Emmons County record. [volume] (Williamsport, D.T. [i.e. N.D.]) 1884-current, 1913-06-26
VALUE OF DAIRY cow
tBy G. l.. MARTIN. Professor OF Dairy
Ing. North Dakota Agricultural Col

By s kolh AH paRsa xssss, of Pa Coy
lege.)
There are two factors that deter
mine the value of dairy COW. One
Is the individuality of the COW and
the other is the individuality of her
owner. Often the COW lacks in her
ability to produce milk economically,
but quite as frequently her owner has
serious shortcomings. The way to
check up both the COW and the man
Is to use the scale. tester, and record
sheet. II the COW has been given the
right kind and amount Of feed and
cared for intelligently the records
will show. They are an index alike
to the individuality of COW and man.
The way the COW Is fed and han.
died has a great deal to do with the
way she will produce. It is generally
conceded that one-third Of the Cows
do not pay for their keep; the second
one-third pay small profit, while
upon the last one-third lies the burden
Of bringing up the average of the
herd.
In order to get upon working
basis let us figure that the poorest
cows average $500 pounds of milk
annually. If this tests A per cent. 1t
will give 100 pounds Of butter-fat. At
80 cents per pound for butter-fat the
COWS will return $50 per year. Tho
second third of the COWS will average
1000 pounds of per cent. milk,
will give 100 pounds Of butter-fat. At
30 cents this will amount to $48 per
year. The best one-third Of the COWS
produce 5000 pounds of per cent.
milk and yield 240 pounds Of butter
Tat At 30 cents per pound this will
amount to s72 per year.
The average farmer does not
charge against the COW the cost Of
his labor nor the interest on the
money invested in the animal. Usual
Iy the value OF manure from one cow
for a year is estimated at 500 and
the value of grade calf at ten days
old at about IS, and the skim milk at
rs cents per hundred-about sS--a
total of s33. This will cover the cost
Of labor and interest on the money In
vested. In addition will be the cost
of feed for the COW which will aver
age about $40 per year in the north
west. This will bring the total cost
of maintaining COW to 500 per year.
1T will be seen thnt, the cows pro-
ducing less than 100 pounds of but
ter-fat will hardly pay for their keep
since the 100-pound COWS return q
total of only 500. The average one
third producing 100 pounds of butter
fat will return sS1 or net s18 per
head. This will amount to per
cent. on an investment OF 1925. The
best cows producing 240 pounds Of
butter-fat will return $105 and net s42
yer pear, which is equal to per
cent. interest on 5000.
The reason SO many people say
dairying does not pay is because they
have lot Of 100.pound cows. These
cows bring down the average of the
herd and reduce the net profits.
The factor that enters most strong
ly into the problem is the Individual
4 ity of the animal. II she is not of
the dairy tendencies, 1t matters lit
tie how she is handled, 1t will be
difficult to make her yield net re:
turns. On the other hand, the cows
must be cared for and fed intelligent
ly or the best dairy COW can not re-
turn net profits The real value of a
dairy COW is the sum of her inherent
milk-making tendencies coupled with
the feeding intelligence OF her owner.