CHAPTER XII 

 VARIATIONS IN THE USEFULNESS OF DAIRY COWS 



Census reports and government estimates indicate that the average 

 cow kept for milk production in the United States produces about 

 4,000 pounds of milk per year. If this milk tests 4 per cent fat, the 

 average dairy cow produces about 160 pounds of butter-fat annually. 

 Assuming that average butter contains 85 per cent of butter-fat, the 

 average American dairy cow may be credited with about 188 pounds 

 of butter per year. 



The United States holds seventh place among 15 prominent coun- 

 tries in the average yield of milk per dairy cow, being excelled by the 

 Netherlands with 7,585 pounds yearly per cow, Switzerland 6,950 

 pounds, Great Britain 5,934 pounds, Denmark 5,666 pounds, Germany 

 4,350 pounds, and Canada 3,779 pounds. Our own average per cow 

 is reported at 3,716 pounds in 1917 and 3,627 pounds in 1920. ^ 



Extremely wide variations occur in the production and profit re- 

 turned by dairy cows. 



Relation of production to net income. — J. C. McDowell of the 

 Dairy Division of the U. S. Department of Agriculture tabulated 5,587 

 yearly records of cows owned by members of cow-testing associations 

 in various parts of the country. These records covered a period of 

 four years. He states ^ that as the average butter-fat production per 

 cow increased from 150 to 200 pounds, the income per cow over cost 

 of feed advanced from $21 to $34. Thus a gain of 50 pounds, or SSVs 

 per cent, in production gave an increase of 62 per cent in income over 

 feed cost. He states that when the production of 150 pounds was 

 doubled, income over feed cost was tripled; and when production was 

 tripled, income over feed cost was multiplied five times. The following 

 table summarizes the results of his study: 



Relation of butter-fat production to income over cost of feed. Average results, from 5,587 

 records of iO cow-testing associations 



100 pounds $ 5.00 350 pounds $74.00 



150 pounds 21.00 400 pounds 87.00 



200 pounds 34.00 450 pounds 100.00 



250 pounds 50.00 500 pounds 118.00 



300 pounds 63.00 



^T. R. Pirtle: A Handbook of Dairy Statistics, U. S. Dept. Agr., 1922. 

 -Butterfat and Income, U. S. Dept. Agr. Yearbook, 1917, pp. 357, 358. 



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