Manufacturing milk producers in Henry County, Tennessee : Problem A: Characteristics of Henry County manufacturing milk producers and their farms : Problem B: Management practices of Henry County manufacturing milk producers : Problem C: Factors influencing dairy management practice adoption by Henry County manufacturing milk producers : three related special problems in lieu of thesis /

In the four year period, 1962-65, dairying ranked third in importance as a source of agricultural income in Tennessee (20:1). * Annual receipts averaged about 85 million dollars for the period of 1961-65. Also, there were approximately 444, 000 dairy cows in Tennessee in 1965. Average milk production per Tennessee cow that year was only 5,000 pounds, while the average American cow was producing 8, 080 pounds (18:1) . Some research (19:1) suggests that manufacturing milk production per cow of less than 5, 500 pounds is unprofitable, and that cows producing below that amount should be culled and replaced. Henry County is located in the northeast corner of the Western Division of Tennessee. It is bordered on the north by the state of Kentucky, on the east by the Tennessee River and by Benton County. The south boundary is with Carroll County and the west boundary with Weakley County. The· agriculture of the county is rat her diversified, a little more than one-half of the agricultural income coming from the sale of livestock pro ducts and a little under one-half coming from the sale of crops. Dairying ranks third in importance and is exceeded only in dollar value by the sale of cattle and calves and by: crops (5:2 17). Manufacturing milk production started on the increase in 1950 when Pet Milk Company located a buying plant at Paris, Tennessee. Three field men were assigned to Henry and six surrounding counties to establish routes and work with producers on recommended management practices leading to high prod suction.