574 MILK 



the bull in the herd will be noticeable for many generations." 

 The same author states that in one herd "14 out of 16 daughters 

 excelled their dams, the average increase being 30 per cent." 



In most herds as they exist at present there are cows that 

 produce larger amounts of milk than others. The importance of 

 eliminating poor producers and replacing them with better ani- 

 mals is not widely recognized by herd owners. The correct method 

 of separating cows according to their relative milk producing 

 ability is to weigh the amount of milk produced and to make 

 butter-fat tests at regular intervals. The common method of 

 guessing at the quantity and quality of milk is entirely unreliable 

 and misleading. Fraser has published results of a comprehensive 

 study on this subject. He speaks of "Uncle Sam's Three Herds 

 of Dairy Cattle." The poorest of the three herds produced 3654 

 pounds of milk and 134 pounds of fat annually, each cow lacking 

 $7.25 of paying for her board. The middle herd averaged 5000 

 pounds of milk and 198 pounds of butter-fat. The annual profit 

 of the middle herd was $7.85. The best herd averaged 6765 

 pounds and 278 pounds of fat, with a profit of $26.82. Extending 

 this classification over the United States it may be assumed that 

 each of these three herds contains 7,000,000 cows. If the aver- 

 age number of cows for each herd in the country is placed at 30, 

 this would represent more than 230,000 herds. It requires 230,- 

 000 farms, buildings, and equipment to care for these herds. While 

 the poorest herds lose $50,000,000 annually, the best herds make 

 a profit of $177,000,000. Thus there is a great amount of labor 

 lost. If a cow does not produce 4000 pounds of milk and 160 

 pounds of fat annually the owner loses money. Fraser quotes 

 examples of 6 herds which received no special attention as to grad- 

 ing of cows and 6 herds in the same locality which were raised 

 by breeding with a pure bred sire. The former group of herds 

 yielded 175 pounds of fat each year, while the latter yielded 265 

 pounds. The profit of the first group was $3.40 per cow annu- 

 ally, and of the latter group $24.80. Of the better kind of cows, 

 25 would make as much profit as 1021 of the poorer kind. The 

 saving in equipment, buildings, and labor necessary for 25 cows 

 over 1021 cows is obvious. A herd of 25 cows can be kept on a 

 small farm in a small stable, while a herd of 1021 cows requires 

 larger stable facilities, more pasture land, and a greater food- 

 producing area. While the capital invested in and the labor 

 required for 25 good cows is much smaller than for 1021 poor 

 cows, the profit in both cases is the same. An average cow of 

 the best herd is worth as much as 24 cows of the poorest. Fraser 

 has graphically illustrated the results of his study in two charts 

 (Figs. 230 and 231). 



