The pioneer-review. [volume] (Philip, Haakon County, S.D.) 1920-current, 1922-05-18

| Testing differentiates between
cows kept at a profit and those
kept at "A loss Even though =
herd Of dairy COWS is known to
produce a profit. there may be \
| few individuals in the herd whicA
produce no profit at all and thus
detract from the profits produced
by the others.
Aside from the fact that testing
eliminates the Improbable COW
from he herd it is also of great
value in selecting only the very
best animals for breeding stock.
BY raising the calves of the high
est producing COWS, the average
production Of the herd is greatly
increased from year to year. Test
ing is a method of finding out
which animals in the herd are
worthy of forming the foundation
stock of the future herd.
Gathering Data on Milk Production
Record keeping Is not SO difficult
/
it is considerable Of a task to keep
individual records of milk and but
terfat every day in the year. A.
a rule, this method is followed
only in official testing. The plan
here outlined is to weigh and
test the milk for two days each
month and thus get a fairly ac-
curate calculation Of the yield of
each COW.
Four consecutive milkings arc
weighed and recorded on monthly
forms furnished by the Extention
Service An accurate household
scales will answer for this purpose
although regulation milk scales are
preferable Multiply the total milk
yield for the two days by IA, Is
or l5i2. according to the number
of days that there are in the
month. The result is the calculat-
ed milk yield for each month.
SampIing
Secure some bottles. each bottle
plainly marked with the name or
number Of COW. The bottles need
not have a capacity of moro than
four ounces of milk. Place in eacn
bottle some corrosive sublimate
which can be secured at any drug
store. One fourth of a tablet is
sufficient to preserve a four ounce
sample of milk several days until
tested.
Great Importance is attached to
the securing of representative sam
pies of milk for testing. Unless
samples are carefully and accurate
ly taken. the test is of no value
whatever. Each COW is to be milk
ed dry, and all of her milk thor
oughly mixed. either by pouring
from one container to another, by
stirring with a long handled dip
per, or by both methods.
From each of the four milkings
weighed, fill the bottles one fourth
full after thoroughly stirring the
milk. Thus, samples from four
milkings fill the bottles, and com
posite samples of the milk of each
COW are secured for a two-day
period.
Testing and Recording
After two days, four milkings.
these samples are to be taken to
the cream station to be tested. The
record sheet is to be taken there
at the same time so that the test
may be entered in the proper col
umn. When the sheet is returned
the calculated milk yield of each
COW is to be multiplied by the per
cent of fat found in the sample of
her milk. The results will be the
pounds of butterfat to be credited
to each COW for the month.
The total milk production, but
terfat production. and test are
then transferred to the form pro-
vided for the yearly summary. This
takes but little time each month
and if followed up consistently
month after month, will give
good approximation of the yield Of
milk and butterfat Of the year.
Both forms will be supplied, as
needed. by the Extension Service,
South Dakota State College, Brook
ings, South Dakota.
Certificates and Awards
After .certification by the mixer
the tester, the county agent and
the extension dairy specialist, the
State Dairy Association issues n
certificate of production for each
COW producing POO pounds of but
terfat or more during the twelve
months. The State Dairy Assoc
iation also awards suitable prizes
| for the first, second and third
highest producing cows each year.
Cows on official test are not elli-
pible to compete for prizes. hut |