114 CO-OPEKATION IN DANISH AGRICULTUKE 



full knowledge of the yield of the individual cows. In 1897 

 a movable cattle-weighing machine was added to the equip- 

 ment. In 1898 an annual report was issued showing, besides 

 the yield of milk of each cow by quantity and quality, a detailed 

 account of foodstuffs consumed, by weight and by " food- 

 units," the increase in weight of each cow, the young stock, 

 and the production of bacon pigs. In later years an account 

 of the stock of foodstuffs was added, showing in- and outgoings, 

 an account of the horses, and a debit and credit account of 

 the cattle and pigs. " Gradually, as farmers learnt to under- 

 stand and appreciate the reports, new branches of the business 

 were taken up in the case of members who desired it." 



The object of estimating the quality of the milk was a 

 double one, gradually to eliminate those cows which were 

 unprofitable, and to breed from the best " butter-cows." By 

 these means the yield and thereby the economic value of the 

 herds should be improved. How far this object has been 

 attained is shown by the following annual averages extracted 

 from the records of the 13 herds belonging to the original 

 members of the " Vejen and District Control Society " or 

 their successors : — 



1895-1900 

 1900-1905 

 1905-1910 

 1910-1916 



Number of Lbs. of milk 

 cows. per cow. 



Per cent, 

 of fat. 



307 

 332 

 333 

 330 



6789 

 7081 

 6988 

 7473 



3-35 

 3-44 

 3-53 

 3-55 



Lbs. of 



butter per 



cow. 



253 

 271 

 274 

 295 



Food-unit 

 l)er cow. 



4307 

 4473 



4676 

 4827 



When this Control Society had been working for one year, 

 some of the information gathered was pubhshed in a form which 

 created a considerable sensation in farming circles. ^ It was 

 stated that the cost of producing one pound of butter varied 

 from ninepence to elevenpence when comparing the herds, all 

 being equally well tended and well fed. But comparing the 

 single cows a much greater difference was found. While the 

 best cow produced a pound of butter at the cost of sixpence, 

 the poorest cow produced a pound at the cost of 2s. Sd. ! A 



Report by Jens Johansen, a teacher at Ladelund Agricultural School. 



