SELECTING DAIRY COWS

New Zealand Times, Volume LXXI, Issue 4396, 29 June 1901, Page 6 (Supplement)

SELECTING DAIRY COWS

It needs no argument (“Old Dairyman,” in the “American Agriculturist,” writes) to show that it requires good cows to secure a profit in dairying. Now cowsi ar© selected and maintained in many dairy herds, almost universally, on the judgment of the owner. If a cow pleases a man he takes and keeps her until her years of usefulness are over.- He does not inquire about her record, os no records axe kept. It does not occur to him that there may be a gre a (i difference in the individuality of the h'jrd thus secured, a difference so great that some individuals only will yield a profit, and others will be kept at a loss. If this question is raised, not many take the trouble to weigh and test the milk of each cow in order t» satisfactorily answer the question. Four vetars ago we secured a herd of twenty-fiive cows. Non© of them had records; but they were purchased on tho judgment of the men who selected them. .A. judge of Jerseys sent us four «erseys. In the same way three Guernseys ami four Ayrshires were selected. The rem ainder of the herd were crosses. Some vrero raised on the farm, and others purchased. An accurate record was kejpt of this herd. Each individual c»w wa.s charged with the food she con* sumed at market mice, and in addition with tlbe cost of labour expended in her care.. Credit was given for the butter produced and for the skim milk. The variation in the individuality of these cows was shown by the year’s record. In tile production of milk the range was from 85581 b to 31411 b, in butter from 509)ib to 1651 b, in net profit from £8 15s to £4 7s 6d loss. The six poorest cows wore kent at a money loss of £l2 ss, and the six most profitable at a profit of £29 2s 6d. It is a rule scarcely without exception that when records of individuals in a herd are kept for the find; time some animals are found running the dairy farmer in debt, and others yielding very little profit. It is a conservative estimate, I believe, that 25 j>ex cent, of dairy cows are kept at a loss, 15 to 20 per cent, at little or ncr profit, while the remainder only yheld a profit sufficient to make up the loss of the unprofitable ones, and leave ai small resulting profit.