FARM MANAGEMENT IN THE OZARKS. 31 



sold out his old herd and bought a new one during the year. An- 

 other reason for the low average production of many herds was that 

 they are being increased from year to year by the addition of a few 

 young cows. With an average annual butter fat production of only 

 142 pounds per cow, many farmers have very little chance of making 

 money from the sale of dairy products. 



The importance of high production per cow can not be too greatly 

 emphasized. At present a small number of grade and pure bred 

 dairy calves and heifers are being imported into this region at various 

 places. The importation of a few high class pure bred dairy bulls, 

 of proved ability to get high-producing daughters, and the breeding 

 of these bulls to the native cows, is believed to be an economical and 

 logical method of quickly improving the quality of dairy cattle in 

 the region. Mature dairy bulls of proved high class are rather ex- 

 pensive, but they can be bought cooperatively with great advantage 

 to the individual operators cooperating, and at a greatly lessened 

 individual cost. In the selection of a bull the best dairy specialist 

 available should be consulted, and this is especially essential when it 

 is deemed advisable to purchase a bull calf. 



The feeding of a ration which supplies the necessary nutritive 

 elements in the proper proportions is essential in all branches of the 

 live-stock business, but especially in dairying. If this is not done 

 the maximum milk production is not obtained, and there is a literal 

 waste of feed because much of the nutritive value of the feeds in a 

 poorly balanced ration, is not utilized when eaten. The production 

 of more leguminous hay crops on the farm, as suggested in other 

 parts of this report, with corn or corn and sorghum silage, will fur- 

 nish the most satisfactory and economical basis for balanced rations 

 in this territory. It is essential that in solving this problem of 

 balanced rations the best available dairy specialist be consulted. 



A careful study of the individual cows in the herd should be made, 

 to ascertain the cows which are really profitable and those which are 

 not. This is done by keeping a record of the amount of milk pro- 

 duced by each cow, and periodically testing the butter-fat content 

 of such milk. Cow-testing associations formed under the direction 

 of a competent dairy specialist afford the average dairyman and 

 farmer the most practical method for doing this work. 



Many factors affect the desirability of producing and selling dairy 

 products on a given farm. Among these are availability of labor for 

 milking and preparing the product, need of an additional source of 

 cash income, number and character of cows kept, and relative profita- 

 bleness of other employment for labor. A large proportion of the 

 farms studied had found it advantageous in their organization to 

 sell some dairy products. 



