THE DAIRY HERD. 23 



will make them $30 or $40 per CO'W annually 

 after paying for all their feed at market price 

 and $12 to $15 for the labor of caring for them. 



Improving the Herd.— I do not advise all 

 dairymen to secure registered herds of any 

 breed. This is all right when one can see his 

 way clear to do so. What every dairyman can 

 do to improve his herd is to test his individual 

 cows and dispose of those that do not come up 

 to a profitable standard. This standard will 

 vary in different localities, depending upon the 

 cost of feed, labor and the value of the products. 



I shall not undertake to tell you what breed 

 to select for dairy purposes, but I would advise 

 selecting some one of the dairy breeds. Study 

 the subject thoroughly and then select the breed 

 that you think is best suited to your wants. 



In case you have no cows and are intending to 

 buy, get the privilege of testing them before 

 buying. See them milked, weigh the milk, take 

 a sample and test it or have it tested, and you 

 can figure out what the cow is doing in the line 

 of producing butter-fat, to which you may add 

 fifteen per cent to learn how much butter she 

 will produce. This work will require a little 

 time, but will pay in the end. If you have a 

 dairy, test every cow to know what she is doing. 

 Do not go guessing along with this work. 



Eaise all the heifer calves from the cows that 

 test well enough to be retained in the herd and 



