COST OF PRODUCTION 169 



quarts. The average yield per cow was 6,528 

 pounds. The average cost of food per cow per day 

 was 12.35 cents, of which 6.41 cents, or 51.9 per cent, 

 represents purchased feeds and 5.94 cents, or 48.1 

 per cent., farm crops. The average cost per quart 

 of milk for the 7 years, including food, labor and 

 interest and decrease in the value of the herd, is 

 shown to be 2.37 cents. 



While the care and feeding of dairy cows is of 

 very great importance, the proper selection of ani- 

 mals for the dairy is most essential to success. We 

 must first have a cow capable of good dairy per- 

 formance before we can secure results. An illus- 

 tration will serve to make this clear. The accom- 

 panying table, taken from Bulletin 29 of the Storrs 

 Agricultural Experiment Station, shows the cost of 

 keep, income and net profit of the station herd each 

 year for 5 years. Particular attention is called to 

 column 12, which shows for a period of 5 years the 

 average net profit of each cow in the herd, or the 

 reward of management. From 1899 to 1903 the 

 average total cost of keeping a cow increased from 

 $92.86 to $94.34, or $1.49, while the income increased 

 from $91.63 to $106.04 an< 3 the net profit per cow 

 from $1.23 loss to $21.69 profit. 



The author states that "during the five years cov- 

 ered by these records the variety and amount of food 

 and the care of the herd have been much the same. 

 The increase in the net profits from $1.23 loss in 

 1899 to $21.64 profit in 1903 must be attributed to 

 the selection of animals better suited to dairy pur- 

 poses. The average cost of animals added to the 



