Dairy farming in Staphorst, IJhorst, and Rouveen had always been an important source of income because of the dominant position of cattle breeding. Around 1900 the factory manufacture of butter was started. The independent milk collector came daily with his horse and cart to pick up the milk cans. After he had unloaded them, the contents were measured and then weighed. Subsequently he would deliver skim milk or whey back to the farmer, who would feed this mostly to the pigs.