SUMMARY. 



1. The data reported in this Bulletin were collected from one of the 

 highest developed dairy sections of the State. The results shown are 

 above the average for North Carolina dairy herds. 



2. Only the most progressive dairymen can be induced to keep herd 

 records. Unprogressive dairymen do not keep records. 



3. In order to know the value of a dairy herd, it is necessary to keep a 

 milk and butter-fat record of each cow from year to year. Such a record 

 shows marked differences in the value of animals and serves as a guide 

 in improving and building up the herd. 



4. A large number of dairymen in North Carolina are not making a 

 profit on a part or all of their cows. 



5. This condition may be remedied by use cf the milk scales and Bab- 

 cock test. 



6. Cows numbers 2 and 5 in herd 8 show that there is a marked dif- 

 ference in the cost of production of both milk and butter fat between 

 individual cows in the same herd. Cow 2 produced milk at eight and 

 one half cents per gallon and butter- fat at eighteen cents per pound; cow 

 5 produced milk at a cost of twelve and seven-tenths cents per gallon and 

 butter-fat at twenty-three and one half cents per pound. 



7. Large yielding cows were the most economical producers. Those 

 yielding over 350 pounds of butter-fat produced it at an average cost of 

 seventeen cents a pound and returned an average profit of $68.71. Cows 

 yielding less than 200 pounds of butter-fat produced it at an average cost 

 of twenty-five cents a pound and returned an average profit of $19.85. 



8. The average annual cost of food for the 107 cows remaining in the 

 herds reported in this Bulletin throughout the year was $53.03. The aver- 

 age total value of the products from the cows producing less than 200 

 pounds of butter-fat was $61.96, leaving a profit of only $8.93 or $0.75 per 

 month. 



9. Cows with records below 200 pounds of butter-fat per year can not 

 be profitably kept on the dairy farm unless the dairyman places an abnor- 

 mally high valuation on the manure and the calf. 



