10 AMERICAN DAIRYING. 



can do, and probably a little better can be done. 

 It is certainly well for us to try to excel in 

 whatever line we are working. I shall not ad- 

 vise all dairymen to sell their present herds and 

 buy registered cows of some of the dairy breeds. 

 This is all right for those who can see their way 

 clear to do so. I believe it is wise to breed 

 registered animals when a person is so situated 

 that he can. 



How to improve the herd. What every 

 dairyman can do to improve his herd is to test 

 individual cows and dispose of such as do not 

 come up to a profitable standard. This stand- 

 ard will vary in different localities, depending 

 on the cost of feed and labor and on the value 

 of the products. 



Cost of feeding cows. We should not take 

 any other person's figures or estimates for this, 

 but should know from our own work what it 

 costs to feed a cow one year. To the cost of 

 feed add labor and the interest on the invest- 

 ment in the cow. We will suppose it costs $35 

 to feed the cow a year and $12.50 for labor to 

 care for her and $2.50 to pay interest. We now 

 have $50 charged up against the cow. Now, 

 what shall we find to put on the other side of 

 the account? It is very plain to be seen that 

 the 130-lb. cow is not in this race, as her butter 

 will have to sell for 33 cents per pound to leave 

 a profit. 



