136 



DAIRY CATTLE AND MILK PRODUCTION 



community simply because the per cent of fat from these herds 

 is the highest ; but this should not be taken as evidence that 

 these are the most profitable herds. 



There are three things that should be known in order that 

 the relative profits may be known from the individual animals. 

 These are the amount of milk produced, the per cent of fat, 

 and the amount of feed consumed. In regard to variations 

 between individual animals, these three factors stand in the 

 order named. 



Keeping Complete Milk Records. The only plan of 

 keeping milk records which is entirely satisfactory is that of 



keeping complete daily 



(js^t (f~\ records of each individual 



animal. This appears to 

 be a very large undertak- 

 ing to the dairyman who 

 has never followed such a 

 plan, but it does not re- 

 quire as much work as is 

 usually anticipated, and 

 the advantages which 

 follow are sufficient to 

 justify the expense of 

 labor required. A pair 

 of spring balances should 



be provided and hung at a point convenient for the milkers 

 and a suitable milk sheet placed on the wall beside the 

 scales. One of the advantages of keeping complete daily 

 records of milk production is that it makes possible the 

 feeding of the individual cows with the greatest economy. 

 It is impossible to feed economically unless the amount 



FIG. 31. Scales for weighing milk. 



