22 PROFITABLE DAIRYING 



not cows capable of exceeding twenty pounds of 

 butter in seven days without special preparation or 

 forced feeding. 



Twenty years ago 100 to 125 pounds of butter and 

 3,000 pounds of milk were the annual production of 

 the average dairy cow of the country. To-day the 

 better class of dairies average from 280 to 400 pounds 

 of butter, and from 5,000 to 7,000 pounds of milk 

 per cow in 365 days. Not only has the average an- 

 nual production been thus increased, but the cost of 

 keeping has been reduced by improved scientific feed- 

 ing methods. This does not mean that the average 

 amount of feed value per cow has been decreased, 

 but that proper keeping has increased results enor- 

 mously over comparative feed costs in former times. 



The silo, clover, alfalfa, roots, balanced rations, 

 and the specially bred cow, have greatly decreased 

 the cost of producing a pound of butter and a hun- 

 dred pounds of milk. In short, the dairy standard 

 has been raised, and the up-to-date dairyman will 

 continue to advance his standard accordingly, to en- 

 able him to meet the competition of the future. The 

 standard of the cow of the twentieth century must 

 not be less than 280 pounds of butter and 5,000 

 pounds of milk annually, when fed proper rations 

 under favorable conditions. No cow that fails to do 

 this has a right to a place in the modern dairy. A 

 knowledge of the bacteriology of fermentation neces- 

 sary in the production of first-class butter, as well as 

 those detrimental to its production, has greatly ad- 

 vanced dairy interests, and has enabled the dairymen 

 to harness these forces to do his bidding. The study 

 and control of these forces are of vital importance. 



