282 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



LOWEST FOURTH AND HIGHEST FOURTH OF 554 COWS. 



There were 554 cows in thirty-six herds tested a full year by this 

 station. Of these the lowest one-fourth, 139 cows, yielded an average of 

 1331,4 pounds of butter fat, and the highest 139 cows, averaged 301 pounds 

 butter fat. 



77 CENTS PROFIT PER COW PER YEAR VS. $31.32. 



The 139 poor cows made an average return of $30.77 (23 cents per 

 pound for fat). At the low estimate of $30 per year for feed, this 

 would leave 77 cents per year profit per cow for the whole year's work 

 and investment. Allowing these better cows $38 for feed ($8 better than 

 the poor producers) the clear profit is $31.32 per cow. 



130 cows. $107; 139 cows, $4,000. 



The profit for the whole 139 poor cows is only $107, but the clear 

 -Honey from the best 139 cows amounts to more than $4,000. 



Every one of these good cows averages as much clear profit as 

 forty-one cows of the poorer kind. 



The drawings on the chart (Exhibited) show the exact relative size 

 of the two herds that would make the same amount of profit for the 

 owner. 



In four and one-half days each one of these (pointing to chart) cows 

 earns 1 per cent profit! It is only necessary to have enough of these 

 earners to make a large amount of profit. Thirty of them will produce 

 the value of one acre of corn. All of these to equal twenty-five really 

 good cows and get $783 profit! To equal a herd of eighty cows averaging 

 301 pounds of butter fat would require 3,266 cows of the above kind. 



THIS CONDITION EXTENDS TO WHOLE HERDS. 



All the cows of the poorest producing herd of these thirty-six herds 

 averaged a profit of but $1.74 per cow. The average cow of the best herd 

 is worth more than twenty-four cows of the kind that forms the poorest 

 three herds. The speaker knows three ether dairy herds in which the 

 milk returns show a profit of but 62 cents per cow. While in the same 

 neighborhood are three herds in which the milk averaged a profit of 

 $60.94 per cow. The average cow in the three good herds equals ninety- 

 six cows of the kind that makes up the poorest three herds. And in 

 another dairy locality the same kind of a contrast came to the speaker's 

 attention. 



WHY TEST DAIRY COWS. 



Ten years' observation of Illinois dairy herds and the individual test- 

 ing of more than 800 cows in over forty herds, has given the speaker 

 positive evidence of the practical worthlessness of about one-fourth of 

 the cows in these herds. Such cows are common in every community. 

 As a rule there are some such in every herd. 



