Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1904-02-04
VALUE OF DAIRY COWS.

VALUE OF DAIRY COWS.
Necessity Of Keeping Dairy Records
of Individual Cows Emphasized by
Dairy Commissioner Kaufman.
Dairy Commissioner Kaufman in
an address on dairying in the state be-
fore the tri-state grain growers, gave
out some information and suggestions !
that ought to be in the hands of all
dairymen and farmers in the state
He said:
1.-THE census of 1900 shows that the
average butter production per COW in
North Dakota was only 105 pounds.
If butter is worth 20 cents per pound
we have the magnificent income of $21
for butter produced in twelve months.
Really this is not very desirable
statement to make and looks like
there was more loss than profit At
the same time if the average produc-
ton amounted to los pounds there are
undoubtedly a large number of cows
which produced considerably less than
that amount and an equally large num-
her that give considerable more. I
wouldn't like anything better than to-
be able to place my finger upon the
COWS in North Dakota that in 1899
ny,oduood rnor, &hop 06n ,@o,,odc 10 I,,+ .
ter. I know where there are a half
dozen that can be found and. presume
there are quite a number. But how
many farmers are there that have
kept a record Of their dairy work in
such a manner as to be able to tell
definitely how much butter their COWS
make in year. This Is really the
point up to which am 1eading-that
Of keeping record of our dairy herds,
Individually as we'll as collectively.
And when it is found that a COW has
been kept at loss for twelve months
get rid of her and obtain some better
ones. As I study the annual reports
of the creameries am becoming more
and more cranky in regard to this mat
ter Of keeping records. am COM
PEELED to again announce that there
are any number of farmers in the
state that are unable to tell how many
COWS they have MIXED on the average
for the past year or to make any state
ment in regard to the annual produc-
ton of each COW. If they are patron
izing a creamery they can tell how
much milk and cream was delivered
to the factory and how much money
was received for the same, providing
they go to the creamery and find out,
for I presume not one-tenth of the
creamery patrons keep even that
much of record. It does seem to me
like the time has now arrived when
the dairymen should wake up and
know What he is doing: know if each
branch of his business is making him
profit or loss; find out where the
leak occurs if there is one. and re-
pair the break or else quit that branch
Of farming. =x...
The Illinois experiment station plac-
ed man in the field to cooperate
with the farmers in testing their dairy
4 herds. At the end of the first, year
the record of eight herds, containing
I44 COWS was completed. In one herd
out Of the eight every individual COW
was actually kept at loss, conse-
quently that farmer lost money on his
dairy operations and had been doing
4 It for years and years but never was
aware Of the fact until the station
came along and induced him; to keep
record Of some kind. In one herd
every individual cow made profit fol
Z her owner. In the remainder of these
!. herds cows we're found that did moi
I pay for the feed consumed although q
profit was made on the whole herd
4 It IS needless to state that the profit
would have been greater had the poor.
est COWS been kept out OF the test
Taking the IA cows 1t was found
that the poorest COW was kept at 9
loss Of .S3 and the best COW made
for her owner q profit of $57.22 d
there was : difference between the
\ best and poorest COW of 1905. Nov
these farmers had been doing Just u