FEEDING DAIRY CATTLE 



237 



herd, as it furnishes definite information as to changes in the 

 body weight of individual cows that may occur. 



Improvement of Dairy Herds. The most important factor to 

 be ascertained by a dairy farmer is whether the cows he is feeding 

 are of the dairy type and capable of a good dairy production, or 

 are what are termed "boarders" cows whose milk production is 

 barely sufficient to pay for the feed they 

 eat. This can only be determined by 

 testing the individual herds for produc- 

 tion, by means of a milk scale (Fig. 

 47) and a Babcock tester (Fig. 48). 

 This work may be done by the farmer 

 himself or by joining a cow-testing asso- 

 ciation, or by having official tests con- 

 ducted under the direction of the State 

 Agricultural College in cooperation 

 with the respective breed associations. 

 Only cows that come up to a certain 

 standard of production of milk or butter 

 fat should be retained in the herd. This 

 may be gradually increased from 250 to 

 300, 350, or even 400 pounds butter fat 

 a year. Cows that do not reach the 

 standard are disposed of as opportunity 

 offers, unless they give promise of doing 

 better in the future, as the TT have no 

 place in the dairy herd. 



Low producers eat considerably more 

 feed per unit of production than high- 

 producing cows, and are not capable of 

 an economical production. Investiga- 

 tions of dairy herds at a number 

 of experiment stations 12 have clearly 

 demonstrated the futility of making 

 dairying pay at present high prices 

 for feed and labor, with cows other than of the strict dairy type, that 

 are good individuals; they may be pure-breds, high grade, grade, 

 or natives, according to the resources and the business ability of 

 the farmer, but they must have inbred dairy tendencies and be 

 able to consume large amounts of feed without growing fat. Ac- 

 cording to the experience of dairy experts, most farmers do not 



12 See Minnesota Bulletin 35 ; Connecticut (Storrs) Bulletin 29; Illinois 

 Circular 106; Wisconsin Bulletins 102, 200, and 226. 



FIG. 47. The spring milk-scale 

 enables the farmer to keep accurate 

 milk records of his cows with but 

 very little extra effort. (Ottawa sta- 

 tion) . 



