70 



ILLINOIS STATE DAIRYMEN'S ASSOCIATION. 



It will be noticed that the above record i& divided into four parts, the 

 most profitable five cows;, the least profitable five cows, the debt con- 

 tractors, and the averages of the herd. Taking up the differences- in in- 

 dividuals- it will be noticed that the best cow gave 9,116 pounds of milk,, 

 which is. 5,'641 pounds, or 162 per cent more than cow 11 of the least profit- 

 able group, and 6,975 pounds or 325 per cent above lowest debt contrac- 

 tor. The average of the most profitable cow is 3,019 pounds, or 68 per 

 cent above the average of the least profitable, and 4,350 or 140' per cent 

 above the average of the d'ebt contractors. The largest yield of butter 

 fat was 383 pounds, the lowest profitable yield 161 pounds, a difference of 

 222 pounds or 137 per cent. Comparing the largest yield with the lowest 

 yield we find a difference of 282 pounds, or 279 per cent. Comparing 

 averages we find that the best cows yielded 318 pounds butter fat, an in- 

 crease of 140' pounds, or 78 percent over the least profitable, and 19Q 

 pounds or 148 per cent over the debt contractors. In the column headed 

 "cost of feed' it will be noted that the best cows are the most, the average 

 cost of the most profitable being $31.49, the least profitable $27.40, and the 

 debt contractors $26.32. This shows that good cows are good eaters, 

 and it pays to feed them well. Suppose that the most profitable cows had 

 been given only half the feed they received. They would still rea^ire- 

 about the same amount to maintain the animal system, and as is custom- 

 ary among cows this requirement will have to be met first and the result 

 would have been a very large shrinkage in the profits. A man that is 

 Sitingy in feeding a good cow is simply extravagant and is working 

 against his own best interests. 



Under value we have three columns, one giving the income of butter 

 fat prodoiced at creamery prices, another giving the income from the skim 

 milk at 15 cents per 100 pounds, and the last columm giving the total in- 

 come per cow. All these figures are interesting and instructive to the 

 dairyman and will bear study, reflection, and comparison. Perhaps the- 

 most interesting column in the table is the receipts less the cost of feed> 

 Here it will be noticed tnat our best cow gave us $40.37 profit, and our 

 least profitable cow $3.28, and difference in animal income of $37.09, or 



