282 



STATE BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



It is the plan to so handle the herd that each animal will freshen 

 once each year. But since this cannot always be brought about within 

 exact dates, the year is taken as the unit of time instead of the period 

 of lactation. The use of the yearly record is increasing among dairy- 

 men, and should be still more generally adopted. 



THE MILK AND BUTTER PRODUCT OF THE HERD. 



In Table I, which follows, the total yields for each cow for her 

 first year are shown. In column one appears the number of the cow, 

 the cows being numbered for convenience in keeping records. The 

 second column gives the total days of lactation, out of a possible 365. 

 In columij three the total yield of milk is given. Column four shows 

 the average percent of butter fat for the year; column five, the total 

 pounds of butter fat; column six, the pounds of butter; and column 

 seven the pounds of skim-milk. 



The milk from each cow is weighed, recorded, and sampled, at each 

 milking. The composite samples are tested for butter fat at the close 

 of each week. The pounds of milk produced by a cow in a week multi- 

 plied by the per cent of fat gives the pounds of butter fat for the week. 

 The pounds of butter fat increased by one-sixth of itself gives the 

 pounds of butter. The skim-milk is estimated at 80 per cent of the 

 whole milk. This estimate for skim-milk is rather low, it being custom- 

 ary at many creameries to allow 85 per cent of whole milk for skim- 

 milk. 



TABLE I. 



