202 



STATE BOARD OP AGRICULTURE 



giving millv October 1, 1898. The remaining cows liad for the most part, given 

 milk through the previous winter and were dried off in August or September of 

 1898. 



Number 110 gave bloody milk at frequent intervals which had to be thrown away. 

 making her record incomplete. 



In determining what cows to keep for the next year attention is first paid to 

 the records. It is significant to note that all of the cows gave over six thousand 

 pounds of milk in the twelve months except 86, 93, 109, 110 and 116. throwing out 

 of course both 102 and 111, Avhich were disposed of before they had been in milk 

 long enough to make any record. As far as milk giving is concerned, the average 

 of the herd, including all tne cows mentioned in the previous sentence except 102 

 and 111, is 7,009 pounds. 



Each mess of milk was weighed as it was milked, and the quantity of fat yielded 

 by the cow per week determined, by saving in a bottle properly marked a small 

 sample from each mess. A small quantity of potassium bichromate was put in the 

 bottle ab the beginning of the week, to keep the milk from souring during hot 

 weather. Each cow had her bottle tlhus marked and prepared and at the end of 



'^%*€^Mi^ 



(87.) 



the week the sample it contained was tested by the Babcock test and its per cent 

 of fat determined. This bottle of milk unquestionably fairly represented in quality 

 the average yield of the cow for the week. In a book properly ruled the weight of 

 each mess of milk given by the cow was copied. These weights were added to- 

 gether at the close of the week, and the sum multiplied by the per cent of fat shoM'n 

 by the Babcock test, in the samples taken from the milk of the given cow during the 

 week. The product shows the amount of fat yielded by the cow in the given 

 week. Experience has demonstrated that it requires by the methods in use at the 

 College on the average 2.57.15 pounds of fat to make, witla the addition of the proper 

 amount of salt and Avater. three hundred pounds of butter. A yield of 300 pounds 

 of butter, or 257.15 pounds of fat, is a high average for a grade dairy herd over the 

 lyreeding and feeding of which the owner has had control for many years. It is, 

 therefore, a very high average for a nerd Ihastily gathered in a season of- the year 



