Public Tests of Pure-bred Dairy Cows. 



427 



cows were maintained in summer almost wholly on soilage and silage, 

 over 16,000 Ibs. being fed. The great value of alfalfa hay in reduc- 

 ing the amount of the concentrates fed and the cost of keep is shown 

 by the Utah and Montana reports. The yearly feed cost per cow 

 ranged from $21.43 in Utah to $53.46 in Connecticut, a difference of 

 over 150 per ct. between the West with its low-priced alfalfa hay and 

 concentrates and the East where feeds are high. The milk returns 

 varied from 5,498 Ibs. per cow in Connecticut to 8,783 Ibs. in Ne- 

 braska, and the fat from 237 Ibs. in Utah to 339 Ibs. in Nebraska. 



Annual feed requirement of the dairy cow as found by nine stations. 



1 Bui. 29. * Rpts. 1897-1904. 3 Bui. 166. * Rpts. 1905-7. * Bui. 35. 

 6Bul.26. 7|Bul.68. 8Rpt. 1905. 9 Bui. 101. 



From this table the intelligent, experienced dairyman can closely 

 estimate the quantity and cost of the concentrates and roughages re- 

 quired to maintain his herd of cows during the year, and the returns 

 in milk and fat he may reasonably expect therefrom. 



692. Monthly feed cost of milk. In 1897 the author compiled the 

 data from 4 widely separated stations presented in the following 

 table showing the feed cost of 100 Ibs. of milk for the different 

 months of the year according to the prices then prevailing for past- 

 ure, concentrates, and roughages. 



Since the data were gathered by the stations the cost of feeding 

 stuffs has greatly advanced, so that the figures are only relatively 

 valuable. They show that the feed necessary to produce 100 Ibs. of 

 milk in March cost 76 cents, while when the cows were on pasture in 

 June it fell to 26 cents. Winter prices were again reached in Novem- 

 ber. The average feed cost for the year at the 4 stations was 55 

 cents for 100 Ibs. of milk and 13.3 cents for a pound of fat. To get 



