66 VERMONT AGRICULTURAL REPORT. 



At the end of the year in figuring up we found that the amount 

 of milk given by each cow ranged from 3931 pounds, the low- 

 est, to 8075 pounds for the highest, with a test ranging from 4.20 

 to 6.60 with an average of 5.40 for the herd. In reckoning the 

 amount of butter each cow made from these figures by the test, 

 the one that gave the most milk made 471 pounds of butter, and 

 the one that gave the least 165 pounds of butter. And let me 

 say right here, this last cow I sold for just what I could get the 

 first chance I had and she went to market. We milked 15 cows 

 through the year, and seven of them gave over 400 pounds of but- 

 ter each and four more over 350 pounds each j average for the 

 herd 368^ pounds. The eleven best averaged 420 pounds. 

 By adding the amounts of butter estimated from each cow by 

 the test and amount of milk given, and comparing with the 

 amount of butter churned, we find that they very nearly agree. 

 I have heard some men say that they thought it did not pay to 

 feed cows much meal. To this I will say some will and 

 some will not. If a man has cows that will not pay for 

 a fair amount of the right kind of grain feed in connection with 

 hay and ensilage or other rough fodders, he had better dispose 

 of them to the butcher and get some that will pay for the feed 

 given. 



This last fall we tried a little experiment on this line. 

 We were feeding about four pounds of grain to each cow, in 

 connection with hay and ensilage, composed of two parts bran, 

 one part gluten meal and one part cottonseed meal. 

 We added two pounds to each cow's ration to see if they 

 would pay for it. This extra meal cost me just twenty cents 

 per day for the lot. After feeding a few days they made just 

 forty cents worth more butter per day ; thus doubling my money 

 on the extra feed. The past year the grain feed for each cow 

 averaged $10.92, and the butter from each cow averaged $64.87, 

 leaving a balance after paying for the grain of $53.95. 



There are various methods of securing the cream from the 

 milk, and we have tried them all, from the small pans to large 

 ones, deep cold setting and farm separator. Now we use the 

 separator set in a small room finished for the purpose in the 

 stable, run by a tread power, which is the most satisfactory 

 method of any we have ever tried. In using the separator we get 

 more butter from the milk and with less labor than by any other 

 way we have ever tried. I think it pays in dollars and cents if 

 a man has ten or more cows, to purchase one, if he is going to 

 make his own butter. Also the skim milk is in just the best 

 condition possible to feed to calves and hogs. Being warm it 

 saves the work of warming over the stove or other method. 

 Then the cream is cleaner and purer and churns easily, and less 

 butter fat is left in the buttermilk. If a man lives near the 



