corn silage
52
Total acres of crops
170
Lbs. of milk sold
730,400
Lbs. milk sOld/COW
12,600
Tons hay/acre
2.3
Tons corn Silage/acre
12
Lbs. of milk SOld/man
365,200
Cows per man
29
%Feed is of milk receipts
2F!P/o
Feed & crop expense/cwt. milk $2.14
Lime & fertilizer/crop acre
$10
Machinery cost/cow
$157
Av. price/cwt. milk
$6.49
FARM -BUSINESS SUMMARY Top 10 Percent of the Farms by Labor Income 571 New York Dairy Farms, 1972 CAPITAL INVESTMENT
RECEIPTS
EXPENSES
Milk sales
Livestock sold
Crop sales
Government payments
Gas tax refund
Machine work
Work off farm
Miscellaneous
1/1/72
1~1/73
Livestock
$ 58,840 $ 5,595
16,371
Feed & supplies
15,339
44,413
Machinery & equip.
41,677
108,781 112,932
Land & buildings
TOTAL INVESTMENT $224,637 $239,318
Labor
$10,513
Hired
Feed
--niiry concentrate
20,855
Hay and other
1,093
Machinery
1,161
Machine hire
4,125
Machinery repair
Auto expense
307
Gas and oil
1,995
Livestock
4,043
Purchased animals
Breeding fees
989
Veterinary, medicine
1,563
Other livestock expense
3,591
Crops
Fertilizer and lime
3,846
Seeds and plants
1,235
Spray and other
988
Real Estate
1,406
Land, building, fence repair
2,482
Taxes
1,811
Insurance
Rent
1,655
Other Cash Er¥ense
Telephone ~arm share) 296
Electricity (f~rm share) 1,304
Miscellaneous 1,350
TOTAL CASH EXPENSES Machinery depreciation Building depreciation Unpaid labor TOTAL FARM EXPENSES
$66,608
6,002
553
540
$73,703 TOTAL CASH RECEIPTS
Increase in livestock
& feed inventories
TOTAL FARM RECEIPTS
$·92,226
11,994
433
888
137
78
85
2,139
$107,980
7,787
$115,767
FINANCIAL SUMMARY
Total Farm Receipts
Total Farm Expenses
Farm Income
Int. on avo capital @ 7%
Farm Labor Income
Number of operators (65)
LABOR INCOME/OPERATOR
$115,767
73 2 703
$ 42,064
16,238
$ 25,826
1.14
$ 22,654
BUSINESS FACTORS
Man equivalent
2.8
Number of cows
105
Number of heifers
63
Acres of hay
109
Acres of corn silage
97
Total acres of crops
263
Lbs. of milk sold
1,444,300
Lbs. milk SOld/cow
13,800
Tons hay/acre
2.7
Tons corn Silage/acre
12
Lbs. of milk SOld/man
515,800
Cows per man
38
% Feed is of milk receipts
23%
& crop expense/cwt. milk $1.86
Lime & fertilizer/crop acre
$15
Machinery cost/cow
$158
Av. price/cwt. milk
$6.39
Fe,
44
FARM BUSINESS SUMMARY
Average of 571 New York Dairy Fanns, 1972
RECEIPI'S
CAPITAL INVISTMENT
141/ 73
$ 2,003
10,074
34,255
87,448
$173,780
$1/§1u
3, 3
10,549
31,703
82 2379
TOTAL INVESTMENT $163,274
Livestock
Feed & supplies
Machinery & equip.
Lane & buildings
EXPENSES
Labor
Hired
$ 5,431
Feed
--niiry concentrate
14,403
Hay and other
615
Machinery
Machine hire
700
Machinery repair
2,816
281
Auto expense
Gas and oil
1,519
Livestock
Purchased animals
3,144
Breeding fees
702
Veterinary, medicine
1,025 Other livestock expense
2,462 Crops
Fertilizer and lime
2,484
Seeds and plants
774
Spray and other
618
Real Estate
Land, building, fence repair 1,165
Taxes
1,604
Insurance
1,123
Rent
816
Other Cash ~ense
Telephone~arm share)
243
Electricity (farm share)
999
Miscellaneous
739
$43,663
4,784
•. 439
750
$49,636
TOTAL CASH EXPENSES
Machinery depreciation
Building depreciation
Unpaid labor
TOTAL FARM EXPENSES
Milk sales
Livestock sold
Crop sales
Government payments
Gas tax refund
Machine ,'lOrk
Work off farm
Miscellaneous
TOTAL CASH RECEIPI'S
Increase in livestock
& feed inventories
TOTAL FARM RECEIPTS
•
Total Farm Receipts
Total Farm Expenses
Farm Income
Int. on avo capital @ 1%
Farm Labor Income
Number of operators (682)
LABOR INCOME/OPERATOR
$68,376
49 2636
$18,740
1l!796
$ 6,944
1.19
$ 5,835
BUSINESS FACTORS
Man equivalent
2.3
Number of cows
70
Number of heifers
45
Acres of hay
96
Acres of corn silage
60
Total acres of crops
188
Lbs. of milk sold
887,500
12,680
Lbs. of milk sOld/cow
Tons hay/acre
2.4
Tons corn Silage/acre
11
Lbs. of milk sold/man
385,870
Cows per man
30
i Feed is of milk receipts
25%
Feed & crop expense/cwt. milk $2.06
Lime & fertilizer/crop acre
$13
Machinery cost/cow
$177
Av. price/cwt. milk
$6.41
~J-/~! Jf' --;-la -I
2 2885
$68,376
FINANCIAL SUMMARY
-::- C5 vtj /
L(JI ____-t{5
$56,858
6,811
358
504
111
74
60
715
$65,491
S/)..