508 Report of Farmers' Institutes 



pail. He secured the records of the cows, which gave him the 

 desired information, and when he bid these animals in he did not 

 feel as if a long chance had been taken. This instance shows where 

 an association record helped in the sale of cattle. The owner had 

 the tig-ures, and thej tell a story better than any words the 

 auctioneer or seller can give. 



In cases where other men have been interested in the feeding 

 proposition, the association record has told them to feed less grain 

 where a cow had not been paying for her keep and to increase 

 where a cow could make profitable use of the feed. 



One man who did not feed to advantage was asked why he 

 did not feed more grain ; the answer was, "At the present price of 

 milk, the increase in flow would only cover the cost of the extra 

 feed." Perhaps he was correct; but did he figure that if he did 

 only break even on the extra cost of gTain, his cows would be in 

 enough better condition to have fully warranted the extra expendi- 

 ture, not to mention the pleasure of at least handling the extra 

 money ? 



Several men have weighed the feeds for individual cows and 

 have admitted that the cows gained where they fed for production. 

 A saving was made in feed, and a saving in feed is a saving in 

 money. Would these men have known which cows they were keep- 

 ing at a loss and which at a profit, were it not for the association 

 record ? Perhaps they would, but cows are very deceiving in their 

 milk supply during the season, and the association records often 

 prove a surprise and a help to those Avho have them. 



