274 ILLINOIS DAIRYMEN'S ASSOCIATION. 



Herd No. 3. 



In many ways herd No. 3 is the most interesting of all and 

 teaches one of the best lessons of any included in this report. At 

 the beginning of the test it was composed of ten native cows. 

 For several years the owner had been relying upon the available 

 milch cows in the immediate neighborhood as a source from 

 which to replenish his herd when removals were necessary. The 

 milk was taken daily from the farm by a hauler to the local pas- 

 teurizing plant from which it was sent to St. Louis for direct 

 consumption. Although the owner was progressive in other 

 matters about his farm, he had completely overlooked the actual- 

 ly low productive capacity of the cows in his herd, until his at- 

 tention was called to it by the use of the scales and the Babcock 

 test. At the time the matter of testing his cows was suggested to 

 him, he seemed favorably impressed, but gave no intimation of 

 the, radical results that were soon to be realized. After weigh- 

 ing the milk from his individual cows for two months and having 

 two sets of composite samples tested, he became suddenly aware 

 that their productive ability was not in keeping with his standards 

 of excellence. In accordance with this conclusion, he sold seven 

 of the poorest cows for $160.00 and shortly afterward bought 

 a registered cow for $150.00, making the remark at the time, 

 that perhaps he had better invest the remaining $10.00 in bran 

 in order that this new cow might be induced to produce to the 

 best of her ability. When visited shortly after this transaction 

 and asked why he made such a decided change, he said : "I didn,t 

 know my cow r s were so poor ; I cannot produce milk with them so 

 cheaply as I should." Pointing to the milk scales which had been 

 furnished him and which he had been studiously employing he 

 said : "I would not take one hundred dollars for them ; they have 

 been worth that to me." He also took occasion to say that he 

 had no intention of discontinuing the test but was bent on supply- 

 ing himself with cows worth the while. Let us pass now to a 

 consideration of the records which prompted such action. 



In table 3 is given the weekly production of the seven cows 



