INFLUENCE OF SEASON OF FRESHENING ON DAIRY COWS. 7 



On account of labor and miscellaneous expenses the income over 

 cost of feed is not all net profit in the dairy business, but it is from 

 the income over cost of feed that net profit is obtained. So far as 

 possible, the dairyman should aim to have his cows freshen at the 

 time of year that will bring him the greatest net return. That may 

 or may not be the date of freshening that gives the greatest income 

 over cost of feed. Income over cost of feed is only one of the factors 

 that give net profit, but it is one of the most important. Labor is also 

 a very important factor, but cow-testing records do not furnish data 

 regarding labor costs. 



INCOME ABOVE FEED COST. 



According to Table 1 fall freshening ranks first in income over 

 cost of feed ; winter, second ; spring, third ; and summer, fourth. There 

 was not much difference, however, between fall and winter freshen- 

 ing in this important respect. For the four seasons the average in- 

 come over cost of feed for the 64 associations was as follows: Fall 

 freshening, $76.65; winter freshening, $75.66; spring freshening, 

 $70.73 ; and summer freshening, $66.59. 



In Table 7 the seasons are ranked with reference to the relation of 

 date of freshening to income over cost of feed per cow. 



Table 7. — Seasons ranked according to relation of date of freshening to income 



over cost of feed. 





Season of freshening. 



Number of times ranked. 





First. 



Second. 



Third. 



Fourth. 



Spring 



9 



8 



30 



17 



8 

 10 

 24 

 23 



21 



17 



7 



18 



26 





27 



Fall 



3 





6 







The table shows the number of times each of the four seasons 

 ranked first, second, third, and fourth on income over cost of feed. 

 Fall ranked first 30 times and fourth only 3 times. Winter ranked 

 first 17 times and fourth only 6 times.^Spring ranked first 9 times 

 and fourth 20 times, while summer ranked first 8 times and fourth 

 27 times. 



INFLUENCE OF MONTH OF FRESHENING. 



Table 8 shows the relation between month of freshening and milk 

 production, butterfat production, gross income, and income over cost 

 of feed of the same cows previously discussed under seasonal in- 

 fluences. 



