264 THE CREAMERY PATRON S HANDBOOK. 



country is just half that amount. This means that the common cow of the 

 country would give twice as much milk and butter if she received as good 

 care and were as well fed as she should be. To be conservative, and within 

 the range of that which could be easily accomplished by feeding judiciously 

 grains and roughage grown on the farm, let us assume that under proper 

 care cows would give 5000 pounds of milk and 250 pounds of butter. This 

 would net the patron $40, while a yield of 150 pounds nets him only $24, 

 making a difference in the receipts for butter alone of $16 per cow, as- 

 suming that the butter nets him only 16 cents a pound. Let every creamery 

 patron apply this to his own herd, study these methods and see if it will 

 not pay him to handle and feed his cows properly. We are milking about 



16,000,000 cows, and an addition of 

 $16 per cow per year would increase 

 the income of the owners by $256,000,- 

 000. A sum certainly worth striv- 

 ing for. 



There are great possibilities in 

 store for those who wish to make dairy- 

 ing a specialty and are willing to de- 

 vote their energies and brains to the 

 A POOK DAIRY COW. business. In the long run nothing 



leads more surely to a competency, but it demands close attention to learn 

 just how to treat cows so that the largest return may be secured. 



Do not begin with pedigreed stock, but lay the foundation of your 

 herd with good common cows. Place at the head a good registered sire 

 of the breed you prefer. Thus you should serve your apprenticeship in 

 dairying. Gradually as they pass from the herd because of age or your 

 mistakes, their places can be filled by the grades, and as these begin to pass 

 the period of usefulness and you have become a trained handler and feeder, 

 you will be in a position to lay the foundation for a profitable herd of full- 

 bloods. Buy a few registered females and soon you will be a successful 

 breeder and dairyman. 



If you have made judicious selections of registered stock, be very shy 

 about going outside of your own herd for a sire. In selecting one, see that 

 he is roomy in the middle and has light quarters; that his dam is a good 

 performer, is easy milking, has long teats well placed on an udder well 

 rounded out in the fore quarters. He should have a straight and high tail-head, 

 eyes quick and expressive, and poise of body stately. If the offspring are 

 satisfactory, keep him during his lifetime and then let one of his best sons 

 take his place, as judicious linebreeding has always brought best results 

 with dairy stock. A bull should have a ring put in his nose as a yearling, 

 and should always be handled with a staff. Never put yourself in a posi- 

 tion where he can do you harm, no matter how gentle he may seem to be. 

 Treat him kindly but firmly, give him plenty of exercise, but never give him 

 the freedom of yard or pasture with the herd. 



