!0?January, 1938] Dairy Herd Replacements 25 



In making these decisions as to culling and making replacements, the 

 profitableness of the whole enterprise is the best approach. Where 

 markets are available for all the milk produced, the net profits may be 

 jgreater if all animals are near the age of greatest production. The 

 -cost due to depreciation of animals as they are culled out of the herd 

 'iaay be larger — may even raise the per unit cost of milk produced — 

 and yet the margin for the whole enterprise may be greater due to the 

 larger quantity of milk at good prices. 

 ~\ On the other hand, due to appreciation in value of cows as compared 

 'to the price of milk, another individual farmer may have a greater net 

 for the enterprise as a whole if he milks young cows securing less milk 

 but more than balancing this by greater sales of livestock. 



The question of disease was obviously of significant importance in 

 its relation to herd replacement practices, and undoubtedly under ex- 

 isting conditions at the time of this survey many of these farmers were 

 ^t least partially compensated for their efforts in raising replacements. 

 However, disease problems are of diminishing importance. The state 

 is now virtually free of bovine tuberculosis, and some federal and state 

 indemnities are now available to cooperating dairymen for animals in- 

 fected with Bang's disease. Competent veterinarians can detect mas- 

 titis which may be eliminated from the herd under proper management. 

 But unless farmers in areas of relatively high price milk can be assured 

 j)i a constant supply of good quality cows free from contagious diseases, 

 they will unquestionably be better off to continue raising at least part 

 of their replacements and milking fewer cows. However, if such as- 

 surance could be realized and if farmers in areas of relatively low- 

 priced milk could be assured of a good market for good quality cows 

 at favorable prices, and would raise more cows for sale, there would be 

 economic gain for both groups through some mutual agreement, the 

 ipount of that gain at any particular time depending mainly on cur- 

 rent cow, milk and feed prices. 



Several possible arrangements between groups of farmers might be 

 suggested in bringing about a mutual financial arrangement. An out- 

 right purchase plan at current cow prices plus a subsequent bonus for 

 the higher quality cows would be fair to both. Farmers who wish to 

 carry on a breeding program might furnish their own calves and pay 

 ^ome other farmer, who is more advantageously located for raising 

 lieifers, an agreed amount for raising them. Farmers in areas of rela- 

 tively high-price milk might even assist in eradicating contagious dis- 

 ease from the herd from which he might wish to purchase his replace- 

 ments. Possibly some wovild prefer a contract price. 



Further research is needed to determine the possibilities of raising 

 ows for sale in regions of cheap milk, cheap roughage and cheap pas- 

 ure on the basis of comparative costs for disease-free high quality 

 ows, and for determining agreements which would be of mutual ad- 

 antage to both groups of dairymen. 



