The Record-courier. [volume] (Gardnerville, Nev.) 1904-current, 1914-09-18
Better Dairy Methods
Advocated by Expert

The present outlook in Nevada is
favorable for dairying. The great
increase in the alfalfa crop, the cut
ting up of large tracts into small
ranches. and the general trend to-
ward more intensive methods are
gradually turning the attention of
Nevada farmers toward the dairy
COW. The great majority of dairymen
are milking stock cattle-hat is
those who under former conditions
would have been turned out and al
lowed to raise calves. These COWS,
as a rule, are not heavy mixers and
profitable COWS to keep they cat
as much as better CONS ana il takes
as much labor to care for them. In
order To make dairying pay it is ne
cessarv TO give as much attention to
the business side OF 1t as is given to
any business. The farmer should
know how much it costs to feed a
COW and the the most economical
number of COWS TO keep with a given
supply of labor With this data he
car tell whether his herd or indivi-
dual COWS are paying him a profit or
are kept at loss. The keeping of
poor cows is not confined to Nevada
farmers. Other states have been
working for years to eliminate this
class of animals, and we have their
records and experience to help us
do tie same thing.
The University of California reports
that in 1912 the average production
of dairy COWS in that state was l25
pounds Of butter fat We have reason
to believe that the average in Neva-
da Is any better. although many in
diyidual herds exceed this, as they do
in other state. Those herds which
are above the average simply prove
that the average may be improved If
we work toward that end. Consider
ing the average COW, let us see what
returns she brings The average
price of butter-fat for the last year
has been approximately 30 cents.
This would give an income from the
average COW of $3.50. Supposing
she eats 5ia tons of hay, for the ma
jority of our farmers do not feed
grain, this would make our hay
bring MS s6S2 a ton without consid-
ering the cost of labor.
With such figures as these before
him the dairyman would naturally
feel that he had better get rid of his
lcows and bale his hay. or sell 10
stockmen. But let us consider what
can be made If we Gull out the poor
COWS. One farmer in Nevada has set
his standard at $50 pounds of bntter-
fat per COW. and he says that Wien
a COW does not come up to this she is
sold. Now this same farmer has one
COW which will produce 500 pounds of
butter-fat in a year. and il hia poor
est COW produces 250 pounds il is
safe to estimate an average in his
herd of 375 pounds of butter.fat Taxi
ing the same average price. e.,
80 cents pound for Lrttcf-ilt -
these cows return $li259 each,
which means $20.45 a ton for hay as
compared with $3.50 ton fer hay
Consumed by the average c1p.
Hcw TO Improve the Dair. Herd
There is littel doubt that if farm
er knows a COW does not pay, he will
dispose of her. but the question is:
What will he buy to take her place?
Isn't he likely to sell one COW for
beef and turn around and buy anoth-
er COW with the same or less money,
and isn't he likely to get just as poor
a COW? Now, if a farmer can buy a
lcow, whose yearly record is 300
pounds of butter-fat. for s175, would
it not pay him better than to buy two
COWS whose yearly records are 125