218 



Milk Yield of Cows. 



which calve in the month of March and April come to the 

 flush of their milk yield about one month or six weeks after 

 calving, and maintain this flush for about four to six weeks. 

 After this period there is a decline in the quantity of milk 

 yielded. Taking the highest average daily yield (146 gallons 

 in June) as the maximum from which the decline commences, 

 the falling off during July amounts to 19 gallons ; in August, 

 as compared with June, to 33 gallons ; in September to 51 ; 

 and in October to 76 gallons : or approximately by an eighth 

 of the maximum yield in each month. 



From the data at his disposal Mr. Lloyd has attempted to 

 estimate the annual milk yield of Somerset cows. As his 

 observations were carried on each year for only seven 

 months of the milking period, it is not possible to state with 

 certainty what was the actual yield of the cows at each farm 

 where the cheese school was located, but records were kept 

 of the total monthly yield for seven months, and the yield 

 during the remaining three months was estimated. The 

 results obtained in this way are as follow r s : — 



Year. 



Average No. 

 of Cows. 



Actual Yield per 

 Cow, 7 months. 



Estimated 

 Yield per Cow, 

 10 months. 





No. 



Gallons. 



Gallons. 



1891 - 



48 



426 



473 



1892 - 



47 



443 



501 



1893 - - - 



52 



492 



55o 



1894 - 



49 



5" 



568 



1895 - - - 



64 



461 



503 



1896 - 



57 



,64 



500 



1897 - - - 



46 



474 



564 



1898 - 



44 



453 • 



507 



If, as these results would appear to indicate, the average 

 yield of milk per cow T is only about 500 gallons, it is evident, 

 Mr. Lloyd points out, that considerable improvement is 

 not only possible, but highly desirable, and could probably 

 be brought about at no very great expense by greater care 

 in breeding. 



In connection with the foregoing observations on the 

 influence of the period of lactation on the volume of milk 

 yielded by cows, reference may be made to some notes 

 on these points published by the Cornell University 



