18 



the fact that too many of the cows went through the year 

 without bringing calves, so in the spring of 1907 he turned 

 the bulls with the cows and permitted them to run to- 

 gether the year round. 



A complete record of the number of calves dropped was 

 not secured for the year 1908 the year after the bulls were 

 turned with the cows as the test closed in April; but 

 during the first quarter of the year 1908, fourteen calves 

 were born, while during the same quarter of the years 1906 

 and 1907 only 5 and 9 calves, respectively, were born. No 

 record was kept of the number of calves dropped after 

 April, 1908, but when the last notes and weights were 

 made it was seen that practically all of the cows were 

 pregnant. Of course, it is a disputed point whether it is 

 better to allow the bull to be with the cows or to keep 

 him away from them all of the time. The farmer who has 

 large pastures and has other business to look after, in 

 addition to the cattle, cannot possibly obtain a high per 

 cent of calves unless the bull is permitted to be with the 

 cows. The busy farmer will not see the cows at the right 

 time. 



The breeder of registered animals should not allow the 

 bull to run with the cows, for it is desirable that a record 

 of the date of service be kept. 



It is important that as many of the cows a-s possible 

 produce calves each year; the idle cow is not only idle 

 capital but she is a constant consumer of farm products. 

 The idle cow has a very important part to play in the 

 total expense of raising a calf, as the expense 'of keeping 

 her must be charged against the calves which other cows 

 produce (See financial statement, table 5-A). When there 

 were 25 cows the owner had $750 invested in cattle (esti- 

 mating each cow to be worth $30) ; of this amount only 

 $540 was returning a profit when 72 per cent of the cows 

 brought calves. In this case there were $210 invested in 

 idle capital ; this amount represents the equivalent of seven 

 cows, and those seven cows consumed $51.80 worth of feed 

 in a year. 



