Public Tests of Pure-bred Dairy Cows. 



423 



685. A herd record. — On taking charge of the Cornell Station^ 

 Eoberts found a herd of cows yielding about 3,000 lbs. of milk per 

 head yearly. After years of careful breeding and selection the rec- 

 ords shown in the table below were actually made, the table including 

 the cost of feed, the milk and fat production, and the feed cost of 

 100 lbs. milk and 1 lb. fat for every cow in the herd. 



One year's milk and fat record with a herd of 20 cows. 



We observe a considerable range in the cost of feed for the several 

 cows, a wide one in the yield of milk, and a marked difference in the 

 cost of producing milk and fat. While in 1875 the average milk 

 yield of the cows in the herd was only 3,000 lbs., in 1892 the descend- 

 ants of the same cows averaged more than 7,000 lbs. This table 

 teaches that even with good, well-fed herds it is of the highest im- 

 portance to study the feed consumption and milk and fat production 

 of each individual, in order that only the best cows and their prog- 

 eny may be retained. 



686. Dairy v. beef type.— Haecker of the Minnesota Station^ sepa- 

 lated the Station herd into 4 groups, the first including cows of the 

 beef type ; the second, those showing less tendency to beef ; the third, 

 spare cows lacking in depth; and the fourth, spare cows with deep 



Bui. 52. 



Bui. 35. 



