The Idaho Republican. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1904-1932, 1924-09-11
IDAHO ASSOCIATION
COWS LEAD NATION
AS PROFIT MAKERS
Increased Production of
Dairy Herd Depends
on Better Cows


COWS on his place should give seri-
GUS thought to the following state
ments of fact. First, the average
butterfat production Of cows in COW
testing associations in Idaho during
the past year was almost twice as
high and the average profit almost
three times as much as that of the
average cow in the state. The Sec
ond important fact is that the Unit
ed States department of agriculture
found from actual records on $4,000
COWS that the profit is in direct re-
lation to the production. That is
to say, when the production is dou-
bled, the profit is increased three
times and when the production in in
creased three times, then the profit
is increased seven times. So that on
this basis the cows in the COW test
ing association are returning to their
owners almost three times as much
profit as the average of all cows in
the state, since their average produc-
ton is almost twice as high as that
of the average COW.
Taking another angle of the sit
uation 1t is found that the depart
ment estimates the average produc-
ton of all cows in the United States
to be approximately 1000 pounds
of milk and 1852 pounds of butter
fat with the Idaho average fixed at
$500 pounds of milk and 1852
pounds of butterfat. However, the
statistics show that the average pro-
duction per cow in COW testing as
sociations in the United States is
5000 pounds of milk and 24S
pounds of butterfat, while the aver
g. o.ok
for the state of Idaho is 7,472
pounds of milk and zoos pounds |
of butterfat; so it is seen that while |
the average production of all cows
in the state of Idaho is much less |
than the average production of all |
cows in the United States, still the |
average production of cows in the
COW testing associations of Idaho
is much higher than the average in
all cow testing associations i'll the
United States.
A summary of the annual reports
of Idahos cow testing associations,
which completed years test dur
ing the last six months, indicate that
Idaho associations rank among the
top in average butterfat production
compared with those of other states.
In 1923 two Idaho associations lad
higher average production than
any association in Wisconsin,, Which
state had 1877 active associations and
Idaho had only eight. In compar-
ing reports of Idaho's associations
with those of Wisconsin it is found
that the average production of cows
in Idaho associations is 572 pounds
of milk and 30.8 pounds of butter
fat higher than the average of Wis
consin association cows. The high
herd average in Idaho associations :
is also as high as that reported from 6
Wisconsin.
The association summaries for :
Idaho for the year ending during :
the first six months of 1924 show $
a considerable range in average pro- !
duction and profit, the highest av- /
erage profit being shown by cows In I
the Weiser-Payette association
where the average profit per COW +
was $1O7.73 while the average prof +
it per COW for the Bonneville asso- !
citation was 1892 or just about .
half The improvement in the l
an older organization, is shown in
the fact that this association in +
creased it's average production 2,791 9
pounds of milk and 100 pounds Of d
lat in three consecutive years test +
ing, with an increase in profits OF +
$53.22 per COW.
In another instance an association n
increased the average production OF q
all cows five pounds per COW a G
month during the year, this increase h
being due to wedding out the low n
producers and giving better care o
and feed to the others.
In May, 1924, there were 301
nerds with 1859 cows on test in the n
EN- associations of Idaho. This is
ess than two per cent of all cows G
n the state Now when the average r.
association cow produces 1872 II
pounds of milk and 1883 pounds of
at more than the average Idaho x
,ow, and this additional milk is fig
lred at $3.50 per hundred or the
at at 81 cents per pound, 1t Is seen d
hat the average association cow Ia
$500 per year more than "
he average Idaho COW. With an II
.verage producing period of five B
ears this means the average asso- b
iation COW returns $275 from milk
roducts alone more than the aver Il
ge Idaho cow and in addition her al
leifer calves are more valuable than al
calf from low producer. OF
The purposes of the COW testing d.
ssociation Is not for the purpose b.
+ obtaining records of what the Il
ows are producing except as a
means to and end. That is to en- IL
BILE the farmer to improve his herd m
nd get better returns by cutting h'
ut the poorest cows which produce re
he lowest test with the least amount m
f milk and selling them to the re
utcher and replacing them with TO
etter cows, which may be heifers W
the best cows in the herd. The ST
ow tester also offers suggestions cl
8 to feeding and managing the cows
, that they will produce milk at We
,wer feed cost and yet have the sh
ows well fed in every respect. be