344 ILLINOIS STATE DAIRYMEN'S ASSOCIATION. 



Conclusion. 



The returns from cows, when expressed in dollars and cents, 

 stand out much more vividly than they do when expressed in 

 pounds of milk and butter fat. Therefore, if every dairyman 

 would keep a yearly record of the amount of milk and butter fat 

 produced by his individual cows, and from this calculate, accord- 

 ing to Table 1, the profit or loss on the individuals, he would be 

 astonished at the wide variation in earning capacity of the differ- 

 ent cows in the herd, and the results would be of untold 

 value to him. When the herds themselves are given like consid- 

 eration, a notable contrast in the variation in earning capacity 

 of the herds is brought out. 



The cows in herd No. 4 lacked $7.48 each of paying for their 

 feed and care, while each cow in herd No. 5 made a profit of 

 $42.77, making a difference in income of over $50 per cow be- 

 tween the two herds. The best cow in the good herd brought in 

 $69.70 profit, while the poorest cow in the poor herd was kept at a 

 loss of $27.52, making a difference in the earning power of the 

 two cows of nearly $100 annually. 



Equally surprising facts for the guidance of the dairyman 

 would be brought out were Table 1 applied to many other dairy 

 herds. 



