302 



IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



Comparative value of two cows in producing dairy stock, considering half 

 the offsprings are females and counting females only. Cow A and her 

 female offspring each have two calves in their lifetime while cow B and her 

 female offspring each have twelve calves. 



Total number of dairy cows in the United States, 1900, 18,000,000. 



Of course, cow A is an extreme case, but a breeder could never increase 

 his females by breeding from cows of this kind and would have no chance 

 of selection, but with one cow like B he could establish a whole herd, besides 

 having the all important opportunity to select only the best. Whether good 

 or poor, the expense of raising different individual cows up to the milk-pro- 

 ducing age is practically the same. If the cow A has but two calves and 

 then either dies or fails to breed, she has but two years in which to repay 

 the cost of her raising and make a profit. The chances are that with cows 

 of weak con<:titutions there will be an added expense in keeping many of 

 them after they have ceased to give profitable returns. If the cow B lives to 

 produce twelve calves there are twelve lactation periods in which to pay for 

 her raising and make a profit. 



In conclusion, then, allow me to sum up briefly the five special points of 

 this paper: 



1. Keep a record of each individual cow in the herd by testing one week 

 every three months. 



2. Have a profitable standard of production below which no cow is kept, 

 and gradually raise this standard from year to year. 



3. Determine which breed is best suited to your conditions and then 

 stick to this breed. 



4. When in search of a sire to head your herd do not risk the future of 

 your herd with some untried calf, but get some old, tried sire that not only 

 has good ancestors with large yearly records, but one that is a good indi- 

 vidual and has proven his worth by producing daughters that have made 

 large returns. 



5- When you have a grand old cow that is well along in her teens, and 

 still a good producer, prize her offspring highly, for they are valuable. 



