258 Bulletin 38. 



possibly higher than $4.66, but the number of cows in milk was 

 not reported for the twelve months, so that we are unable to cal- 

 culate their averages exactly. 



One herd reported for nine months, gave a monthly average 

 of $1.49 per cow, and the fact is sad but true, that figures are 

 available showing that there are too many such herds in the Ter- 

 ritory. Eight herds reporting the number of cows milked every 

 month, show the following averages per cow : 



No 1 $4 25 No. 5 $3. 61 



No. 2 394 No. 6 3.56 



No. 3 3.85 No. 7 3.25 



No. 4 3.77 No. 8 3 24 



It seems as though it would be a good idea for the readers of 

 this article who have dairy herds, to sit down and add up the 

 amounts of their creamery checks for the year, divide the sum by 

 twelve and then by the number of cows in their herds, compare 

 the average with those given above, and ask themselves how many 

 unprofitable cows they think they own, and how they think they 

 are going to pick them out. 



In connection with a study of the above table, we would 

 like to emphasize the following points : 



i. The value of a dairy cow is not determined by the blood 

 she is supposed to possess, unless that blood is of ancestors that 

 are known to have produced butter fat at a profit. The cow that 

 heads the list in the table is a grade Jersey, while the one stand- 

 ing next is a high-grade Shorthorn. The best cow in the full- 

 blood Jersey herd tested, gave a net return of $38.45, onhy seventy 

 cents more than that of the best grade in the other herd. The 

 cow standing second in the Jersey herd was outranked by three 

 grades in the other herd, including a grade Shorthorn; and there 

 were twenty-six grade cows better than one of the full-blood 

 Jerseys. 



2. The value of a cow is not to be estimated by the amount 

 of milk she gives. While it will be observed that the heaviest 

 milker in the herd is the second best cow, and the cow standing 

 second in miik. ranks first in profit, it will also be seen that the 

 cow standii'- sixth in tl e amount of milk given, is twenty-second 



