FORTY-THIRD ANNUAL CONVENTION 



138 



give $25 per head more for cows with good testing association 

 records in preference to others that looked equally as good but 

 had no records. The same association sold a carload of grade 

 heifers at an increase of $10 per head on account of their dams 

 having records in the association. 



There are some other factors which have been brought out 

 through our cow testing association records. Platform speak- 

 ers and dairy lecturers tell us the fall freshening cow is the most 

 profitable. I have been interested in going over our cow testing 

 association records and have gathered the following results, 

 Avhich shows the net profit on cows freshening in the fall is 

 $10.86 per cow per year more than the spring freshening cows. 



Comparison of Fall and Spring Freshenlnj 

 (Average of 8 Associations) 



B 



w 



• l-b 



55 







. Ms 



a> 



; 





Fall 



Spring . . . 



. 758 

 . 653 



5657 

 5136 



243-3 

 196.5 



35.4 $86.13 

 34.1 67.01 



$3.^-94 



27.68 



$50.19 

 39-33 



Difference 





521 



46.8 



1.3 $19.12 



$ 8.26 



$10.86 



If we were to add to this the difference in labor costs, we 

 would find a still greater margin. The labor that can be utilized 

 in the winter months milking cows, can be used to much better 

 advantage in the summertime in the harvest and hay fields, when 

 the cows are dry. 



Twenty-five percent of the cream separators in our state 

 are wasting an excess of butterfat. This is due to many causes, 

 the greatest of which is not turning the machine up to the recom- 

 mended speed. Sometimes the milk is allowed to stand and 

 gets too cold for efficient skimming. There are other numerous 

 causes, such as a Avobbly bowd, worn gears, etc. The tester tests 

 the skimmed milk and then investigates the trouble, if it is found. 

 Some farmers will tell you that they don't care because the hogs 

 and calves get the butterfat. Can you afford to feed butterfat 



