The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1896-01-20
FARM AND GARDEN NOTES.

ter of the herd for economical produc-
ton is the foundation stone. If the one
COW in the herd makes for its owner
$40 a year more than another the diff
ference is 10 per cent on 500, and, as
a mere investment therefore, the cow
that does this is worth very considera-
bly, more than her less productive sis
ter. There is only one way by which
the production of the individual can be
aScertained. The yield Of milk is mo
criterion, for a. cow may fill the pail
we'll and make less money for her own
er than another animal that gives a
much smaller quantity of milk. The
profitableness of the COW depends upon
three elements: First, the number
of pounds of milk per year; second, the
percentage of butter fat in the milk,
and third. the cost at which the animal
produces the milk in which the amount
of butter fat has been ascertained by
the first two steps. While breed counts
for something, individuality seems to
count for even more. We expect more
good dairy cows from a breed that has
Ions been bred for dairy purposes, and
yet to rely upon breed might be very
disappointing. For example, a pro
tracted test of the herd from calf to
calf at the Minnesota agricultural col
lege, in which the milk yield, the per
centage of butter fat and the cost of
feed were taken into consideration,
showed that of twenty-three COWS test
ed, that which produced butter fat at
the highest cost per pound, 17.3 cents,
was grade HolStein. while that which
produced butter fat at the lowest cost
per pound, 10.4 cents, was also a grade
HolStein. The Jerseys ranged in cost
per pound from 1915 to 1916 cents; the
grade Jerseys from ia cents to 14.4
cents; the Guernseys from 11.S cents
to 1871 cents. The JerSey-Guernsey
cross breeds ranged from 11.2 cents to
1873 cents. Here it is manifested that
breed does not settle the question Of
profitable production, but that individ-
uality does Counting butter worth 20
cents pound, say, one of the grade
Holsteins made during the period of
lactation $40 worth of butter at a cost
of 1927, while the other grade Hol-
stein made $3.50 worth of butter at a
cost Of $42.43.
A fourth consideration here enters
into the question, namely, the length of
the period of lactation. A cow might
produce butter fat ever so cheaply, and
yet if she gave milk but six months
in the year, might be losing invest
ment to her owner, because, while she
has to be kept all the time, she works
but half the time. Dairymen who wish
to have their business we'll in hand
and know what they are doing all the
time, have these four things to look
after in determining whether individ-
ual COWS are profita bic to them They
must know the milk yield, they must
know the percentage of butter fat it
contains. they must know the cost at
which it is produced, and they must
know the length of time the animal is
engaged in its production. The Ger
mans have a saying that none ever fail
in business who keep books well. The
maxim, like a good many others, must
be taken with some grains of allow
ance, but certain it is that no dairy
man need long be a loser on any COW
of his herd. provided he keeps books
with each animal in the herd If he
doesn't, he is liable to lose money with
out knowing exactly where it went,
and to credit some animals with the
profit that do not make it, and charge
others with a loss when they have per
hapS made a profit.