132 ILLINOIS STATE DAIRYMEN'S ASSOCIATION 



Highest Cow in 



1911 in this herd ... 4176 159.2 $43.20 $30.13 $13.07 

 Poorest Cow in 



1915 — same herd . . . 3299 152.8 $56.00 $34.15 $21.85 



In 19 II the average cow in this herd showed a 

 loss of $1.97 at the end of the year. 



In 191 5-16 the average cow shovved a profit of 



$45.75- 



The average cow in 191 5 produced more profit 

 than the twenty best cows produced in 191 1. 



This man used his herd records, eliminated a number of his 

 poorest cows, bought in about twenty percent new cows, and 

 continued to improve, with the result that in 19 16 the average 

 cow was returning a profit of $45.75 above the cost of feed. 



Cow testing association records established a value on all 

 cows. It is impossible to determine the production of a cow by 

 her appearance, but her record is taken as authentic by the 

 owner. Recently a dealer of Holstein cattle at Northfield made 

 the remark that his customers were usually willing to pay $15 

 to $25 per head more for grade cows which had records in cow 

 testing associations, even if they were not high. It proved to 

 them that the animal was not a failure as a producer. Would 

 you go into a hardware store and .buy a cream separator without 

 paying any attention to the guaranteed capacity of that machine ? 

 You always take the capacity as given by the manufacturer to 

 be 700 or 1,000 pounds of milk per hour. The same thing is true 

 in selecting cows, therefore, it is estimated by many of our patrons 

 in cow testing associations that the value of their herds have 

 been increased at least 25 percent in selling value on account of 

 having yearly records. Not long ago a member of the Fergus 

 Falls Association sold a grade Holstein cow for $225, after 

 finishing a record of about 500 pounds butterfat. The year pre- 

 vious this same cow was offered for sale for $125. 



The members of the Litchfield-Dassel Association offered a 

 carload of cows for sale not long ago. Their records in the 

 testing association were quite good. In less than ten days these 

 cows were purchased by men who stated they were willing to 



