Butter Record of the Buckhold Herd. 



3i3 



animals that have come into the herd as cows (by having their 

 first calf or by purchase) or have left the herd (by sale or 

 by being killed). It will be clear that if two cows were in the 

 herd each for half a year, they must be reckoned as one cow for 

 a year, as they would, under ordinary circumstances, give the 

 milk that would be given by one cow, and require the food that 

 would be required by one cow, during a year's time. Again, if 

 twelve cows were in the herd only one month each they would 

 also have to be reckoned for profit or expense as one cow, i.e., 

 one cow for one year must be taken as the unit. 



On page 319 it will be seen that seventeen cows have been in 

 the herd part of the year, and column XVI. on that page shews 

 the different parts of the year that each cow was in the herd ; 

 these amount in all to 1,787 days, i.e., the seventeen cows are 

 equal to one cow in the herd for 1,787 days, and if the days 

 are divided by 365 the equivalent value of these cows will be 

 found, amounting to 4*89 cows for a whole year. 



The question may be asked : As the average of the whole 

 herd is very nearly the same as the average of the cows that 

 have been in the herd all the year, why is there need in the 

 records to give anything further than the latter average ? This 

 is the usual course in a milk record, it is easier to understand, 

 and prevents complications of figures ? 



One answer is that then no guide would be given to the profit 

 or loss in that which is usually the weaker and inferior part of 

 the herd. That unless all the animals come into the record 

 there is a tendency by want of attention to keep cattle that 

 should be killed ; these cows not of the right stamp are allowed 

 to remain and breed, and thus to lower the standard of the 

 whole herd. 



A second answer is that no better proof of the butter-making 

 qualities of a herd can be given than the evidence of the butter 

 sale book (always supposing that the butter is such as it ought 

 to be), and this book of necessity includes the butter of every 

 cow in the herd during the year. 



Record B. 



This record (pp. 318, 319) gives the individual record of every 

 cow. It will be seen that one animal has made over 600 lb. 



