STATK DAIRY ASSOCIATION. 



703 



amount of milk and butter fat each cow produced during the three weeks 

 before, and the three weeks following the test. The cow's yearly record 

 was made up from these tests, and in this way the total amount of milk 

 and butter fat that she produced during the entire year was determined. 

 It may be objected to that this method did not secure results absolutely 

 correct. On this it may be said that the chief object was to secure data 

 from which cows could be compared with each other, and that this object 

 was fully attained even though the totals may have been either slightly 

 too large or too small. Check methods show, however, that the data are 

 very close to the actual amounts produced. In many cases the dairymen 

 also kept an approximate account of the grain and roughage that each 

 eow consumed during the year. Where this was done the records are 

 of exceptionally 'high value, for they clearly show the profit or loss of 

 every cow kept in the dairy. 



Ten dairy herds, namely, A, B, C, E, F, I, J, L, M and N, have been 

 tested for two years, and I will give you the summary of the 10 herds and 

 a detail report of two dairies. In the 10 herds, 145 cows completed their 

 second year's work. The best cow gave an average yield of 7,190 pounds 

 of milk, 367 pounds of butter fat, and 428 pounds of butter. The poorest 

 matured cow gave an average yield of 4,560 pounds of milk, 135 pounds 

 of butter fat and 158 pounds of butter. 



In the first two years the average production of the herds was 4,944 

 pounds of milk, 201 pounds of butter fat, and 235 pounds of butter. The 

 second year the average was 5,011 pounds of milk, 229 pounds of butter 

 fat, and 267 pounds of butter. 



The average production for the two years was 5,261 pounds of milk, 

 214 pounds of butter fat and 249 pounds of butter. 



Herd A made the greatest increase in the second year's test. It pro- 

 duced 1,285 pounds more milk and 60 pounds more butter fat per cow than 

 it did in the first year's work. The percentage of increase was 32.4 per 

 cent, of milk and 42.5 per cent, of butter fat. - 



In herd E there was a small decrease in the second year's test, it 

 gave 61 pounds less milk and five pounds less Jautter fat per cow than 

 in the first year's test. All the herds, except E, in the second year's 

 test showed an increased yield of milk and butter fat over the first 

 year. 



The average percentage of increase in the second year per cow was 

 13.7 per cent, of milk and 13.9 per cent, of butter fat. 



In other words the average increase per cow was 667 pounds of milk, 

 28 pounds of butter fat, and 32 pounds of butter. 



The increase seems to be due to the following: (l).The cows on the 

 whole received better care. (2) The herds were fed better rations. (3) 

 From nearly all the herds a few poor cows were sold. (4) In some cases 

 cows were purchased that proved to be good dairy animals. 



I shall give a report of herds A and F. It should be observed that 

 great improvement was made in each of these dairies. 



