754 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 



tinished commodity of commerce — milk and butter fat. The suc- 

 cess of a manufacturer of shoes is determined by his ability to turn 

 out a large number of shoes of good quality, such as will command 

 a good price on the market, at a low cost of production. This 

 is equally true of the producer of butter fat and milk. The price 

 per pound of the commodity he produces is determined by its 

 quality. Quality is determined by richness, color and cleanliness. 



Not only is the quality and price per pound important, but also 

 the quantity produced and the cost of production. Many cows 

 yield milk extremely rich in quality or butter fat but give such 

 a small amount that they do not pay for the food consumed. 

 Others give a comparatively large amount of milk but so low in 

 its butter fat content that they also do not pay for their feed and 

 keep. The profitable butter fat machine then may readily be sum- 

 med up as one that has the ability and capacity to produce from 

 a minimum food supply a maximum amount of milk rich in butter 

 fat content. 



SELECTION OF COWS. 



Extreme care is necessary in selecting cows, for no amount of 

 skill in feeding and handling will stimulate a profit from a truly 

 poor cow. A good dairy cow is one with a large capacity for using 

 food above the maintenance requirement and one that uses this 

 food for milk production. In determining the most desirable breed, 

 one must consult his own likes and dislikes first. The man who 

 likes a Holstein cow and dislikes a Jersey will be more successful 

 with the former. 



Conditions on the farm and the demands of its market need to 

 be studied before selecting any breed. Jerseys and Guernseys are 

 noted for their high per cent of butter fat, and their economy of 

 butter fat production, especially under intensive farming conditions. 

 The Guernseys in particular are known for the excellent color of 

 their milk and butter fat. Holsteins and Ayrshires are noted for 

 a larger flow of milk which is lower in per cent of fat. The Hol- 

 steins are very popular with Iowa farmers, because they are large, 

 rugged and able to use large quantities of farm grown feeds in the 

 manufacture of milk and butter fat, the milk being very valuable 

 in raising calves, pigs and chickens. The Ayrshire breed is noted 

 for its ruggedness and its rustling ability and yields a fair quantity 

 of milk and butter fat. 



As a matter of fact, however, the breed is of less importance in 

 selecting the cow than is individuality, for in every breed there 

 are good individuals and poor individuals. It is important, not 

 only that the breed, but that the strain or family represented be 

 noted for large and economical production of milk and butter fat. 

 Experience has taught that form and function go hand in hand, 

 so it is of utmost importance to demand dairy cows of proper form 

 and type. There are, however, many exceptions to this rule, so 

 that the performance of a cow through a period of lactation and 

 the performance of her ancestors, especially her paternal grand 

 dam, should have a great deal to do with her selection. 



As a rule, sons of great producing cows are more likely to beget 

 large producing daughters than are great producing cows them- 



