628 



IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 



at the farm. With these data as a basis, he calculates the amount of feed 

 each cow consumes for the entire year, as well as the amount of milk and 

 butter she produces. 



In case the association keeps records of other animal production, the 

 cow tester obtains from the farmer information with reference to the 

 amount of feed consumed by each animal, thus ascertaining the feed cost 

 of keeping the animal; and by making occasional weighings of the animal 

 the cost of producing one pound of gain is determined. Where records 

 are kept of the growing of crops the cow-tester ascertains from the farmer 

 the total yield of a crop, as well as the total acreage, and calculates the 

 yield per acre. If the grain has been sold, receipts must be shown for its 

 delivery. By applying the total sum of expense in connection with the 

 growing of the crop the cost of producing one bushel is calculated. 



IMPROVEMENT AS SHOWN BY EECOEDS. 



Records of the first year's work of the cow-testing associations are not 

 obtainable, but the method soon grew so much in importance and popu- 

 larity that it was recognized by the government and appropriations were 

 made for promoting it. This assistance made it possible to collect the 

 records of the various associations. Many of these records show very de- 

 cided increases in average yield, and they furnish interesting material for 

 study. 



The following table shows the improvement in a herd owned by Mr. 

 August Kinch at Beltaberga, Sweden: 



EECORD OF A DAIRY HERD IN SWEDEN. 



Testing Period 

 (3t>5 days) 



a 



■a 3 



O) en 



0) c 



4< C I 

 > 3 | 



a'° i 



O 3 id 



1899-1900 

 1900-1901 

 1901-2 ... 

 1902-3 ... 

 1903-4 ... 



1904-5 



1905-6 ... 

 1906-7 — 

 1907-8 ... 

 1908-9 ... 



Increased (+) 

 decreased ( — ) 



7,320 



7,905 



9,003 



9,984 



10,584 



11,236 



11,333 



11,486 



11,023 



11,399 



+4,079 



3.05 

 3.13 

 3.20 

 3.18 

 3.22 

 3.22 

 3.21 

 3.18 

 3.17 

 3.34 



+0.29 



245 

 272 

 317 

 350 

 376 

 399 

 401 

 403 

 385 

 421 



+176 



2,421 

 2,695 

 2,566 

 2,507 

 2,587 

 2,743 

 3,035 

 3,111 

 3,075 

 3,051 



302 

 293 

 350 

 398 

 407 

 409 

 372 

 369 

 358 

 374 



+630 



+72 



25.7 

 25.7 

 21.1 

 18.6 

 17.9 

 17.9 

 19.7 

 20.1 

 20.8 

 18.8 



a One Swedish feed-unit equals— 1 kilogram (2.2 pounds) mixed grain; 1.2 kilogram 

 (2.6 pounds) dried beet pulp; 1 kilogram (2.2 pounds) gluten feed; 2.5 kilograms (5.5 

 pounds) hay; 1.1 kilograms (2.4 pounds) wheat bran; 4 to 6 kilagrams (9 to 13 pounds) 

 straw; 0.9 kilogram (2 pounds) linseed cake; 6 to 10 kilograms (13 to 22 pounds) green 

 clover; 0.8 kilogram (1.8 pounds) cotton-seed cake; 11 to 15 kilograms (24 to 33 pounds; 

 turnips. 



