994 



Value of Food Records. 



[Feb., 



The scientific requirements of an average-sized Shorthorn cow 

 have been taken as 7.50 lb. of starch equivalent, including 

 0.84 lb. of digestible protein for her maintenance ration, and 

 an additional 2.50 lb. of starch equivalent including 0.58 lb. 

 of digestible protein for every gallon of milk. It will be noticed 

 that, on the average, the 27 farmers who had only one food 

 record taken were over-feeding their cows, assuming the 

 scientific requirements of the cows to be correct. The 18 

 farmers who had two food records taken had the opportunity 

 of correcting their rations, with the result that their feeding on 

 the average of the two food records taken corresponded more 

 nearly with the scientific food requirements of the cows, whilst 

 the rations of the eight farmers who were criticised three times 

 are still nearer in line with the scientific standards. 



The following figures show a comparison of the first food 

 records with the second food records of 23 out of the 26 farmers 

 who have had two or more food records taken during the course 

 of the winter. The food records of three farmers whose herds 

 consisted of only 2, 4 and 5 cows, respectively, and were there- 

 fore too small to provide reliable figures have been 

 disregarded : — 



1st Food Record, fnd Food Record. 



Number of Cows 505 ... 481 



Daily yield per cow per day — lb. ... 20*79 ... 22*58 

 Cost of food per cow per day — pence ... 33*39 ... 31*00 

 Cost of food per gall, of milk — pence ... I'v06 ... 13*73 



These figures show that at the time the second food record 

 was taken 481 cow t s were producing daily 1,0S6 gallons of milk 

 (2.26 gal. each) at nearly 2Jd. per gallon less cost than at 

 the time the first food record was taken. 



A saving of 2Jd. per gallon on 1,086 gallons of milk amounts 

 to £11 6?. 3d. per day or £2,058 17s. 6d. in the six winter 

 months. These are the results from 23 herds only. There 

 were 27 other herds which had their food records taken once 

 but not twice, so that no information is available as to the 

 extent to which they profited from the taking of the food 

 records. The reduction in the prices of cakes and meals as 

 the winter proceeded assisted in reducing the cost of feeding, 

 but this effect w T as small because in most cases the concen- 

 trated foods were charged at the same price on each subsequent 

 visit of the milk recorder as on the first visit. It is therefore 

 evident that food records as well as the milk records and the 

 information obtained from them are distinctly helpful to the 

 dairy farmer. In the writer's opinion the taking of food 



