TESTING THE FARM HERD 65 



be obtained, however, by weighing and testing 

 one day in each week during the whole period of 

 lactation, multiplying the weight by 7 to get 

 the amount given by each cow. Another prac- 

 tical method is to take weights and composite 

 samples for six consecutive days each month 

 during the whole period of lactation, and to 

 multiply these weights by 5 to get the weight of 

 milk given by each cow during each particular 

 month of her milking period. 



A test of little value. Too many farmers make 

 a single weight and test of the milk of their 

 several cows and then let the matter drop. This 

 is a serious mistake, as it teaches next to noth- 

 ing, and the only way that the dairyman may 

 know exactly what each of his cows is worth to 

 him is by testing frequently, weighing every day 

 in the year and multiplying the total weight 

 by the average test to get the weight of butter 

 fat. There are shorter methods requiring less 

 time, but they are all open to one objection — 

 inaccuracy — and are not recommended. 



Simpler but less accurate methods. The 

 simplest and easiest of these methods is to weigh 

 and test the milk of each cow for six days dur- 

 ing the fifth month of her milking period. It 

 has been shown by experiment that the fat pro- 

 duction for the fifth month represents to a con- 

 siderable degree the average production for the 



