HERD TESTING.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1310, 13 December 1911, Page 10

HERD TESTING.

WHY TEST INDIVIDUAL COWS? The dairy cows in almost any herd where individual records of miik production are not kept might well be divided into three classes : -'i'hosc that pay for their feed and care and return a profit; thoH' that pay for the feed only; and the boarders. A 'boarder is a vow flint Ihe fanner keeps for her society. She pays for a part of her feed and the good eows in the herd pay for the rest of if. ])airy farmers who have taken up cow testing work have found almost without exception that there are some eows in their herds that they woidd be better off without. These cows were not always the ones that their owners had considered the-poorest. The best cows are discovered only where individual records are kept. There are many reasons why cow testing should be practised by every dairy farmer. In a Canadian dairy journal Mr. C. r. Whitley gives e'.even good reasons why each cow in a herd and the herds as a whole should be tested. I.—Cow testing enables one to find out the poorest cows, those not paying for their feed, so that they may bo got rid of.. In many cases,one-quarter of the cows in tho herd have been discovered to be not worth keeping, in some cases half the herd and even as high as threequarters have been turned out. Cow testing moans certainty in dairying, and no more guess work- as to individual performance. 2. Cow testing shows that many cows considered only average are'really the best eows in the.herd. 3. Cow testing points out, definitely which cows are the best producers,, both in milk and butter fat. • ■t. Cow testing proves that many cows considered the highest in test are really th« lowest. 5. Cow testing saves good cows from being hoofed; they are found to be profitable When actual yield and cost of feed are considered. 6. Cow testing shows that many finelooking cows do not bring in much cash from the factory. 7. Cow testing helps to discover the great difference in persistency of flow. ■ H. Cow testing brings to notice the slightest variation in flow, and urges Giio'tn seek for the cause of shrinkage. 9. Cow testing helps to increase the total yield of milk and fat from the same number of cows. 10. Cow testing brings in larger returns from fewer cows. 11. Cow testing helns to build up a profitable herd quicklv. because he'ifers can bo selected from the best cows.