The Carbon County chronicle. [volume] (Red Lodge, Mont.) 1924-1924, 1924-08-06
COW TESTING PLAN
PROFITABLE IN The
KALISPELL AREA
FIRST YEARS WORK OF NEW
ASSOCIATION SHOWS VERY
ENCOURAGING RESULTS
Thirty-six herds were Tested with a
High score for Production Show
ing; Many Pure-bred Animals are
Being Added.

The first annual report of the
Flathead Cow Testing association
which was organized Juy 4, 1928,
made by +. X. Ford, tester, shows
that a total OF SO herds containing
$50 cows were tested with an av-
erage production of z443 pounds
OF milk and 287.4 pounds of
bntterfat from 247 cows tested
for ten months or more.
Fifty-three cows and four bulls
we're sent to the butcher as culls.
Members of the association purchased
eleven pure bred bulls, six pure
bred cows, Sc grade cows and nine
grade heifer calves. Forty-eight
grade cows and 10 grade heifers and
six purebred calves were sold by
members on the basis OF the testing
records.
While the average cost of produc-
ing butterfat was % IL cents a
pound, the lowest average cost of
production for herds made is Is IL
cents and tho highest is 80 cents
pound. The most economical COW
produced butterfat at a cost of 10
cents pound and the most expensive
cow produced at cost of 46 cents a
pound.
High Producing Herds
The 10 high herds OF those tested
for the entire year with their pro-
duction are as follows:
Herd No 8, consisting of two pure
bred Holsteins, which averaged IT,
103 pounds of milk and 522.7 pounds
of butterfat.
Hard Mo ooncfuffnn five Il a
ShorthOrns which averaged 1892
pounds of milk and $685. pounds Of
butterfat.
Herd No. 4, consisting of five grade
Holsteins, which averaged 11.044
pounds of milk and 402.6 pounds of
butterfat.
Herd No. 23, consisting of 10 regis
tered and grade Holsteins which av-
eraged 1876 pounds of milk and
346.1 pounds of butterfat.
Herd No. 10. consisting of 15 grade
Holsteins which averaged 9,639
pounds of milk and 339.9 pounds OF
butterfat.
Herd No. IL, consisting Of % regis
tered Holsteins which averaged o.
S57 pounds of milk and 1915 pounds
of butterfat.
Herd No. 3, consisting of rs head
of grade Jerseys, which averaged s.
sos pounds of milk and 3105 pounds
of butterfat.
Herd No. 6, consisting of seven
registered Holsteins and grade Short
horns which averaged 1877 pounds
of milk and 305.5 pounds of butter
fat.
Herd No. 5. consisting of seven
grade Holsteins which averaged g.
556 pounds OF milk and 1851 pounds
of butterfat.
Herd No. "a, consisting of five
grade Holsteins and Jerseys which
averaged $3.50 pounds of milk and
1895 pounds of butterfat.
High Producing Cow
The highest COW FOR the association
for the year was Johanna Aggie
Homestead, the registered Holstein
owned by o. X. Iverson of Kalispell.
She produced 25,018 pounds of milk
and 673.2 pounds of butterfat. in IL
months time. There were 10 cows
that produced over 400 pounds of
butterfat in the year
The herd having the lowest aver
age cost Of production was No. !,
consisting of five grade Holsteins
averaging 1925 pounds of butterfat;
with cost Is 1-2 cents a pound to
produce. The herd was fed choice
alfalfa hay and oats and barley grain
mixture, all COWS getting seven to
nine pounds of grain for a time
after freshening and some roots. The
next low herd in cost production was
herd No Is, consisting of six grade
Shorthorns which averaged 1888
pounds of butterfat, costing 16 10
cents to produce. The cows In this
herd received five pounds of barley
and oats mixture day and all the
grass hay they could eat. The poor
est herd In the association In regard
to cost of production produced but
terfat for 80 cents a pound.
The two cows in the association
having the highest cost of production
were grade Holsteins, one producing
Ill pounds OF butterfat for IL 1-2
months at cost of 4 6 cents pound,
and another producing 1914 pounds
of butterfat in nine months at cost
OF 43 cents a pound. The highest
producing COW of the association pro-
duced 673 pounds of butterfat at 81
cents pound and the COW standing
low in cost of production It will be
noted, stood fourth in the associa-
ton for high production. OF the
COWS in the various herds on test
for 10 months, the highest producing
COW OF the herd was invariably the
most economical COW In the herd,
even though she received no more at
tention, except for her extra feed,
than low producers in the herd.
Feeding Methods
Alfalfa formed the bulk of the hay
ration for most members of the as
ISOLATION, 25 OF them In fact feeding
only alfalfa for hay. Twelve mem
bers fed either corn or sunflower
silage. OF the grain rations fed,
mixture of barley, oats and bran was
most popular. Probably the best
liked ration was one made OF three
parts of barley, two parts of oats and