UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 
K BULLETIN No. 1071 
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Washington, D. C. 
July 12, 1922 
INFLUENCE OF SEASON OF FRESHENING ON PRO- 
DUCTION AND INCOME FROM DAIRY COWS. 
By J. C. McDowell, Dairy Husbandman, Dairy Division, Bureau of Animal 
Industry. 
CONTENTS. 
Page. 
Basis of the data 
Influence of season of freshening- _ 
Value of products 
Milk and butterfat production- 
Feed cost 
Income above feed cost 
Influence of month of freshening. 
How the months ranked 
Conclusions 
Summary 
Page. 
7 
9 
9 
10 
BASIS OF THE DATA. 
There is a widespread belief that cows produce more milk and 
butterfat, and that they produce more economically, if they freshen 
in the fall or winter than if they freshen in the spring or summer. 
Tabulations of cow-testing- association records show that a definite 
relation does exist between season of freshening and other factors, 
but that the relation is not the same everywhere and under all condi- 
tions. That relation seems to depend to some extent on cost of feed, 
condition of pastures, and geographical location with reference to 
markets. *• - v --^ 
Under such circumstances a study of averages for a large number 
of cow-testing associations taken indiscriminately might be mislead- 
ing unless followed by a further study of the records of each asso- 
ciation. The conclusions given in the following pages are based on 
averages of the records of 64 associations combined, and on averages 
of the records of each association. The figures cover the period 1910 
to 1920, inclusive. From each association the records used were for 
one year only. To avoid possible error due to incomplete data or to 
short-time tests, records were discarded if the breed and age were 
omitted or if the cow was on test less than 12 months. Tabulations 
on breed and age showed that these were not factors influencing the 
conclusions drawn in this bulletin. In the 64 associations studied 
there were on yearly test 10,870 cows whose age and date of freshen- 
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