The Lamar register. [volume] (Lamar, Colo.) 1889-1952, 1913-07-02
Kteplng Herd Records.

have kept records of production
and test of their cows. invariably
place a high value ON those records.
The writer visits hundreds of dairy
men. Frequently one Is found VINO
has done systematic record keeping
for a period df years. Recently one
man who keeps . herd of forty cow
said, This is my fifth year at keep
ing tally on each and every COW in
the herd. In regard to the value
of those records to me l will say
that were you to offer me $1,000 II
l should remove the scales. record
sheet and tester and keep NO record
for one year, l should refuse the
$1,000 and keep the recording out
fit. 1t is worth $1,000 to me to
two COWS I thought my best were
found to be amongst the poorest
and were sold off. I have learned
a great many things from the re-
cords. We have come to be more
regular in milking and feeding.
scqw that 10 the least bit off In
condition shows 1t on the tally sheet
before We should notice 1t other
wise. recommend Weighing and
testing to every man who milks
cows"
Another dairyman was found to
be equally enthusiastic. We can
do no better than to quote his
words. He said. This is but my
keepsecond year 1t systematic re-
cord keeping. 1t appears as though
my profits will b. $50 Per COW
above what they were last year
may say that the $50 Increase has
been learned from the records of
last year. cannot NOW see how
got along at all before l began
keeping records. can say that
were l to start In dairying again
and were offered my choice be-
tween taking a herd OF likely look
ing COWS and not having q tester or
taking the tester and scales and no
cows, 1 should take the tester and
scales without the cows. They could
lose me mo- money. But the cows
without the tester and scales would
lose me money. 1t cost me $50 per
year to keep each COW. l cannot
afford to not know exactly what
each COW 10 doing"
Those two men may be unusually
enthusiastic over the matter. How
ever. records are of immense value
to every dairyman. One man who
has built up one of the best herds
in his locality says that he has
handled seventy cows in Oredr to
secure twenty-four that are sat
isfactory. 1t is a simple proposition
to keep the records. A large re-
cord sheet that can be secured from
one of the standard dairy papers or
dairy supply houses should be tack
ed up in the barn or at the place
where the milk is emptied into the
large cans. The scales should hang
conveniently near by. One man
says that since his mixers have got.
ten INTO Tue TOutAue Vi the Woh
it requires an average of ten sec
onds for them to weigh the milk
and record 1t on the blanks. The
testing is usually done once each
month, samples of the evenings and
mornings milking being taken for
that purpose. Some men who have
not used a tester hesitate on that
account Yet anyone can learn to
operate 1t. One man who purchased
a new tester, took it home in the
evening, fastened it to his dining
room table and studied the direc-
tions with his boys for twenty min
utes. Then they made their first
test and since they have used it
regularly. Now the man Is suffi-
ciently expert to do official testing
for the experiment. station. Often
times a field man from the U. S.
Dairy Division or representative
of the state experiment station can
be occurred to help with the first
test. The investment OF $40 In n
testing outfit will give the big re-