Oxford Democrat., 1915-02-23
Economy of Production.

Economy of Production.
| HoARD's DAIRYMAN:-So much space
and so much attention have been giver
to records that it would be we'll for the
careful breeder to give attention to other
factors which make for lasting success
in the breeding of pure bred dairy stock.
OF late, like the primate Of England
when the successes of British arms on
the continent during the meteoric career
of Marlborough were at their height, We
are forced to ask daily, What new
victories have we wou?' A YeksS Sun
beam, Emiuent's Bess, Colantha 4th's
Johanna have given way 10 a May Rll-
ma, Sophie 10th of Hood Farm and Lily
Alcartra. Even the tidy Ayrshire, the
product Of the canny Scot and the latest
to enter the field, is represented by Au-
chenbrain Brown Kate 4th. The 1000
pound butterfat COW is q reality. We
who are plodding along with the $50
pound producer blink our eyes aud ex-
claim, Can this be true?"
As result Of these records, marvel
Gus prices have been paid for near relat-
ed stock, aud some not 30 near. AnOth
er result was the stimulus given to test
ing of cows. There was chance some
one might possess May Rilma of their
breed aud not know it. The Babcock
test and the scales were put to work.
The stimulus of competition between
breeds and between animals of the same
breed increased in intensity. Seven-day
records, thirty day records, semi official
yearly records were made, and surpassed
almost as soon as made. Records in two
year-old form and records of younger
and older cows were made and broken.
Five pounds of butterfat in one day !!
One hundred pounds of milk daily! In
possible? Both have given place to still
larger yields, and the end is not yet in
sight. Even as this is written still
greater victories may be won.
ECONOMY OF PRODUCTION VITAL
While in this mad rush for worlds rec
ords, the careful breeder is keeping ever
before him a more important factor IN
successful dsirying. That is economy of
production. This means careful rec
ord of feed fed as we'll as the yield of
milk and butterfat. To the uniformed.
one of the marvels of these large records
is their relatively low cost. There is
nothing wonderful about it. Economy
is found wherever there is purposeful
endeavor, wherever the machine, boiler,
factory, or cow is worked to the fullest
capacity. The recent record of Tilly
Alcartra of 80, ASP pounds of milk is no
more wonderful than the fact that this
was produced at a cost of less than fifty
cents hundred, and the 951.3 pounds
of butterfat were produced at cost of
less than l6 cents pound. That breeder
who does not keep his eye single to this
fact, that in economy of production"
will come victory for individual or
breed, is in a large sense failure.
BEAUTY ESSENTIAL
In seeking his highest ideals, the
thoughtful breeder will not yield an
inch when insisting upon beauty, and
what is more beautiful in the dairy
mans eyes than COW with perfect lines
as laid down in the score card of all the
breeds. Aud what animal next to the
human can challenge higher place than
the COW, the foster mother of 30 many of
the race?
Who wants TO owna herd of cows, un-
gainly in appearance, coarse in the head,
with misshapen udder and other defects
which repel rather than attract? 1t is in
breeding for perfection in form that the
true art of breeding lies. The Babcock
test and the scale can get records, but
only the true breeder can get records
plus that perfection of external beauty
of the dairy form.
The breeding for beauty of form Is a
practical point in building up herd and
in extending sales. Health is first ne
cessity. The cow to be beautiful must
have the bloom of health. II she is
healthy she is a good feeder and conse-
quently has one essential for cheap pro-
ductiou. Further, when buyer comes
into stable of fne looking cows with
perfection of form written all over them,
he is agreesbly impressed. He may not
be able To deiue the reason, but he IL,
Just the same. On the other hand, il
the herd has many unattractive indIvid-
uals with pendulous, unbalanced udders,
and cosrseness, the impression ID fatal 10
quick sales. Cows with large yields will
sell, but what is the price the buyer will
pay for cows that not only yield well but
show the work OF the artist, moulded
beautifully in living flesh?
Get recordsl Yes, but do not sacrifice
form and beauty in the dairy animal.
"a chain is just as strong as its weakest
link" Have NO weak links in your
chain. As mentioned above, the Bah
cock test and the scale can get records.
IL Is a mechanical process. BY elimina-
ton the best is found with unfailiug GER
tainty. But in securing all the points
which make for a well balanced COW, it
takes giant among breeders, one with
an intimate knowledge Of the laws of
breeding which God gives only to the
few. Are you. as breeder, maintain
ing the ideals which will give you per-
mauent place as breeder, or are you
sacrificing some essentials in your desire
for records? There is no conflict be-
tween high production and dairy per-
fection. They are identical.-John Bow
or, Minnesota.