STATE DAIRY ASSOCIATIOJ^. 631 



Mr. Gurlor: Yos, my cows wear tlicir teeth all out sometitues, but 

 I ♦have got a I'egistered cow in my hei-d now that is thirteen years old 

 and she is doing mighty good work. She madi> 40O pounds of butter 

 for her first year's work as a heifer. You may be sure I am not going 

 to dispose of that kind of a cow. I will keep her when her teeth are 

 all gone. These good cows are liable to live to a good old age, if you 

 take care of them. 



Question: What breed of cows have you, Mr. Gurler? 



Mr. Gurler: Registered Guernseys, I'egistered Jerseys, and registered 

 Holsteins; Imt most of my cows are grades— crosses. I am not going 

 to get into any breed contest. I am talking altout the individuality 

 of the cow. 



Question: Do you depi^id on r:iising your own cows or buying them? 



Mr. Gurler: I raise .-ill tlie good heifer calves, but I have to buy 

 a good many cows besides, and that is what l)reaks my heart, because 

 I can't buy such cows as I Av.-int. Wliy. gentlemen, my two-year-old 

 heifers, with their first c.-ilves. are giving HftetMi per cent, more milk 

 than the average cow I can go out .-ind liuy. 



Question: Suppose you liave a cow on your farm that makes 2(M) 

 pounds of buttei- the first ye;ir. ^\h■A\ do you do with such a cow? Do 

 you summarily dispose of lier, or do you try her another year? 



Mr. Gurler: It is n(»l under all londitions fair to judg*' a, cow from 

 one year's work. Von take the record of the cow's work with her 

 general appearances, hei- make-uii. and you .iic pretty safe. A man 

 can fell ]H-effy well whetliei' a cow has done her best or m)t, if he is 

 watching her. 



Question: If she indicates a capacity that she has not used, you are 

 encouraged to hold onto her? 



Mr. Gurler: Yes; when I bought the farm I am now on, in 1808, 

 everything had l)een cairied off for twelve years. I just worked for 

 nothing, like working with 2(X)-pound cows. I was forced to go into 

 some other line of work. Now. here is a jioint that comes to my mind. 

 You see on that chart the value of skim milk for the four best cows; 

 the average value was .$21.7<t, and the four poorest cows .$7.20. There 

 was a difference of .$14.5(; in the value of the skim milk. 



Question: In regard to the value of skim milk, how about feeding 

 It back to the cows? 



