FIFTY-THIRD ANNUAL CONVENTION 101 



Testing for Production 



Every well-managed bull association should provide 

 some means of keeping the production records of the dams 

 and daughters. One of the best ways to do this is through 

 the work of the cow-testing associations. For a long time 

 cows have been culled and sent to the butcher because of 

 their low cow-testing-association records. It is now pos- 

 sible to cull the bulls and send them to the butcher because 

 of the low cow-testing-association records of their daugh- 

 ters. The bull that does not get high-producing daughters 

 is safe from the butcher a little longer than the low-produc- 

 ing cow, but he is not half as safe now as he once was. At 

 last a way has been found to test him through the records 

 of his daughters. For him the cow-testing association is a 

 court of last resort. From its decision there is no appeal. 



Not More But Better Dairy Cows 



Proved bulls insure dairy-herd improvement. This 

 manifests itself in larger production per cow, which in- 

 creases the net income from the same number of cows or 

 brings the same net income from a smaller number. In any 

 case the farmer is the gainer. The figures in the following 

 paragraph clearly show what may be gained by breeding 

 up a herd of high-producing dairy cows. 



In one instance there was a herd of 14 cows whose 

 average yearly butterfat production per cow was 137 

 pounds, with an average income of $25 over cost of feed. 

 Another herd of 8 cows had an average yearly butterfat 

 production of 314 pounds per cow and an average income 

 of $87 over cost of feed. The 14-cow herd had a total in- 

 come of $350 over cost of feed, and the 8-cow herd, $696. 

 With one more than half as many cows the smaller herd 

 had approximately twice the income over cost of feed. 



The owner of the smaller herd could sleep an hour 

 longer every morning and finish the feeding and milking as 

 soon as the owner of the larger herd. In the evening he 

 could finish his work and go to a movie while the owner of 

 the larger herd was still busy feeding and milking his 14 



