DAIRY CATTLE 



469 



soil which improves its physical proper- 

 ties. Shavings are practically equal to 

 sawdust in their general usefulness, but 

 cost considerably more. In the test car- 

 ried on by Doane, the yearly cost for 

 bedding for cows stabled sixteen hours 

 per day was 11 cents for sawdust, $2.55 

 for cut corn stover, $3.11 for uncut 

 wheat straw, $3.61 for cut wheat straw, 

 $3.28 for shavings. The amount of bed- 

 ding required to absorb the liquid ma- 

 nure from each cow stabled 16 hours 

 per day varied from 2.8 pounds in the 

 case of corn stover to 8 1-3 pounds in 

 the case of sawdust. 



Influence of weather on milk — Dairy 

 cows, particularly those of a nervous 



Relative profit from, milk, cream and 

 butter — The form in which the dairy 

 products shall be marketed is a matter 

 which must be settled by the individual 

 dairyman according to his peculiar con- 

 ditions. Many dairymen are so located 

 that it would be quite impossible for 

 them to run a daily milk route; while 

 for others this is the simplest way in 

 which the milk can be marketed. There 

 are so many different schemes available 

 that it is practically impossible to dis- 

 cuss all of them in this connection. The 

 milk may be separated on the farm and 

 the cream sold to a regular list of cus- 

 tomers or to wholesale dealers or cream- 

 eries for use in the manufacture of but- 



Fig. 298 MODERN DAIRY BARN. REAR VIEW 



temperament, are very susceptible to the 

 influence of the weather and in order to 

 get the best results it is necessary to 

 have some regard to measures for pro- 

 tecting cows against sudden climatic 

 changes and cold rains. Violent changes 

 in the weather lower the milk yield, and 

 in some instances, though not always, 

 the fat content is also lowered. In a 

 series of observations made in Kentucky, 

 May found that the milk yield was more 

 decidedly affected than the fat content 

 by climatic changes, but that the loss 

 of milk from exposure of the cows to 

 cold rains was often a serious matter. 

 The amount of feed required under cir- 

 cumstances where exposure must be en- 

 dured, is also greater than where the 

 cows are better protected. 



ter. Likewise the milk may be sold 

 along a regular milk route, to wholesale 

 dealers or to creameries. In the latter 

 case it must be collected oftener than is 

 necessary with cream. One of the great- 

 est drawbacks which has prevailed in 

 the manufacture of butter on the farm 

 is that such butter too often lacks qual- 

 ity and uniformity. Many dairymen do 

 not equip themselves with proper appa- 

 ratus for producing butter of a standard 

 quality, and do not employ persons who 

 have the proper skill and experience for 

 this work. 



The relative profits from marketing 

 dairy products under these different 

 forms depends to some extent on the 

 amount of apparatus and equipment 

 necessary for managing the business in 



