IMPROVING THE DAIRY HERD 115 



cows are frequently better milk producers with their 

 first calves than the cows ordinarily purchased. 



Not expensive to raise cows. It is a mistaken 

 idea that it costs too much to raise cows. The Illi- 

 nois Experiment Station carefully investigated this 

 subject by raising 48 calves. Records were kept of 

 12 at a time during four different periods. It was 

 found that they could be successfully raised on 150 

 pounds of whole milk costing $1.50, and 400 pounds 

 of skim milk costing $1.20. This milk was fed at 

 the rate of 10 pounds per day until the calves were 

 50 days old, when it was gradually lessened to one 

 pound per day for ten days, when no more was fed 

 Only the ordinary grains which the farmer produces 

 and a good quality of legume hay were fed, showing 

 that the dairyman can raise a calf in this way with 

 little trouble. 



Successful dairymen state that they raise heifer 

 calves at a cost of $18 to $20 up to the time they are 

 two years old, and frequently sell them for $50 at 

 this age. Even if it cost twice the above amount 

 to raise them there is a good margin of profit. This 

 is a good business proposition and shows that it is 

 better to raise cows than to buy them. 



That the dairyman should raise his own cows is 

 one of the fundamental elements of profitable dairy- 

 ing, and the lack of application of this principle is 

 responsible for a large per cent, of the poor herds in 

 this country. That the cow's capacity for large 

 milk production is likely to be transmitted to her 

 daughter is well illustrated in the following 

 examples : 



