ILLINOIS DAIRYMEN'S ASSOCIATION. 335 



is an average difference of $26.95 per cow. In a herd of fifty, 

 this would amountt o $1,347.50. 



Granting that it costs $32 per cow to feed the poorest herds, 

 and $40 per cow to feed the best herds, the net profit would aver- 

 age $11.18 in the former, and $30.13 in the latter. That is, every 

 cow in the best herds earned nearly three times as much money 

 for the farmer as did the average cow in the poorest herds. 

 Which kind is the best to keep . 



To return the dairyman a profit of $1,000 per year, would 

 require ninety cows like those in the poorest herds, but only 

 thirty-four of the kind in the best herds. Thirty-four of the best 

 kind at $55 would cost $1,780, but ninety of the other kind at $35 

 would cost $3,150, requiring an investment of $1,280 more than 

 for an equal herd of the best cows. It is easy to see that it would 

 take more labor and more men to feed and milk ninety cows than 

 it would to care for thirty-four. The ninety poor cows would 

 consume $2,880 worth of feed, and the thirty-four good ones 

 $1,360 worth — $1,520 in favor of the good cows. Which kind 

 is the more economical ? 



The average cow in the best herd makes an annual income 

 of $87.54 and at $40 for feed, a profit of 47.54. While the aver- 

 age cow in the poorest herd makest an income of $35.51 and at 

 $32 for feed, a profit of $3.51. Here is a difference in profit 

 of $44.03 per cow, and it takes 131-2 cows of the one kind to 

 make their owner as much clear money as one cow of the other 

 kind. To make $1,000 profit per year would require a herd of 

 285 cows like those of the poorest herd, or just 22 cows like those 

 of the best herd. Which kind should the dairyman build up. 



The estimates of these twelve herds take note of only the feed 

 and the butterfat. The calf, the skim milk, and the manure, will 

 certainly pay for the labor and the interest on investment. 



These figures of really representative dairy herds must mean 

 something to the thoughtful farmer. The herd of low produc- 



