DAIRY MEETING. 177 



Insurance, $1,500 — i per cent for 3 



years ; per year $5 00 



Repairs, depreciation, 3 per cent to- 

 tal value ; per year 60 00 



Housing per cow $9 ^5 



DEPRECIATION OF COW. 



During the last two years dairy cows have increased con- 

 siderably in value. This year on the Brighton market, Mass., 

 good grade cows of good size having the appearance of being 

 able to produce from 6000 to 8000 lbs of milk have found a 

 ready market at from $100 to $135 and in a few cases even 

 higher. According to the last census the average value per 

 cow in the State is given at $38.67. No doubt this is lower than 

 actual value. In the section from which these figures are taken 

 the average value is estimated at $75.00. 



The depreciation per cow is a most difficult factor to deter- 

 mine as it varies with the value of the cow. A poor dairy 

 cow is worth alm.ost as much for beef as for dairy purposes; 

 in reality she is worth more as she often is a source of loss to 

 the dairy. The depreciation per cow per year will increase with 

 an increase in the value of the cow as a milk producer. Many 

 cows sold today for from $60 to $80, are worth as much for 

 beef at the end of their period of usefulness as milk producers, 

 as cows worth $120 to $135. In the case of high priced pure 

 bred cows the depreciation is still greater. 



There are many factors influencing the depreciation of cows, 

 such as death, age, udder troubles, failure to breed, abortion and 

 minor accidents. The greatest depreciation is not from death, 

 but from depreciation from cows sold for beef. Estimating the 

 average value of the cows in the Association at $75.00 and their 

 value when disposed of for various causes for beef at $40, 

 the average depreciation for two years is $8.83 per cow per 

 year or 11.8 per cent. The death rate was 1.5 per cent and 

 the disposal due to other causes 22 per cent. At this rate the 

 life of a cow in the herd would be a little over four years. 35 

 per cent of the cows were disposed of during the first year 

 compared with 13 per cent for the second. This very large 



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