10 July, 1918.] The Babcoch Tester on the Farm. 



397 



Feed is placed first, because many cows, now unprofitable, would 

 give good results if provided with a sufficiency of suitable food. Cows 

 that have not inherited a capacity for converting food into milk contain- 

 ing a large quantity of butter fat can never be made profitable dairy 

 cows. These will be discovered by the Babcock Test and can be fattened 

 for the butcher. 



To test all the cows in the principal dairying districts in Victoria 

 would cost about £40,000 a year, but it would be the means of increasing 

 the average return per cow in a very short time by 40 lbs. of butter fat 

 per head. This alone would increase the receipts of the dairymen by 

 £1,200,000 per year. During the last drought about 200,000 cows were 

 lost — died of starvation. At £10 per head, this meant a loss to the State 

 of £2,000,000. One acre, per cow, of grass mown and made into hay or 

 ensilage each year would be an insurance against drought. 



Below will be seen the result of using a pure-bred bull with the 

 capacity to produce heifers capable of giving large returns of milk and 

 butter fat. JSIote the consistently high percentage. 



It would be well for dairy farmers if it were made compulsory that 

 only pure-bred bulls from tested cows should be used in daiiy herds. 



Results of the Herd Test. 



The folloAving are some of the results of the operations of the 

 Standard Herd Test conducted by the Department of Agriculture. In- 

 cluded are heifers on their first calf which, of course, pull down the 

 average. In some it will be seen that there has been an increase of 

 50 lbs. per cow, and over 100 gallons of milk in three years. This is 

 partly due to culling out inferior cows, but more particularly to more 

 rational methods of feeding. It is proved beyond doubt that if cows 

 are properly fed they will give a greater net profit : — 



There are about 600,000 dairy cows in Victoria. If the average 

 butter fat yield were raised only 20 lbs. per head, it would increase the 

 returns to the Victorian farmers by £600,000. 



If 140 lbs. fat costs £8 6s. to produce, that is Is. 2d. per lb. 



If 300 lbs. fat costs £11 to produce, that is 8jd. per lb. 



One herd in Gippsland averaged £27 per cow last year for cream 

 sent to a butter factory, leaving a clear profit of £16 per cow. This was 

 the result of well-bred cows properly fed. 



