e Practical Farm Library By N.F.Hull 5 The Phelps Publishing Company j | NewYork Springfield Mass. Chicago j library OF THE NIYERSITY 9F ILLINOIS The Silo Is a Necessary Adjunct of the Dairy Farm Making the Dairy Pay By N. P. HULL President American Dairy Farmers* Association; Lecturer National Grange Patrons of Husbandry N. P. Hull and his brother farm 350 acres. Their father died when the author was four years of age and his brother two. The mother rented the farm for ten years. Then the boys worked it for four years and it was rented for five years while they went to college and studied medicine. After graduation the young men started as partners to fix up and sell the farm, and they have been fixing up ever since. They have bought all the land surrounding the original farm, and have enlarged or built new buildings. They run from 30 to 50 Holstein cows and sell whole milk to a condensery. THE PHELPS PUBLISHING COMPANY SPRINGFIELD. MASSACHUSETTS 1913 Copyright, 1913 Phelps Publishing Company Springfield, Mass. Page Table of Contents CHAPTER I A Word to Readers- 1 CHAPTER II Dairying with General Farming_ 5 CHAPTER III Essentials for Profitable Dairying_ 10 CHAPTER IV Building a Herd by Breeding and Selection_ 12 CHAPTER V Improvement by Selection and Elimination__18 CHAPTER VI Feeding Dairy Cows for Profit_35 CHAPTER VII Care of the Dairy Herd-57 CHAPTER VIII Summer or Winter Dairying_:-63 CHAPTER IX Dairy Barns and Equipment_65 CHAPTER X Crops for the Dairy Farm_71 , CHAPTER XI Silos and Silage-74 CHAPTER XII Farm Care of Milk and Cream_76 CHAPTER XIII The Outlook for Dairying_79 ADDENDA By-Laws for Testing Associations_80 Digitized by the Internet Archive in 2017 with funding from University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign Alternates https://archive.org/details/makingdairypay00hull_0 CHAPTER I A Word to Readers I do not want to call the first chapter of this book an introduction, for readers usually skip the introduc¬ tion. I want this to be as much my introduction to the reader as his to the things written. More and more each year the busy and discriminating reader .endeav¬ ors to select from the great mass of matter offered not only that which is true, but that which is most practical for him. He desires exactly the sort of information that will give him the greatest ability to so handle his business and solve his problems .as to economically accomplish the ends sought. 1 shall not attempt to make this work a new con¬ tribution to the science of dairying. It is rather a plain statement of the absolute essentials of practical dairy farming. I shall not attempt to exploit new theories nor settle disputed questions. Rather shall I attempt to set forth in a plain, understandable way just how I, like thousands of others in very ordinary circum¬ stances and with limited capital, have succeeded in making dairying a valuable adjunct to my farm opera¬ tions. HOW I LEARNED IT What I know about profitable dairying I learned in a dairy school taught by the dairy cow in my own barn. The many valuable suggestions from outside sources have been tested in my own dairy and adopted or rejected as results warranted. I only ask the reader who questions the practical value of the facts stated or the advice given in the following pages to test fairly their value for himself. 2 MAKING THE DAIRY PAY Years of farmers’ institute work and special dairy work under the auspices of state dairy commissions and associations, and in dairy organizations nation wide in their scope have given me a splendid oppor¬ tunity to study country-wide dairy conditions. This work has also enabled me to visit the dairies and learn the methods of many of the most successful dairymen of this country. The knowledge thus gained enables me to assure my readers that the principles that make for profitable dairying in one section of the country hold good in every other section. Likewise, I have learned beyond question that no man can achieve max¬ imum profit in dairying who does not either con¬ sciously or unconsciously practice the essentials out¬ lined in the following pages. SUCCESSFUL DAIRYING IS PROFITABLE DAIRYING Most of us count a venture a success if it ends as we purposed it should. My conception of successful dairying is that sort which pays a fair profit on the investment of time and money. I have seen many dairies conducted, it seemed to me, for the mere fun of the game. At least no other result was apparent. To me it seems that to conduct a dairy so as to make it pay yields just as much fun and a great deal more satisfaction. When a man puts a part of his time into his dairy operations the commercial value of that part of his life is determined by the profit of his dairy during that space of time. There is small excuse for most of us not making an honest and intelligent endeavor to get as large a value from our time as we honestly can secure. Why any man should work hard to grow feed, milk cows and take care of the product without seri¬ ously endeavoring to make his work pay is a hard A WORD TO READERS 3 question to answer, yet armies of men are wasting their lives doing just that thing. DOES YOUR HERD PAY? The majority of dairy .herds in this country are making little or no profit. Is your herd one of them ? Can you answer this ? A large proportion of the cows kept in this country are inherently such poor stock that it is difficult, if not impossible, to make them produce at a profit. How many such cows are you keeping? Can you answer? The pictures show the product of a poor, a good and an exceptionally good dairy cow—120 lbs, 360 lbs and 800 lbs l espectively. An exhibit at a western fair. An untold number of inherently good cows are not yielding their owners a profit because they have not been properly fed and cared for. Have you done your part toward enabling your cows to yield profit¬ ably? Can you answer? MONEY TO THE MAN WHO KNOWS Two young men were engaged in dairying in the same neighborhood. Both were advised to study good dairy methods and to know their business at least to the extent of ascertaining the individual merit of their 4 MAKING THE DAIRY PAY cows. One accepted the advice, secured scales and Babcock tester at a small cost and used them. The other said he was too busy and hadn’t time to fool with it. After three years the first young man was getting an average of 250 pounds of butter per cow, the sec¬ ond young man an average of only 200 pounds per cow. It required the proceeds from 150 pounds of this butter to pay for the feed the cows ate. Hence the one had a profit of 100 pounds butter per cow, the other of only 50 pounds. The second young man thought he could not afford to take time to know his business. He has come now to a place where he must take time. He must take time to make up for what he did not know or practice. He must take time to plant crops and harvest feed for his cows for another year, milk and care for them for another year, and get another 50 pounds of butter, representing profit. He will then have the same profit from his two years’ work that the first young man secured in one year. Evidently he was mistaken when he concluded he could not afford to take time to know his business. NOTHING TO BRAG ABOUT America boasts that her farmers are the greatest producers of wealth the world has ever seen, yet we farmers are producing from our cows an average of only 145 pounds butter a year. The Danish farmer produces an average of 224 pounds per cow, and the Dutch farmer 250 pounds. Surely we have little rea¬ son to boast about our average dairy production. This book is written for those who are willing to join in an effort to increase the average production of the American cow and the profits of the American cow owner. & I * ^ P' 2 * X Pi s \ ^ and Buildings of Hull Brothers CHAPTER II Dairying With General Farming Practical farmers as well as students of agricul¬ tural production concede that the best method of main¬ taining the fertility of our farms is by live stock hus¬ bandry. Let the general farmer feed out the roughage and as large a part of his farm products as he profitably can on his farm, carefully husbanding the resulting manures and returning them to the land. Farmers of past generations, and too many of the present generation, have been soil robbers. We are now at a point where we must become soil builders, or we shall see the importance of agriculture and its products gradually dropping to a lower plane, inevi¬ tably lessening our national greatness. CHOOSING FARM LIVE STOCK The general farmer feels that he must grow some variety of legume, such as clover, alfalfa, soy beans, or peas, to replace economically the nitrogen that other crops take from his soil. These crops should be fed on the farm, together with the corn stover and other roughage. Naturally we want to feed these crops, rep¬ resenting a certain part of our labor and investment, to the animal that will give us the largest return for them. That animal, one year with another, is the good cow . The good dairy cow is the most economical pro¬ ducer of human food of any animal in existence. As time goes on, and the problem of feeding our rapidly increasing people becomes more difficult, meat produc¬ tion must give way largely to milk production. 5 6 MAKING THE DAIRY PAY The dairy cow is a more efficient machine than is a meat-producing cow. A good dairy cow will pro¬ duce a pound of butter from but little if any more feed than is required by a steer to produce a pound of dressed beef. For some years past the farmer has been able to sell the pound of butter for about three times as much as he could get for the pound of dressed beef. More labor enters into the production of the butter than of the beef, but the difference is in no way commensurate with the difference in value of the product. The good dairy cow will, with generous and judicious feeding, yield in her milk three times the digestible nutrients fit for human consumption that the two-year-old steer will produce from the same amount of feed, used with equal judgment. I say the good cow, and I mean just that. Many cows are kept that are not doing what I have claimed for the good cow, but there is no good reason why the intelligent farmer should keep poor stock for any great length of time. DAIRY OFFERS CERTAIN PROFIT We plant or sow our farm crops at a certain sea¬ son, hoping to gather a liberal harvest at some future season. We are, in a sense, dealing in futures. We must accept the chances incident to drought, floods, heat, cold, insect pests and plant diseases. These ele¬ ments of uncertainty we cannot foresee nor guard against. Our ordinary farm animals are usually fed valua¬ ble feed until they reach a certain age, when they are sold. Here again we are dealing in futures—legitimate futures, to be sure, but often our profits are dependent upon market conditions that we could not foresee. DAIRYING WITH GENERAL FARMING / Some of these uncertainties enter into dairying, but many of them do not. When we get a good cow she is kept in the herd for 10 or 12 years. Except for a short period of rest she should have each year she is converting our grain, coarse feeds and grass into a valuable product and yielding that product twice each day. The farmer may know, nearly if not quite, what it costs to feed the cow and what values she returns for it. No animal can vie with the cow in yielding quick and steady returns, unless it is the hen, and she pays but once a day. On my farms I have both raised and bought steers and fed them. Some years they have made a profit and some years a loss. I have grown and fed hogs, usually at a profit, some years at a loss. I keep sheep, both wool and mutton breeds. Some years they have not paid. In all the years I have been keeping a dairy, however, there has never been a year that cows did not pay a liberal profit. STEADY CASH RECEIPTS INSURED Every farmer has a steady demand on his re¬ sources in such forms as bills for groceries, dry goods, repairs and hired help. It is most satisfactory and most economical to meet these bills promptly with cash. I know of nothing that comes so near insuring the farmer a steady cash income throughout the year as a good dairy herd well managed. INCREASING THE FARM FERTILITY The fertility of the farm is increased by plowing under such crops as clover, peas and soy beans, and by using commercial fertilizers. When crops are plowed 8 MAKING THE DAIRY PAY down, however, and fertilizers bought, all the farmer gets from the use of his land and money is fertilizer. If, on the other hand, these crops are harvested and fed to good cows, money invested in commercial feeds and fed to good cows, and the manure carefully con¬ served, the farmer may get good pay for the use of his land, get his money back from his purchased feed with a profit and still have three-fourths of the original fertilizing value of crops and purchased feed to apply to his land. Thousands of farmers have proved be¬ yond question that a good dairy herd may make liberal profits , at the same time increasing the fertility of the farm. IS DAIRY FARMING TOO CONFINING? It is often asserted that dairying is confining and requires closer application than most other lines of farming. This is undoubtedly true. Cows must be milked twice a day, and must be fed and cared for regularly and systematically for best results. To some this offers a valid objection against dairying; to others it does not. It should not deter the young farmer who is anxious to succeed and who is made of the right material. He will learn, if he does not already know it, that very few people succeed in any business who are not willing to give close personal application to it. THE HELP PROBLEM IN THE DAIRY More labor is required in dairying than in other lines of animal husbandry. In some sections hired men are averse to milking cows. In many instances the farmers themselves are to blame for this prejudice. Too often they expect the help to work 10 hours in the field and then milk several cows. If the milking is DAIRYING WITH GENERAL FARMING 9 made a part of the day's work most men had as soon milk as to do other farm work. I have found that dairying has helped solve the farm labor problem, as far as I have it solved. Before I kept a dairy I wanted men to work about seven months of the year. I found that good steady men want steady employment. With a dairy I am able to give them such employment. I now have tenant houses and hire married men by the year. When I get a good man I keep him for a term of years if possible. On the whole, the dairy farmer is not at a disadvantage concerning hired help. CHAPTER III Essentials for Profitable Dairying By no means would I have readers conclude from the foregoing chapter that success comes to all who keep cows. There is a decided difference between cow-keeping and dairying. The dairy equation may be stated briefly thus: The dairy herd equals the dairy man . Seldom is a dairy herd found that excels in pro¬ duction the degree of wisdom and ambition attained by the man who selects, maintains, and manages the herd. Good cows, generous and judicious feeding and proper care are the three essential factors in develop¬ ing maximum profit in a dairy herd. They are essen¬ tial in every herd and in every section of the country. They are the cornerstone upon which rests profitable herd production. The degree of success attained by 'FFFP'Tf every dairyman is in direct proportion to the degree in which these factors are ap¬ preciated and intelligently incorporated into his plan of dairy procedure. MILK $ 1.95 FEED $ I 1 PROFIT The best herds are not gotten together by chance nor accident; they are rather the result of years of careful selection and breeding. It is encouraging rather than otherwise that Fig. 2—Perfor T wo Herds Same Creamery. 10 ESSENTIALS FOR PROFITABLE DAIRYING 11 herd of cows that may be so fed and handled as to insure liberal profits. A few years ago I had occasion to make a some¬ what close examination of dairy conditions about a cer¬ tain creamery. One farmer received from the cream¬ ery only $22 a cow, which was a return of but 66 cents for each dollar’s worth of feed consumed. Another farmer received $79 a cow, a return of $1.95 for each dollar’s worth of feed consumed. Allowing the skim milk, the calves, and the manure to offset the labor costs of the dairies, the one farmer disposed of his feed at a decided loss, the other at a handsome profit. These farmers lived only a mile apart, on the same road. The same creamery handled the milk from both farms and they received the same price per pound for butter fat. Why such a difference in results ? One man had put enough intelligence and painstaking care into his dairying to make it a success; the other had not. I believe in dairying, but I would advise no man to go into the business unless he cares enough about success to be willing to put forth intelligent effort. I am at a loss to know what such a man had better do, but he certainly will not succeed in the dairy. Com¬ menting on the results of a cow census conducted un¬ der his direction and comprising 2,163 herds in 13 of our leading dairy states, Hon W. D. Hoard, the noted Wisconsin dairy authority, said: “The one great and paramount conclusion overtopping all others is that a loss of profit in dairying is occasioned in nine cases out of 10 by lack of sound dairy intelligence on the part of the farmer who is behind the cow.” CHAPTER IV Building the Herd by Breeding and Selection CHOOSING A BREED The man who desires to build up a good dairy herd should first select a breed. In my judgment this should always be distinctly a dairy breed. Too much emphasis cannot well be placed upon a matter of selecting a special-purpose dairy breed. For genera¬ tions, skillful men have carefully selected, bred, and handled certain breeds in an effort to improve and per¬ fect their milk-producing function. It has been proved beyond question that the breeds so developed will pro¬ duce milk much more economically than will a breed developed for another purpose or purposes. Why should not the dairy farmer of today profit by the skill of these breeders by introducing into his herd, as rapidly as he can, the inherited milk-giving function of dairy breeds? In selecting a breed, be guided first by personal preference, and second by the market for your product. In this country are four leading dairy breeds, Holstein, Guernsey, Jersey and Ayrshire. Any one of these in the hands of a competent dairyman will prove satis¬ factory. I am not advising the beginner to buy pure bred cows of any breed, nor the farmer who now has a herd of cows to sell them and buy pure breds. Breeding and selling pure-bred dairy cattle is a business by itself. For the ordinary farm dairy the high-grade cow is nearly as liberal a producer as the pure bred. 12 Holstein Cow, K. P. Pontiac Lass 106812 Champion dairy cow of the world with a record of 44.18 lbs. butter, 585.5 lbs. 6% milk in seven days, 171.5 lbs. butter in 30 days, 427 lbs. butter and 6787 lbs. milk in 90 days. Holstein Cow, Creamelle Vale Record 1155 lbs. butter and world’s record for milk, 29,653.4 lbs. in one year. BUILDING THE HERD BY BREEDING AND SELECTION 13 There are no more pure-bred dairy cows in the country than needed to supply the demand from breed¬ ers. There are, however, enough pure-bred bulls that by a reasonable outlay of time or money the use of one may be secured for nearly every dairy herd. Select a breed and stick to it. Use in your herd only pure-bred bulls of that breed. The improvement made by several years of wise breeding has often been nullified by a mistaken notion that some valuable quality could be introduced by us¬ ing a bull of some other breed. For instance, men have used a Jersey bull upon high-grade Holstein cows, hop¬ ing that the heifers from such mating would produce the large quantity of milk characteristic of the Hol¬ stein, and containing the high fat content of the Jersey. Occasionally a good cow results from such breeding, but not often. More often the result is cows produc¬ ing a small quantity of poor milk. When the first cross does bring a .good individual producer her heifers are seldom her equal. Cross breeding for meat production is often suc¬ cessfully practiced. It is well understood that such an animal should never be kept for breeding purposes. Efforts to incorporate in one animal the good qualities of all breeds by a mixture of the blood of those breeds have always been disappointing. Retain the heifer calves from your best cows, and if you have been wise in the selection of a bull your herd will improve from year to year. SELECTING A SIRE It has been said that the bull is half the herd. In the improvement of a grade herd it is safe to count upon the good bull as more than half the herd . The 14 MAKING THE DAIRY PAY rate of improvement very largely depends upon the wis¬ dom exercised in the selection of the herd sire. Breeding, individuality and prepotency are the three major considerations that should govern in the selection of the herd bull. The first great law of breed¬ ing is that like begets like, or the likeness of an ances¬ tor. When possible to make a personal examination of the dam of the bull you think of buying or using, do not neglect the opportunity. His daughters will probably be like her. Note her form, her indicated strength, constitution, and capacity. Note the shape and texture of her udder, size and placement of teats, shape and size of her milk veins and milk wells. As¬ certain, if possible, her actual performance at the pail both as to quantity and quality. After this learn what you can about his sire, and then his granddams. When personal inspection of ancestors is out of the question judgment as to breeding will have to be based upon the animal himself and the producing rec¬ ord of his ancestors. INDICATIONS OF MERIT Indications of individual excellency and prepo¬ tency are so interlinked that they may be well consid¬ ered together. First the bull should be distinctly mas¬ culine in appearance. He should be strong and of good constitution, as indicated by a large, bright, active but not restless eye; by a large heart girth, providing space for a large, strong heart, and capacious lungs. He should be active in movement, not sluggish. Good dairy animals must be able to digest and assimilate a large amount of food. Ability to do this is indicated by a strong broad muzzle, well-muscled jaws, long, well-sprung ribs, fine, soft hair, and elastic skin. Dairy temperament in the bull is further in- BUILDING THE HERD BY BREEDING AND SELECTION 15 dicated by a large prominent spine and well-developed rudimentaries. A sire is said to be prepotent when he is able in a marked degree to transmit his qualities and tempera¬ ment to his offspring. Hence, prepotency is one of the most desirable attributes of a good dairy bull. This quality can be fully demonstrated only when his daughters come to producing. Prepotency is usually found in a sire of strong individuality and is indicated by masculinity, strength, and vigor. BREED TO MATURE BULLS An unprofitable practice, not only of dairy farm¬ ers but of breeders, is to buy a young bull, put him in service as soon as he is old enough, use him a year or two and then sell him to shipper or butcher. Many dairy bulls that might have been of untold value to their owners and to a community have gone to the block before they had an opportunity to demonstrate their worth. More care should be used in selecting sires, and when once put in service they should be kept until their get demonstrates their ability. If their daughters show marked merit the bulls should be kept in service to a good old age. There is a popular belief that dairy bulls become cross as they grow old and are dangerous to handle. This is partially true, but bulls become ugly largely through abuse, improper handling and lack of exercise. As long as the practice of retiring mature bulls in favor of young, untried ones continues, our dairy herds will not show the improvement they should. Inbreeding should be practiced only to a very lim¬ ited extent. Dairymen must introduce new bulls into their herd every two or three years. However, ma¬ ture bulls may be purchased or exchanged and thereby good bulls kept in service. 16 MAKING THE DAIRY PAY GOOD BULL PROFIT TO COMMUNITY I have observed that in communities where some farmer keeps a good dairy bull, his neighbors often fail to improve the opportunity of securing his services. Tnis is a flagrantly shortsighted policy. Perhaps no better proof of this can be offered than that contained in Bulletin 164 of the federal department of agricul¬ ture, which contains a summary of the cow census taken under the direction of Hon W. D. Hoard. This census covered the operations of 2,163 herds contain¬ ing 28,487 cows and located in 13 different states. I will give here the records bearing upon the above point of the first five localities canvassed, which are fairly representative of the whole. DAIRY TYPE MAKES THE MONEY Locality No. of herds Type of herd Annual profit per cow Tefferson County, Wis. 76 Dairy $17.53 Jefferson County, Wis. 24 Dual purpose 6.67 Five Iowa Counties 17 Dairy 20.43 Five Iowa Counties 83 Dual purpose .54 Five Ohio Counties 39 Dairy 23.80 Five Ohio Countie.s 20 Dual purpose 8.56 Delaware and Otsego 40 Dairy 8.93 Counties, N. Y. 50 Mixed Breeding 3.43 Loss Susquehanna Co., Pa. 15 Dairy 20.85 Susquehanna Co., Pa. 21 Not Dairy 1.70 These tables show at a glance the superior value of cows of dairy breeding. A summary of all the herds canvassed shows that cows of dairy type pay their own¬ ers $1.51 for each dollar’s worth of feed consumed, in BUILDING THE HERD BY BREEDING AND SELECTION 17 contrast to the $1.06 returned by cows lacking in dairy type. In the census as a whole, cows of good dairy type showed an annual profit more than eight times greater than the cows lacking dairy type. This shows that farmers who have good cows get as much profit from their herds in one year as those with poor cows receive in eight years. In other words, good cows as compared with poor ones multiplied the value of the time their owner put into dairying by eight . SECURING GOO] When there is no good bull of your favorite breed within driving distance, some sort of arrangement should be made to get one. Individual ownership, joint ownership by a few under private agreement and a bull association , are three available plans for securing one. The advantages of individual ownership are apparent. Where this seems out of the question a few neighbors can join together and purchase one. Many communities have made great strides in dairy improvement by organizing bull associations. Plans and by-laws for such an associa¬ tion may be obtained by writing the dairy division of the department of agriculture, Washington, D. C. DAIRY BULL Fig. 3—Result of Cen¬ sus OF 28487 Cows IN 2163 Different Herds. CHAPTER V Improvement by Selection and Elimination Every man who keeps a herd of cows for dairy purposes, be the herd small or large, should remember that the value of the time he devotes to his herd is very largely determined by the dairy excellence of his cows. This, in other words, determines the volume of his profit or loss. Many men have invested in dairy cows and dairy equipment and are putting much time into growing feed, feeding, milking and caring for their herd, but have not invested in enough dairy knowledge to enable them to get a profit, or as large a profit as they should, from the business. Others who have the knowledge seem not to real¬ ize the necessity for using it. Every owner of dairy cows should adopt some method of determining the producing capacity of each cow and then should keep in the herd only those which return a fair profit. KEEP GOOD COWS Hundreds of times at institutes and dairy meetings I have been asked, “What kind of cows shall we keep?” I have always answered, “Good coivs!’ Some cows have the natural ability profitably to convert feed into milk. Others have not that ability, and no matter how judiciously fed and cared for will never make profitable dairy cows. There is usually not a wide difference in the profitable butter fat producing ability of the best cows in the leading dairy breeds, but there is a very 18 IMPROVEMENT BY SELECTION AND ELIMINATION 19 wide difference between the best and poorest individ¬ uals in a herd of any breed. At the Louisiana Purchase Exposition at St Louis a breed test was conducted based upon economy of production. The best Jersey showed something over $1 more profit on the feed consumed than the best Hol¬ stein, but there was over $24 difference between the best and poorest Jersey in the test. In other tests cows from other breeds have won highest honors, but the results of all tests prove that individual merit wins rather than breed excellence. THREE KINDS OF COWS We might divide the cows kept at present by the farmers and dairymen of this country into three classes. One kind takes our feed, masticates, digests and assim¬ ilates it, and because of temperament, inherited ten¬ dency, predisposition, or the law of her nature converts a large part of it into milk. This cow is a dairy cow. It is this kind that the farmer should get and keep for she will do him good and not evil all the days of her life. Another kind consumes feed, and because of her temperament, inherited tendency, or the law of her nature, converts a large part of it into flesh. She is a beef cow, and if her owner is looking for dairy profit he should make beef of her just as soon as he can. To be sure, she will give some milk, perhaps a good flow for a time after freshening. Her instinct of ma¬ ternity prompts her to nurture her offspring, but if this cow is fed generously as a dairy cow should be, instead of giving a continuous heavy flow of milk for a long period she will shrink in milk and gain in flesh. Still another kind consumes feed and gives no return of any kind for it. She seems neither to con- 20 MAKING THE DAIRY PAY vert it into milk nor flesh. She is, of course, of no value as a cow and should be disposed of at once. It would be interesting to ask the owner of each herd in this country how many of the two latter kinds of cows he has in his herd. Comparatively few would be able to answer. Few seem to have taken any special interest in the matter. It is surprising that this should be true when success or fail¬ ure so largely depends upon this factor. Dur¬ ing the last few years much light has been thrown on the matter of production by dairy¬ men who have kept a record of their herds and by cow-testing as¬ sociations. I have be¬ fore me many of these records. Manifestly it is unfair to compare the cows of one herd with those of another, or those of one locality with those of another, because conditions and local prices vary so widely. It is, however, fair to com¬ pare cows in the same herd that have the same treat¬ ment, practically the same feed and the same market value per unit of product. HERD RECORDS FIND THE PROFIT The poorest cow in one herd shows a loss of $16.89, the best cow a profit of $56.12. In a herd of 30, comparing only mature cows, the poorest lacked #> 56.12 PROFIT FROM BEST COW IN A CERTAIN HERD # 16.83 LOSS FROM POOREST COW IN SAME HERD Fig. 4—Showing of Two Cows in Same Herd. IMPROVEMENT BY SELECTION AND ELIMINATION 21 $4.71 of paying for her feed for the year. The best cow paid for her feed and yielded a profit of $42.47. In another herd, one cow made a profit of $11.37, and another $66.80. While both made a profit, one made nearly six times as much as the other. In a Nebraska cow-testing association the best cow in a certain herd gave 12,959 pounds milk testing 3.46% fat, and producing 448 pounds butter fat. Another cow in the same herd gave 1,797 pounds of milk testing 2.82%, pro¬ ducing 50 pounds butter fat. From the first cow the owner made a profit of $123.58, and from the second he sustained a loss of $13.73. Thousands of other records show in just as marked a degree the great difference in the ability of cows to pro¬ duce at a profit. There are but few herds of cows that do not show a similar variation when tested for a year, unless they are herds that have been tested and the poor, unprofitable cows, and those showing low pro¬ ducing power eliminated. An observant dairyman is, of course, able to detect a difference between a very profitable and an extremely unprofitable cow. Few of those, however, who do not test or keep records can at the end of the year tell $ 11.37 PROFIT FROM ONE COWIN certain HERD $ 66.80 PROFIT FROM ANOTHER COW OF SAME HERD Fig. 5 —One Cow Made Six Times as Much Profit as the Other. 22 MAKING THE DAIRY PAY whether a certain cow has given 5,000 or 6,500 pounds of milk and whether that milk tested 3% or 4%. Such a difference may easily determine whether a cow is profitable or unprofitable. It is my opinion, based upon observations of thousands of herds kept for dairy purposes, and from a vast amount of reliable data, that were the poorest 40% of the cows now kept in farm dairies disposed of, the remaining 60% would produce a much greater ag- The area in the circles represents the products of the best ten and poorest ten cows in Wisconsin dairy competition. gregate profit than is now obtained. From data at hand bearing upon this point let me give the figures from one herd where an accurate record has been kept for two years. There were 26 cows in the herd the first year. The whole milk was sold at a fair price, and these cows showed an average profit of $22.93. Even at this average some of the cows were unprofitable. Nine of the poorest were sold and the remaining 17, their milk selling at the same price per gallon, made an average profit of $55.74. The owner of this herd re¬ ceived $351.40 more profit from his 17 best cows in a year than he received from his original 26 cows the IMPROVEMENT BY SELECTION AND ELIMINATION 23 year before. He had fed and milked nine fewer cows, with the attendant saving of time and energy. It would seem that when the dairy farmers of this country are assured that by keeping fewer but better cows, and doing less work they can make more profit, they would gladly do so. On 85% of the dairy farms of this country the adoption of an accurate method of identifying and eliminating the poorest cows will as¬ suredly bring such results. Simply wanting better results is not enough. Wishing alone never will accomplish anything. Hav¬ ing the way pointed out will never get the dairy farmer anywhere unless he follows the way. Many dairy farmers who milk their own cows have told me that they know all about their cows and do not need to adopt new and accurate methods for improvement. A few such farmers have been induced to join a cow¬ testing association or to test and keep records of their cows. As a rule they have been very much surprised at the records. Not infrequently the cow they had con¬ sidered the best has proved of little value, while others thought to be only medium have proved to be their best. Since it is profit we work for, does it not seem logical to first find where we get our profits and then try to increase them ? PICKING OUT THE PAYERS It is not enough to know that our herd pays a profit. We must know that each cow is a profit-pro¬ ducing animal. Why keep a cow unless she makes money? No man should be content to stop even when each cow pays a profit, but should so breed and select as to constantly improve his herd. Some dairymen have many fads and fancies, but the hard-headed practical business farmer wants to know, and should know, the value of the feed each 24 MAKING THE DAIRY PAY FROM POOREST COW IN CERTAIN NEBRASKA HERD LOSS $ 1 3.73 / 1 12*959 * — A 12,979 LBS. MILK FROM BEST COW IN SAME NEBRASKA HERO PROFIT $123.58 Fig. 6—Profit and Loss from Cows of Same Herd IMPROVEMENT BY SELECTION AND ELIMINATION 25 ulMSh 1M PROVED CIRCUIjMA f:,;r f SRWNq:;MDA^S®: i| &&0, WEIGH 30 lb , | cow consumes and what she returns for it. His cows furnish a market for his feed right on his farm; they are a good or a bad business proposition just in pro¬ portion to the excellence of the market they afford. I have talked with many dairy farmers who seem to think it would require too much time and effort to as¬ certain the value of the feed eaten by each cow and the value of the prod¬ uct she returns. This is not true. To be sure, considerable time and effort is required by the experi¬ menter, who must ascertain exact val¬ ues, and therefore must weigh all feed that the cow receives and weigh and test each milking. Such exact work is not required on the part of the dairy farmer, who needs only to know exact enough values for practi¬ cal results. If a dairy farmer observes the following instructions in his prac¬ tice, he will have sufficient knowl¬ edge for practical results. The only extra equipment necessary is a spring balance scale and a hand tester. The scales cost $1 and the tester about $5. FINDING THE VALUE OF FEED In winter feeding weigh the Fia 7 —Success- hay fed to individual cows two or ful Dairying Be- three times. The amount fed from H. NS ^ ITH Using day to day will vary a little, but not ILK CALES ‘ enough to be material. Likewise weigh the silage and other roughage fed. A few weighings during winter will suffice. Feed grain from a small measure and ySSSSSZZ . “"Ss 26 MAKING THE DAIRY PAY MILK RECORD f0» THt PIONTM mmua _is > weigh that measure of grain, or of the different grains fed, a few times, and use these weights as an average. It is well to mark above the stanchion of each cow the number of measures of grain she is to have. In IMPROVEMENT BY SELECTION AND ELIMINATION 27 this way it is easy to ascertain the value of the daily ration. Weighing is done only as often as the ration is changed. The value of summer pastures must be estimated. The value of any supplementary feed may be deter¬ mined as in winter feeding. This is certainly not an arduous task. VALUE OF THE PRODUCT To determine conveniently the value of the prod¬ uct, enough milk pails should be secured of the same weight to accommodate each milker. The movable hand on the dial of the scale should be moved back¬ ward so that when the empty pail is hung on the scale, the hand will be at zero. Have a milk sheet arranged convenient to the scale. These milk sheets may be procured from any dairy supply house, or heavy paper can be so ruled as to provide a space for each day in the month. These spaces should be wide enough to allow placing the weight of the morning milking above and the evening milking below. The name or number of each cow is placed at the left. I firmly believe that it pays from every viewpoint to weigh every milking. Weighing one day a week, or once each 10 days and multiplying these weights by seven or 10, as the case may be, will give quite accurate results. There is no question, however, that milkers take more interest in their work, and do it more thor¬ oughly when a record is made of each milking. This may not be true of all milkers, but I have noted that even the owners of herds detect more quickly varia¬ tions in the milk flow, and are more likely to remedy the abuses in feeding and care that may cause such variations. It requires but a short time at the end of each 28 MAKING THE DAIRY PAY month to total these sheets and at the end of each year to total the monthly yields. If one is selling whole milk regardless of the test, the difference between the value of the feed consumed by each cow and the value of her milk tells the story of her efficiency as a market for her owner's feed. If the milk is sold on its test, or the fat is made into butter either at the creamery or on the farm, an¬ other element enters into determining values. USE THE BABCOCK TESTER Testing milk with a Babcock tester is not a diffi¬ cult operation. Almost any one after a little practice can use a tester, and with reasonable care secure quite accurate results. When there is a creamery or a cream- testing station in the neighborhood, the farmer can usually get milk samples tested at very small cost. Holstein Bull, King of the Pontiacs The greatest living sire of the breed. Has 83 A. R. O. daughters, 50 of which have records of over 20 lbs. butter in seven days. Sire of K. P. Pontiac Lass, 44.18 lbs., and of three other heifers with records of over 30 lbs. butter in seven days. Guernsey Bull, Dairymaid's Glenwood of Pinehurst, 10548 A. R. An excellent type. The sire of two advanced register cows with records of 656 and 750 lbs. butter in a year. IMPROVEMENT BY SELECTION AND ELIMINATION 29 Small Four-Bottle Babcock Tester When there is no such place near it is necessary for the dairy farmer to buy a tester or for a few neighboring farmers to club together and buy one, if they are to test the milk from their cows. They are so inexpensive that any dairy farmer can afford to own one. Full directions for operating come with the machine. Tests should be made each month, or at most each second month. In taking a sample for testing an equal amount of milk should be taken from the morning and the evening milkings, as it has been found that the two milkings often vary in fat content. Mix the milk thoroughly before the sample is taken. This is best done by pouring from one vessel to another. If the milk is so poured three times, it will be thoroughly mixed unless it has set until the cream is quite fully separated. A half-pint of milk, or even less, is sufficient for the sample. Before filling the pipette from this sample see that it is thoroughly mixed and that no cream adheres to the sides of the vessel. The number of pounds milk given during the period between tests multiplied by the test gives the yield of fat for that period. Normal cows vary somewhat in their yield from year to year, but if a cow is in good condition and her yield does not show .a fair profit, she should be dis¬ posed of at once, especially if she shows a tendency to put on flesh. COW-TESTING ASSOCIATIONS Individual farmers can test their herds, but they usually don't. Few dairy farmers will or do undertake 30 MAKING THE DAIRY PAY to test their herds although they may fully realize the value of so doing; furthermore, those who start the work do not always keep it up as they should. These facts lead me to strongly recommend that in every sec¬ tion where there are enough cows the farmers organize a cow-testing association. Fig. 11—The Tester at Work Co-operative testing gives accurate results cheaply. Cow-testing associations were introduced into this country by Mr Helmer Rabild, now with the depart¬ ment of agriculture at Washington. The first associa¬ tion was organized in Michigan in 1905. At the close of 1912 there were 118 of these associations in the United States. The plan is to hire a man to put in all or part of his time testing the cows belonging to the members of the association. The tester visits the farm of each member once a month, weighs the feed given each cow for the one day and computes its value, weighs and tests her milk for the one day, and computes its value. IMPROVEMENT BY SELECTION AND ELIMINATION 31 This one-day record is taken as the average for the month. At the end of the year the tester furnishes the owner of the herd a complete record of each cow. A glance at this sheet shows the value of the feed con¬ sumed by the cow for the year, the pounds of milk she gave, its test, the pounds of butter fat it contained, the value of this fat, what it cost to produce a pound but¬ ter fat with this cow, the cost per 100 pounds milk, how much she paid for each dollar’s worth of feed eaten, and the net profit or loss she made for her owner. This sheet shows the farmer just what he ought to know about each of his cows. The ordinary rule in these associations is for each member to pay $1 per cow tested, board and lodge the tester while he is testing the herd, and transport him to the home of the next member. The results that should be directly credited to these associations abundantly prove the wisdom of Mr Rabild and those associated with him. As proof, con¬ sider the following summary of results obtained in the first four years’ work of a Michigan cow-testing asso¬ ciation : FOUR YEARS OF TESTING No. of | cows Average pounds milk Average pounds fat Average value of fat per lb. Value of fat Average cost of feed Average profit First year 239 5,336 215.0 23.3 cents $50.27 $29.28 $20.99 Fourth year 272 6,170 264.5 31.2 cents $82.43 $41.99 $40.44 During these four years the value of the fat per pound increased 34%, but the value of feed shows 43% increase. The higher value of feed was due partly to 32 MAKING THE DAIRY PAY a rise in prices and partly to the fact that a heavier grain ration was fed. The remarkable showing, con¬ sidering the number of cows and the 26 herds in the association, was in net profits, which nearly doubled. When this association was organized, many farm¬ ers questioned whether they could afford to pay $1 per cow to have their herds tested. The results fully prove that they could not afford not to. Communities wish¬ ing to organize such an association can receive assist¬ ance by writing to the dairy division of the department of agriculture at Washington, D. C. The by-laws used by several successful associations are printed on pages 80 to 83. CONFORMATION AS SELECTION GUIDE It has long been recognized that certain functional capacity in animals is usually recognizable by outward indications. Thus cows with highly developed milk¬ giving functions usually indicate such functional capac¬ ity by their form, conformation, or type. The feeder selects an animal with a broad back, short limbs, and a compact, closely ribbed body, be¬ cause he has learned that that conformation of body, or that type of animal, usually has the ability to lay on flesh quickly, economically, and when fat sells well. Following the same principle, the wise dairyman selects cows that indicate by their type or conformation that they have the capacity to produce milk econom¬ ically. Type is but an indication of function, and while the external indications may be right the internal machinery that does the work may not be operating to advantage. We have all seen horses with short backs, long underlines, sloping shoulders, and other indications of speed, that were not able to trot a mile even in four minutes. Such would be an absolute failure in a race, IMPROVEMENT BY SELECTION AND ELIMINATION 33 despite their conformation. We likewise find some cows possessing dairy type that when it comes to the test of efficiency prove absolute failures. Despite the fact that some horses of the speed type are failures as trotters, an intelligent man who wished to develop a racing stable would not think of buying draft horses, from which to develop trotters. He knows that ability to go fast is not usually asso¬ ciated with that type. Guided by like intelligence, the man starting a dairy herd or adding to the dairy he already has will select cows of dairy type. Experience teaches that it is among cows of that type that profitable producers are usually found. TRUE DAIRY TYPE In examining a cow to determine type, commence at the head. This should be broad between the eyes, a little dished, spare rather than fleshy, and should terminate in a broad strong muzzle. The eyes should be full and bright, and the head strongly coupled to the neck. The neck should be thin and of fair length, the spine large and prominent and the vertebrae not too close together. Breadth between the eyes, a strong neck coupling, and a large spine indicate a strong nerve system, which is necessary for large dairy production. Large nerve trunks should go from the spine to the vital organs. Vertebrae set well apart indicate that such is the case. The barrel should be deep and wide, and the ribs sloping from the spine should be well sprung. The large, deep, broad barrel provides large thoracic and abdominal capacity, or a large factory space for the organs upon which falls the work of milk production. A restricted thorax, or, as it is commonly called, heart girth, indicates lack of constitution and strength. 34 MAKING THE DAIRY PAY The rump should carry well up to the tail head. The hips should be broad and the pin bones wide apart. This gives pelvic capacity, and sufficient room between the hind legs for a large udder. The udder should have a large place in determin¬ ing the indicated value of a dairy cow. It should be large, joined to the body far out in front, and extend¬ ing well up behind. Its tissue should be glandular and elastic, so that when milked out it will appear empty. The teats should be a fair distance apart, one at nearly the center of each quarter of the udder, and of fair size. Large veins covering the outer walls of the udder, and large, tortuous, branching veins extending from the udder well forward and entering the abdomen through large milk wells, indicate that plenty of blood is being carried to the udder from which milk may be elaborated. A cow having all the above excellent points will not be able to do good dairy work unless she is in a healthy and vigorous condition. General condition and vigor are indicated by a bright, clear eye, soft, elastic skin, fine, velvety hair, and a good carriage. A cow possessing this dairy type to a marked degree, if in good condition, seldom fails to be a good producer. It is not often that we find cows for sale that closely ap¬ proach the ideal dairy type. While these points of excellence should be known and considered in purchasing cows, the cows should be tested nevertheless. Their owner may then depend upon facts rather than probabilities. CHAPTER VI Feeding Dairy (Sows for Profit The profitable feeding of dairy cows involves the use of great judgment and care. Pigs and steers are kept on the farm for only a comparatively short time, when they are sold and slaughtered. Overtaxing their digestive powers, for instance, is not as serious as with a cow that is to go on doing work for many years. The digestive power of the cow is much more heavily taxed than that of the flesh-forming animal, for the good cow in a year produces in her milk a greater amount of nutrients than does the steer in the production of beef. Many cows produce each year for a term of years solids in their milk equal to their own body weight. The cow must be supplied in her feed with material for her own growth, for sustaining body temperature, and supplying the energy for the vast amount of work she performs. Besides this, she must be supplied with material from which to manufacture milk, and nourish her unborn young. THE DANGER POINT IN FEEDING I am satisfied that the greatest mistake made by dairymen in feeding their cows is in not feeding enough. Many cows that are underfed receive all the feed they will eat, but there is a decided difference be¬ tween having a cow fed and just filled up. A cow may be given all the material she can consume, but if from that material she cannot digest a proper supply of nutrients, she is underfed. Cows cannot consume enough hay, corn stover and straw to do good dairy work. It requires nearly if not all the nutrients that 35 Guernsey Cow, Spottswood Daisy Pearl 17696 The premier cow of the breed, having an advanced register record of 18,602.8 lbs. milk and 957.38 lbs. blitter fat in one year. FEEDING DAIRY COWS FOR PROFIT 37 outlay of feed is thus required from day to day to maintain our milk-making machines, even though those machines are idle. The practical farmer knows that if he keeps a cow weighing from 1,000 to 1,500 pounds for a year, al¬ though she gives no milk, she will cost him in feed from $25 to $50, depending upon locality and price of feed. At the end of the year he has only the same cow. FW Ration Rat/on of Maintenance, Used for MUK product /on ThketQuarters Ration Ava/fablQfor Rat/on of Mamtenance Mj/HProduction haif Ration Ra t/on of Ma/ntenance 3 n Fig. 12—No Money in Scant Feeding Manifestly, then, the maintenance ration of the cow, as far as the dairyman or dairy profit is concerned, is a liability. Were the dairy cow an inanimate machine, she would stop producing when furnished only enough energy to run her machinery. The real science of profitable dairy feeding would be then more quickly and forcefully understood and appreciated. Because she is an animate machine, however, and because her instinct prompts her to nourish her young, the cow goes on producing milk though receiving only a main¬ tenance ration, or even less. Of course, she cannot do this indefinitely, but for some time, in response to 38 MAKING THE DAIRY PAY her instinct, she will produce milk by drawing on the material of her body and using stored energy to do the work. Obviously, the dairyman gains but little from this. Although the cow has produced milk, she has depreciated in value and the nutrients she drew from her body must be replaced before she regains her former value. If the above practice is carried too far, she will probably never regain her former efficiency be- Fig. 13—Returns from Highest cause of the misuse and Lowest Producing Cows, Wis- f h marhinerv consin Cow Competition. her machinery. Many first-class dairy cows have been practically ruined by this sort of abuse. ruCK /////ft/l/th -4,'384L©5 BUTTER TAT 889# UB& VALUE or PRODUCTS 77777771 3 cost or rcco MEM a 1^91^0 22 Z 3 NET RETURNS ■ 23 $ 1S.9Z BEST COW Poorest cow 1 A PROFIT-PRODUCING RATION Let us suppose, for the purpose of illustrating the principle of successful dairy feeding, that it requires $35 worth of feed a year to maintain an average cow, not producing. In taking these figures I am in no way attempting to estimate the cost. In some localities, with some cows, this figure is too high, while in other localities, with perhaps larger cows, it is too low. Whatever the maintenance cost may be, the principle involved is the same. Now let us suppose that the dairyman provides his cow with $45 worth of feed. It will require $35 worth FEEDING DAIRY COWS FOR PROFIT 39 of this to run her machinery or to maintain her. This leaves $10 worth for that machine to convert into milk. It is really not quite that, for a small part of the extra feed must be used to supply the extra energy required to convert this feed into milk. From this extra $10 worth of feed suppose that the cow yields, in a year, $45 worth of milk. She has made this extra feed pay for itself and for her maintenance ration. Let us now suppose that this cow, instead of being given $45 worth of feed, is allowed $55 worth. Again it will require $35 worth to run her machinery. Now, Full Ration „ , used for Used for Fatten of Maintenance f\hk Production Body Fa.* (X. ^ C H Fcpnomical Ration Used for Pat/on of Maintenance mux Production Fig. 14— Cows of Low Producing Power May Be Overfed however, she has $20 worth of extra feed to convert into milk. Again she will use a part of this to supply the extra energy required, but it ought not to require a larger proportion than was used in the first instance. If she was able to yield $45 worth of milk from $10 worth of extra feed, why should she not yield as much again, or $90 worth of milk, from double the amount of feed, above cost of maintenance? If this proves true, she would in the first instance, just pay for her feed. In the second she would pay for her feed and show a profit of $35. She did not, in the second instance, consume double the amount of feed eaten in the first, but only twice as much above her maintenance ration. 40 MAKING THE DAIRY PAY “But,” you ask, “will this, in practical experience, prove true, and by again increasing the feed above maintenance requirements could we again increase the profits?” It will prove true in practice if the cow is fed and cared for as she should be, providing she is a good dairy cow . It will hold true as feed is increased until we reach the full producing capacity of our cow. It must be understood that there is a vast differ¬ ence in cows. When it comes to dealing in absolute figures no two will work out the same. In consid¬ ering dairy cows of high producing capacity the kind and quality of feed, manner of feeding and the care given materially affect returns per feeding unit. The natural cow, under natural conditions, fresh¬ ened in spring, gave milk enough to supply her calf and went dry in autumn. Man, by his intelligence and cunning, has developed the cow until she now freshens at any season of the year, gives milk enough to sup¬ port her own and two or three other calves, and milks continuously for 11 months each year. By such de¬ velopment, he has made of her an artificial creature, in a sense, and she must be handled differently than her forebears were handled if she is to be kept up to her high standard. In my own dairy practice I have demonstrated be¬ yond question that up to the limit of the cow’s capacity she will make a profit in proportion to the amount of digestible nutrients furnished above her maintenance requirements. PRINCIPLE OF PROFITABLE DAIRY FEEDING The principle of successful dairy feeding is em¬ bodied in the following rule: Furnish the cozv enough properly balanced digestible nutrients to enable her to run her milk-making machinery up to its full normal FEEDING DAIRY COWS FOR PROFIT 41 capacity. Men who successfully handle other kinds of machinery recognize this principle. What man who has a threshing machine with a capacity of 1,000 bush¬ els of grain a day would think of restricting his efforts to 500 bushels? He knows that his machine will last just as long if run at its normal capacity, and will make him more profit. Although the majority of cow own¬ ers have not seemed to recognize it, this fact is equally true with milk-making machines. When feed is cheap and the market for dairy products especially good, a herd of cows may make a profit when under-fed; but when feed is high, and dairy products low, cows can make a profit only when well fed. I have known men who actually study how to make their cows get along with less feed when they ought to be studying how to get them to consume more. OVERFEEDING Occasionally cows that are being fed* to make phe¬ nomenal records are overfed to the extent of perma¬ nent injury. They are given a very heavy grain ration, often all the grain they can be induced to eat. This is not done with an idea of getting them to produce at full normal capacity, but away beyond normal capacity. Cows that are in perfect health and of naturally strong constitution may stand a strain of this kind without injury for some time. If the strain is too hard or continued too long, the health of the animals will be injured and the vital forces lowered. In ordinary dairy practice, this phase of overfeeding need not be seri¬ ously considered. Now and then is found a herd of cows kept for ordinary dairy purposes that are in a sense overfed. Such a herd might yield a larger net profit if less grain were fed. A ration made up of less expensive feed might be substituted, with equally good results. 42 MAKING THE DAIRY PAY The most frequent cases of overfeeding are in herds where the cows are all fed practically the same amount of grain regardless of their individual capacity or the amount of milk they yield. No phase of suc¬ cessful dairy farming requires more care, closer obser¬ vation, and better judgment than in determining the amount and kind of feed each cow should have to en¬ able her to run her machinery up to normal capacity. Of two cows with much the same appearance, one, because of her superior inherent ability in the way of dairy temperament, may not be able to do her best on less than 15 pounds grain a day, while the other may not be able to handle more than half that amount to the best advantage. The amount of nutrients each cow can best handle must be determined by individual tests. After a cow has freshened, the judicious feeder will gradually increase her feed, especially the grain, and see that the per cent of protein in the feed in¬ creases as the milk flow increases. Results should be watched carefully, and the grain ration increased until the increase in milk no longer pays for the increased ration. When this is reached, drop back to the point where the increase did show a profit. You have gone beyond the point of greatest profit in the dairy ration when the cow ceases to give more milk and begins to lay on flesh. When a dairy cow gets fleshy, at least before the latter part of her lactation period, she is converting too much of her owner's feed into cheap cow beef. From a practical dairy standpoint she is being overfed. I am satisfied that where one herd of cows are overfed in the United States, 7 5 herds are underfed. Cows may be given more feed than they can consume and still be underfed if that feed does not furnish enough protein to enable them to produce the maximum flow of milk. FEEDING DAIRY COWS FOR PROFIT 43 FEEDING DAIRY COWS Profitable dairy farming depends largely upon feeding a cow so she will do her best. To be so fed requires that she shall not only have enough digestible nutrients, but that they shall be of such kind and variety and so fed as to stimulate her appetite. I give here certain rules of feeding that I believe to be essen¬ tial for best results. Give the dairy coze a variety of palatable feeds. Feed regularly a balanced ration con¬ taining some succulent feed, and keep the mangers and surroundings clean. VARIETY IN DAIRY FEEDS Any animal will do better on a variety of feeds than on one or two. Different feeds contain the ele¬ ments of nutrition in different proportions. For in¬ stance, wheat bran has in its composition considerable mineral matter. Cottonseed meal has but little. Dif¬ ferent feeds, of course, taste and smell differently to the cow, and a change stimulates the appetite and aids digestion. If any one is inclined to think that variety is not a valuable attribute of an animal’s ration, let him try living on meat and potatoes alone for a season. Clover and alfalfa hay, pea and oat hay, corn stover, corn silage, and sugar beets, mangels or carrots, with two or three different kinds of grain, furnish a fair variety, and if properly combined make a good ration. PALATABLE FEED A NECESSITY The longer I feed cows the more firmly I believe that there is no attribute of a dairy ration of greater practical value than palatability. A cow or any other animal will eat more feed that tastes good than of feed less palatable. Feed that the cow relishes she 44 MAKING THE DAIRY PAY digests better. Feeds that taste good to an animal stimulate the nerves controlling the glands that secrete the digestive juices, aiding digestion. Chemists tell us that a corn crop converted into silage will not contain much more of nutrients than the same crop field cured. The practical dairyman knows, however, that his cows make a great deal more milk from the crop as silage than when field cured. Part of this difference is accounted for by the succulent nature of the silage, but I am satisfied that one of the greatest advantages of silage is its increased palata- bility. Any stockman who sees a herd of cows eating good silage will feel that he would like to have silage for his own cows. Nothing pleases a stockman better than to see his animals take hold of f eed as though they enjoyed it. SECURING GOOD FEED Palatable cow feed, as a rule, does not happen ex¬ cept in the form of natural grass pasture, but rather comes from wisdom and care in preparation . A blind man who knows anything about hay can judge quality of alfalfa and clover hay by smelling it. If it has the right aroma, he knows it must have been cut before it was too ripe and properly cured, for hay of high qual¬ ity cannot be secured in any other way. A cow may eat sour or partly spoiled silage if forced to, but she should not be compelled to do so. Good silage can be secured only from corn cut about the time it comes to maturity, and stored in an air-tight silo. Musty and moldy grain can be gotten rid of by forcing cows to eat it, but cows cannot be swindled into paying a good price for worthless feed. In actual farm practice, we are, of course, some¬ times unable to secure our cow feeds in as good con¬ dition as we would like. Sometimes a dairyman may World's Record Jersey Cow, Jacob a Irene 146643 A famous cow with a record of 69.8 lbs. milk in one day, 17,253.2 lbs. in one year, 31,508.9 lbs. in two years; 29.3 lbs. butter in seven days, 1121.13 lbs. in one year, 2053 lbs. in two years. Photo in her 15th year. World's Champion Jersey Cow, Sophie 19th of Hood Farm She has given on authenticated test, in four years, with first four calves, 46,669 lbs. 6 oz. milk, 3253 lbs. 8 oz. butter. With fifth calf, in four months and 11 days, 7443 lbs. 8 oz. milk, 488% lbs. butter. Champion cow 1910, Champion and Grand Champion Au¬ thenticated Test cow 1912. FEEDING DAIRY COWS FOR PROFIT 45 be forced to feed timothy hay and grains that are not first class. If this is the case, he should by no means condemn his cows if they do not pay a high profit. A BALANCED RATION Much has been said and written about a balanced ration. Some of it is understandable to the ordinary dairy farmer and some not. Science has done a great work in enabling us to know how to balance a ration. The reason for balancing a cow’s ration after we know how is just a matter of plain, ordinary common sense. Balancing a cow’s ration means no more nor less than furnishing her with just the material from which her milk is made, and her body and energy sustained, fur¬ nishing such materials in the proportion needed. Nature provides .every cow with a formula for making milk, and as long as the cow remains normal she will produce milk after this formula. Suppose this formula for a certain cow calls for milk contain¬ ing 3.5% fat, 3.6% casein and albumen, 4.8% milk sugar, .7% ash, and 87.4% water. Suppose this cow is giving 50 pounds milk a day and weighs 1,200 pounds. To supply the necessary material from which to make this milk and run her machinery, she must have each day about 3 pounds digestible protein, 18.25 pounds digestible carbohydrates and .85 pound digesti¬ ble fat. To supply the required nutrients, feed 40 pounds corn silage, 10 pounds clover hay, 15 pounds corn stover, 1 pound oats, 3 pounds corn, 6 pounds dried brewers’ grain, and 2 pounds linseed meal. Instead of feeding this ration, suppose we feed 5 pounds more corn meal, only 3 pounds dried brewers’ grain, and no linseed meal. By so doing we would lower the cost of our ration, by perhaps three cents, but with what ultimate result? The ration substituted lacks 46 MAKING THE DAIRY PAY half a pound of furnishing the digestible protein the cow must have to produce 50 pounds milk. It will fur¬ nish enough protein to maintain the cow and enable her to make 39 pounds milk, and her milk must shrink to this figure if we continue the latter ration. If milk is worth only one cent a pound, we have lost 11 cents worth of milk to save three cents worth of feed. The milk will probably be worth not less than \y 2 cents a pound, and in this case we lose 13*4 cents a day. We make 34% less profit on the feed con¬ sumed by our failure to give the cow enough protein. Protein is the highest priced element, and the one most likely to be lacking in a ration made up wholly or largely of home-grown material. Protein is the part of feeds that contains nitrogen. It is the element from which the cow must obtain the nitrogen she re¬ quires for the casein and albumen in her milk. All natural feeds contain protein, but only a few of our ordinary farm feeds contain as much as is required by the cow giving a good flow of milk. Hence if these ordinary home-grown feeds alone are fed to our cow and enough furnished to supply her with the pro¬ tein required for large production, she will be compelled to consume more of the other nutrients than she re¬ quires. This excess of nutrients will be largely wasted. Nearly all cow feeds contain enough ash for the cow's requirement. Carbohydrates are a class of nutri¬ ents rich in carbon. These with the fats, which are also rich in carbon, furnish the material from which she secures the fat and the sugar of her milk. When the ration contains just the amount of digestible protein the cow requires to maintain her and furnish material for the albumen and casein of the milk, and just the amount of carbohydrates and fat she re¬ quires for maintenance and for supplying material for the fat and sugar in her milk, the ration is balanced. FEEDING DAIRY COWS FOR PROFIT 47 It should be readily apparent to every dairy farmer that such a ration is of greatest economy and profit. There may have been a time, when home grown feeds were very cheap, that the dairy farmer could better afford to waste some carbohydrates than to buy pro¬ tein to balance his ration. If that were ever true, it is not now in any section of the country with which I am acquainted. BALANCING A RATION It has been learned by those who have made long and exhaustive studies of the matter that a good cow on full milk requires for maintenance and milk flow from five to six times as much digestible carbohydrates and fat in her ration as digestible protein. This rela¬ tion between digestible protein and digestible carbohy¬ drates and fat in a ration is called its “nutritive ratio.” It has been found that one part digestible fat is equal in feeding value to 2.4 parts digestible carbo¬ hydrates. So, having given the digestible nutrients in a ration, multiply the amount of fat by 2.4, add this to the carbohydrates, and divide the sum of the two by the amount of protein. The nutritive ratio of this ration will be as one is to the quotient. For example, a ration contains two pounds digestible protein, 11.5 pounds digestible carbohydrates, and .5 pound digesti¬ ble fat. .5X2.4=1.20+11.5=12.70=2=6.35. Nutri¬ tive ratio=l: 6.35. This computation shows that in the above ration there are practically 6.35 pounds car¬ bonaceous food to each pound protein. Before we can compute a balanced ration we must know the amounts of the different digestible nutrients in our feeds. To assist our readers in compounding their rations, a table is here inserted, showing such nutrients in the more common dairy feeds. These fig- 48 MAKING THE DAIRY PAY ures are taken from “Henry’s Feeds and Feeding,” the standard work on this subject. DIGESTIBLE NUTRIENTS IN DIFFERENT FEEDS Name of feed Dry matter in 100 lbs. Pounds digestible nutrients in 100 pounds Protein Carbohy¬ drates Fat Red clover hay_ 84.7 7.1 37.8 1.8 Alfalfa hay_ _ 91.9 10.5 40.5 0.9 Timothy hay, all analyses 86.8 2.8 42.4 1.3 Oathay___ ______ ___ 86.0 4.7 36.7 1.7 Cowpea hay__ ___ _ _ ___ 89.5 9.2 39.3 1.3 Fodder corn, field cured ears remaining on stalk. _ 57.8 2.5 34.6 1.2 Corn stover_ 59.5 1.4 31.2 0.7 Oat straw__ 90.8 1.3 39.5 0.8 Wheat straw___ 90.4 0.8 35.2 0.4 Corn silage_ 26.4 0.4 14.2 0.7 Corn, dent __ _ 89.4 7.8 66.8 4.3 Sweet corn,_ 91.2 8.8 63.7 7.0 Oats_ 89.6 8.8 49.2 4.3 Barley___ _ 89.2 8.4 65.3 1.6 Corn and cob meal __ 84.9 4.4 60.0 2.9 Canada field peas ___ ___ _ 85.0 19.7 49.3 0.4 Wheat bran_ ___ 88.1 11.9 42.0 2.5 Wheat middlings (shorts) _ 88.8 13.0 45.7 4.5 Buckwheat middlings __ _ 87.2 22.7 37.5 6.1 Gluten meal_ __ 90.5 29.7 42.5 6.1 Gluten feed_ _ 90.8 21.3 52.8 2.9 Dried brewers’ grains_ 91.3 20.0 32.2 6.0 Linseed meal, old process _ 90.2 30.2 32.0 6.9 Cottonseed meal __ 93.0 37.6 21.4 9.6 Sugar beets_ 13.5 1.3 9.8 0.1 Mangels_ __ 9.1 1.0 5.5 0.2 Carrots_ _ 11.4 0.8 % 7.7 0.3 PROFITABLE CROPS FOR DAIRY FEED Because of the large amount of first-class cow feed it produces per acre in nearly all sections of this country, corn will probably continue to be a large feed factor in most dairy sections. Corn is by far the best crop for silage, and a silo is almost indispensable on a dairy farm. The corn plant is high in carbohydrates FEEDING DAIRY COWS FOR PROFIT 49 and low in protein. The nutritive ratio of the whole plant, stalk and ear together, is about 1 to 14, and of the grain 1 to 9.7. After corn, clover hay is probably the most universal cow feed. This in itself is about properly balanced. Its nutritive ratio is 1 to 5.9. If the bulk of the ration is made up of the corn plant and clover hay some concentrated feed high in protein should be given to make up for the deficiency of that element in the corn plant. NARROW AND WIDE RATIONS Rations containing a relatively large proportion of protein are called narrow. Those containing a rela¬ tively large proportion of carbohydrates are called wide. Different experimenters have reached somewhat different conclusions as to the relative amounts of pro¬ tein and carbohydrates a dairy ration should contain for the most economical and efficient feeding of cows of different weights, and giving varying amounts of milk. The first standard generally accepted in this country was a German standard known as the Wolff- Lehmann. This standard called for quite a narrow ration. According to it the requirements of a 1,000- pound cow when giving certain amounts of milk are as follows: THE GERMAN FEEDING STANDARD Digestible Nutrients Nutritive ratio Dry matter Protein Carbohy¬ drates 4-> cj When giving 11 lbs. milk 25.0 1.6 10 0 0.3 1:6.7 When giving 16.6 lbs. milk 27.0 2.0 11.0 0.4 1: 6.0 When giving 22 lbs. milk 29.0 2.5 13.0 0.5 1: 5.7 When giving 27.5 lbs. milk 32.0 3.3 13.0 0.8 1: 4.5 50 MAKING THE DAIRY PAY The conclusions reached by American investiga¬ tors seem generally to agree that a ration somewhat wider will prove as efficient and more economical. Prof T. L. Haecker of Minnesota, who has given much time and study to the matter of American dairy rations, gives us the amount of digestible nutrients required to produce a pound of milk of given test. The follow¬ ing table is for mature cows: HAECKER's AMERICAN FEEDING STANDARD Maintenance requirements per Protein Carbohy¬ Fat 100 pounds live weight 0.07 lbs. drates 0.7 lbs. 0.01 lbs. For each 1 lb. milk testing 3 % add “ 1 “ “ 3.5% “ 0.04 0 19 0.015 0.042 0.21 0.016 “ 1 “ “4 % “ 0.047 0.23 0.018 “ 1 “ “ 4.5% “ 0.049 0.26 0.02 “ 1 “ “5 % “ 0.051 0.27 0.021 “ 1 “ “ 5.5% “ 0.054 0.29 0.022 “ 1 “ “ 6 % “ 0.057 0.031 0.024 Knowing the weight of the cow, and the test of her milk, by referring to the above table and to the preceding table showing the digestible nutrients in our ordinary dairy feeds the farmer can compound a ration that should closely meet the requirements according to Prof Haecker. My own experience indicates a somewhat nar¬ rower ration than suggested by the above table as most profitable. It is safe to assert that dairy cows should not receive a wider ration than that prescribed by the Haecker standard, while often it will be of advantage to give more protein than the table calls for. RELATION OF GRAIN TO ROUGHAGE A ration should not only be balanced as to nutri¬ ents, but there should also be a certain balance between Jersey Bull, Raleigh's Fairy Boy Considered by many judges as the greatest dairy and show hull living. Register of Merit sire, class 1 Score 97.6 points Ayrshire Bull, Beuchan Peter Pan 12971 Grand champion over Great Britain and America. FEEDING DAIRY COWS FOR PROFIT 51 the amounts of grain and roughage fed. This rela¬ tion differs with the capabilities of different cows, the kind of roughage fed and the yield of milk. All cows should have enough roughage to properly distend the abdomen, and with this enough grain to furnish the nutrients required. Perhaps a fair general average for cows in full milk would be to furnish three-fifths of the digestible nutrients in the roughage, and two- fifths in the grain. This ration will be varied by the judicious feeder to meet the individual requirements of his cows. SHALL WE GROW PROTEIN OR BUY IT ? As a general principle we should grow our feed. If, however, we are equipped to grow some cash crop, and our soil is especially fitted for it, it is often wise to grow it and then buy the needed protein feeds. In many sections the soil and climate are not adapted to growing grains rich in protein. If a dairy farmer can grow a crop the proceeds of which will buy more pro¬ tein than he could raise on the field, it is good busi¬ ness to do so. In some sections, Canada field peas or peas sown with oats can be grown successfully. If so, they make a very good protein feed. In other sections the cowpea and soy bean may be used. Either clover or alfalfa or both should be grown on every dairy farm. Good alfalfa hay is a wonderful dairy feed , and is des¬ tined to accomplish great things for the dairy farmer. PROTEIN IN PROFITABLE FORM Dairy farmers can usually procure protein most cheaply by purchasing the by-products of some indus¬ try. Such by-products as bran, middlings, gluten meal, gluten feed, brewers’ grains, linseed and cottonseed meal make splendid dairy feeds. By consulting the table on page 48 you will note that these by-products 52 MAKING THE DAIRY PAY are all relatively high in digestible protein. This is be¬ cause part of the carbonaceous material contained in the whole grain has been taken out in the manufactur¬ ing process. The relative values of these feeds as sources of protein alone are determined by the amount of digesti¬ ble protein they contain. By this rule cottonseed meal would be worth three times as much per ton as wheat bran, but there is a greater amount of digestible car¬ bohydrates in a ton of bran than in a ton of cottonseed meal, and this should be considered in determining values. The other by-products mentioned will be found more palatable than cottonseed meal. Cottonseed meal is a very heavy feed, and is quite constipating in its effects. I would by no means discourage the feeding of cottonseed meal, but would advise that it be fed in only moderate amounts, and in connection with silage, roots, or some other laxative feed. I have fed consid¬ erable cottonseed meal, and with good results, but have never made a practice of feeding more than three pounds a day. Judging by digestible protein alone, cottonseed meal would be worth about 16% more than linseed meal, but in actual practice linseed meal is often worth as much or more than cottonseed meal, pound for pound. This is because of its greater palatability and conditioning effects. Many proprietary dairy feeds are good, but they should be bought upon their analyses, or their digesti¬ ble protein content rather than for their name or be¬ cause of the high-sounding phrases used in advertising them. I refer here to strictly dairy feeds, not to medi¬ cated mixtures advertised as cure-alls. These are usu¬ ally sold for from five to 10 times their actual value, granted that they have a value. According to the table on page 48 one might con¬ clude that wheat middlings are of more value per unit FEEDING DAIRY COWS FOR PROFIT than wheat bran. In actual practice the reverse is usu¬ ally true. The glutens and brewers’ grains are first- class dairy feeds and valuable in balancing dairy rations in about the proportion of digestible protein they con¬ tain. The table on page 48 gives the average digestible contents of these feeds, but individual samples vary considerably. It is therefore well to get a guaranteed analysis from the seller. WHEN TO FEED Feed the cows at about the same time each day. They are creatures of habit and will do better when encouraged to form good habits. Cows that are fed at certain regular hours learn to expect their feed then, and not until then. They will, as a rule, be found contentedly eating, or chewing their cuds, and there¬ by working to the advantage of their owners. Cows that are fed irregularly are always expecting or look¬ ing for something and instead of being contented are usually dissatisfied. This feeling never yet helped make a herd of dairy cows more profitable. SUCCULENT FEED A dairy farmer cannot afford to be without some sort of succulent feed for his cows. The natural plant juices are not only loosening in their effect upon the bowels, but something about them stimulates digestion and assimilation. Every farmer has doubtless noticed that if any of his live stock gets out of condition when eating dry feed in winter, the best tonic they can be given is fresh, succulent grass when it comes in spring. The dairy farmer cannot have fresh grass in winter, but he may approximate it by having a good supply of such succulent feed as corn silage and roots. It has been found that even where plenty of good corn silage is fed cows do better if given a few roots each day. 54 MAKING THE DAIRY PAY CLEAN MANGERS AND SURROUNDINGS Filth and vile odors never contributed to the health nor appetite of the dairy cow. If a cow is to do her best as a profit maker, she must be induced to consume large quantities of feed. To do this her appetite must be keen. I have already emphasized the need of furnishing the cow with palatable feed that she may be encouraged to consume all she can convert into milk. I have asserted that early-cut, well-cured alfalfa and clover hay are excellent and palatable, but it .avails a dairy farmer little to provide a generous amount of good feed and then feed it in a stable where vile odors overcome its aroma. I have often seen mangers partially filled with refuse that had been collecting for some time. The cow had been breathing upon this, and the animal mat¬ ter, moisture, and heat from her breath had started decomposition, the odor of which would overcome the aroma of the best hay ever made. Mangers should be cleaned of all refuse at least once each day. The voidings of the cows should all be removed at least once a day, and an occasional ap¬ plication of quicklime made to keep floors and gutters sweet. If this is done and the stable properly ventilated and lighted, there is no reason why the cow stable should be an ill-smelling place. Time and care spent upon the cow stable to make it a fit place in which to feed and keep the cow, will add materially to dairy profits. SUMMER FEEDING The preceding discussion of feeding refers espe¬ cially to winter feeding. More mistakes are made in the winter feeding of cows than in summer feeding. Nature has, in a measure, provided feed for summer and does her best to provide in summer just what I FEEDING DAIRY COWS FOR PROFIT have urged that the cow be given in winter. The vari¬ ous grasses and green legumes furnish, if the pasture is good, a generous amount and variety of palatable, succulent feed that is properly balanced, or nearly so. This she obtains regularly under conditions that are clean, sweet and wholesome. Should there come a bad drouth or should we have more stock than our pastures can supply, nature’s efforts must be supplemented by the farmer if his cows are to do as well as they should. I have often seen herds on pasture so meager that they were only able by hard work to get enough grass for maintenance. Unless they supply other feed to supplement this pas¬ ture, the owners must expect a loss, for as I have already pointed out a maintenance ration alone is prac¬ tically a waste. In many dairy sections, land has be¬ come so high in value that the owner cannot afford to use it for pasture. An acre of tillable land planted to corn, and well cared for, will, as a rule, furnish about three times as much cow feed as the same acre in pasture. Many of our most successful dairymen have little or no pasture for their cows, but feed them in a yard or stable throughout the year. When sufficient pasture is lacking, corn silage should in most sections be sup¬ plied liberally for summer feeding. This can be sup¬ plemented with green crops in the following order: Early rye, clover, peas and oats, early sweet corn, and evergreen sweet corn. In some sections, such crops as cowpeas, soy beans and millet are grown and fed to advantage. Cows giving a good flow of milk should have grain in summer, whether on pasture or not. If approach¬ ing the latter part of the lactation period and abun¬ dant pasture of mixed grasses is available, they may do without grain for a time, if already in good flesh. 56 MAKING THE DAIRY PAY M.any dairy farmers seem to have the notion that silage, hay, and grain are to be fed to cows only in winter. This is a decided mistake. Keep prominently in mind that you are running a dairy for profit, and as much profit as you can fairly obtain. Do not forget that the only kind of feeding that enables a dairy cow to yield maximum profits is generous feeding, be the season summer or winter. FEEDING DRY COWS Cows should be dried up from four to six weeks before calving. This period should be considered as a time of partial rest, and preparation of the cow for the hard season of work just before her. Too often during this period the cow is neglected, allowed to shift for herself, and perhaps become weakened. This is poor preparation for hard work. A few years ago dairymen feared to have their cows freshen when in good flesh and thriving because they thought they were more likely to have milk fever. This may have been true, but the dairyman need no longer fear milk fever. If the cow is milked out for the first three days after calving, only enough to re- lieve the pressure on the udder, there is little likelihood of the disease. If she does show symptoms she can readily be relieved by filling the udder with air. When feeding grain to dry cows or to cows on pas¬ ture, we do not always get returns at once, but the returns for the years as they go prove that we cannot afford to let our cows become weakened or low in vitality. The dry cow that is to freshen soon should be so fed as to maintain her, nourish the developing calf and allow her to gain in flesh and vigor. Unless pasture is abundant she should be given a fair ration of grain. CHAPTER VII Qare of the Dairy Herd A dairy farmer may have a herd of cows, each individual of which is a splendid dairy animal. He may feed them generously with the best kinds of feed, but if they are not so cared for as to keep them com¬ fortable and healthy, they will be unable to make large profits to their owner. I once heard a great dairyman say, "A cow is a lady, and if she is to do her best, she must be treated like a lady.” A better statement of the case is that a cow is a mother, and if she is to exercise her instinct of maternity to the greatest advantage to her owner, she must be treated as a mother should be treated. This may savor of sentiment, but I guarantee that if practiced it will prove very sensible. If a cow owner has a malevolent feeling toward his cow, loud boisterous language and the use of the milk stool as an instrument of chastisement may re¬ lieve his feelings; it will also relieve him of dairy profits. Quiet, contented and comfortable cows are in condition to do good dairy work. When not in this condition they cannot do good work. During my lifetime I have seen but two dogs that I thought might be an asset to a dairyman. I have seen hundreds of them on dairy farms that I knew were greater liabilities than their owners could afford. When dairy cows are hurried from the pasture to the barn by a dog snapping at their heels, the owner may calculate that* 1 he has saved some time, but he may know with equal assurance that the saving of time has cost too much. His cows give less milk, and what they do give is not as rich. 57 58 MAKING THE DAIRY PAY To keep a cow profitable she must be kept warm. One of the best cows I ever owned I bought from a man who sold her because she did not give enough milk. He said that after she freshened in the fall she would give a good flow of milk until cold weather and then the flow would shrink badly. I knew he had a warm barn where the cows were kept nights, but I knew also that no matter how cold it was his cows were turned out in the morning and kept out all day. I bought this cow, put her in a warm barn, and kept her there. She freshened in October and in less than a year gave over 14,000 pounds milk. She was probably the best cow that the man who sold her ever owned. She was spare and thin, and after freshening converted most of her feed into milk. This left her poorly fortified against the cold, and when she was forced to stand out of doors all day she was so uncomfortable that she could not do good dairy work. The other cows of his herd were not as good dairy cows as she. They carried more flesh and used more of their feed for fuel, hence did not suffer from the cold to the same extent. Some will say that it has been proved that fatten¬ ing steers will do nearly if not quite as well in open sheds as in warm barns. The steer, with a thick layer of fat on his body and using a large part of his feed for fuel, is a different proposition. The good dairy cow is spare in flesh, and is depleting her system every day to yield bountifully at the pail. Have a warm barn for your cows. It need not be an expensive one. Keep your cows in this barn when it is too cold for them to be outside. It is too cold for a dairy cow to be outside for any great length of time when it is too cold or windy for you to stand outside in your ordinary winter clothing for an hour without feeling chilled. CARE OF THE DAIRY HERD 59 For some years my own cows have not been out¬ side the barn and the covered and inclosed barnyard from the time they came in from pasture in the fall until they went out to pasture in the spring. Some say that cows should move around when outside on cold days, and thus keep warm. Good dairy cows when turned out in the cold usually hump up and suffer. Even should they keep warm by moving briskly about their owners should know that a cow cannot use her feed to furnish energy and muscle and still have that feed to convert into milk. It is much more profitable to protect the cow from the cold than to force her to use her feed for fuel. When you see a dairy herd out of doors and unprotected for any great length of time in cold, windy weather, you may safely assert that the owner is advertising a system of dairying that never has proved very profitable and never will. Some dairymen say they want their cows to have exercise. They should understand that a cow elabor¬ ating from 35 to 40 pounds of good milk in a day is doing as much work as a horse that helps plow two acres of sod. If you are keeping your dairy cows to produce milk, you had better keep them at it, and fur¬ nish them conditions under which they can work to the best advantage. It will, of course, do cows good rather than harm to be allowed to move about some¬ what, provided they can do so under comfortable con¬ ditions. WATERING COWS Cows need constant access to pure, clean water of moderate temperature. Individual drinking pots are good if kept clean and supplied with running water. Cows do very well if allowed to go to a water tank twice a day. They should not be forced to drink ice cold water. When forced to do so they will not as a 60 MAKING THE DAIRY PAY rule drink until quite thirsty and will then drink a large quantity. This is especially true if they must go out¬ side to get the water. Even if returned to the barn at once they will be chilled for a time. Rather than have the cow chilled, carry water to her in the barn. If the cow is watered at a tank, the water should be raised to a moderate temperature by the use of a tank heater. To say nothing of the evil effects of chilling, it is cheaper to use wood or coal to warm water than to use high-priced dairy feeds as fuel. HEALTHY COWS AND PROFITABLE DAIRYING All animals that are to continue in perfect health must have plenty of pure, fresh air and sunshine. These essentials are free, so we certainly cannot afford to deny them to our cows. Some adequate system of ventilation should be provided in every dairy barn. The barn should be so located and have windows of such size and so placed as to allow the direct rays of the sun to reach every part of the stable. KEEP THE COWS CLEAN Cows do not eliminate so much of the waste of the body through the skin as does the horse, so it is not quite so essential that their skin be kept clean. Despite this, however, the cow will keep in better health and give more milk if her skin is kept reasonably clean. If the stable is supplied with properly con¬ structed gutters, so that the cow does not become fouled by her own excrement, going over her with a good stiff brush is sufficient. HOW TO MILK A good milker can do much to keep up the milk flow. Cows should be milked quickly and stripped out CARE OF THE DAIRY HERD 61 clean. A gentle kneading of the udder will usually en¬ able the milker to get a little more milk, and this last milk is much richer in fat than the average of the whole milking. Occasionally we may have a cow that is an ex¬ cellent milk producer, and in spite of the fact that she is treated kindly is restless when milked. Unless pre¬ vented she may cause a good deal of trouble by OPEN PAIL SMALL-TOP TYLER PAIL OSBORNE PAIL Fig. 17—The Small Top Pail Keeps Dirt from Milk The middle pail is most desirable for farm use. quickly lifting her foot and disturbing the milker, and perhaps upsetting the milk pail. The first impulse is to punish her, but this will more often exaggerate the fault than cure it. Punishment is almost sure to produce a vicious cow. The best plan is to strap her legs. Fasten two straps to a ring and buckle them tightly about her legs just above the hock joint. As long as she stands still the straps are not uncomfortable, but they prevent her moving her feet very much and are uncomfortable when she tries to do so. Every dairy should be sup¬ plied with such straps. They often can be used in breaking a heifer to milk, and in milking cows that happen to have sore teats or an inflamed udder. 62 MAKING THE DAIRY PAY REGULARITY IN MILKING Regularity in milking as in feeding counts for a great deal in profitable dairying. Each milker should have certain cows that are his to milk. There should be a time set for milking, and heroic effort made to be¬ gin on time. If milk scales are used and a record kept of each milking the milkers can be held responsi¬ ble for results. This, as I have pointed out before, will encourage milkers to do their best. DETAILS OF FEEDING To me it has seemed of advantage to feed the grain with silage. Our cows are turned into the inclosed barnyard while the stables are being cleaned. While this is being done the mangers are swept clean and the silage placed in them. The grain is placed on the silage and once each day about four ounces salt added. Silage, grain and salt are then mixed together by lifting the middle of the pile of silage with a fork, allowing grain and salt to sift through. By feeding silage and grain together the whole mass goes to the first stomach and then is brought back to the mouth and remasti¬ cated. PLENTY OF SALT PAYS The physiological effect of salt is to aid and stim¬ ulate the secretions. Milk is a secretion, and experi¬ ence teaches that cows yield more milk if well supplied with salt. Some dairymen keep salt before their cows so they may help themselves. I prefer to furnish it with their feed. Each cow is given from three to five ounces a day, depending upon her size, the amount of milk she gives and the amount of feed she consumes. CHAPTER VIII Summer or Winter Dairying Shall we have our cows freshen in spring or in autumn? Some dairy farmers, because of the nature of their market, must strive to maintain a constant and uniform supply of milk all the year. Much more but¬ ter is produced in summer than in winter, and the price of summer butter is correspondingly lower. I am satisfied that the dairy farmer who sells milk or cream to a creamery, cheese factory or condensery, or who makes butter on the farm, can make larger and more satisfactory profits by having his cows freshen in the fall. The months of September, Octo¬ ber and November are, in my judgment, the best sea¬ son. REASONS FOR AUTUMN FRESHENING First —Cows give their largest milk flow in the season of highest prices. Second —The cows are giving their largest yield and need most attention and care when the farmer is most at liberty, and are dry or giving least milk through the heated season and the fly season. Third —The herd requires the least time, care and attention when the farmer is busiest with farm work. Fourth —A cow when well housed, fed, and cared for will give more milk in a year when freshening in the fall. Fifth —Unless one has cheap pasture land, milk can be produced as cheaply or more cheaply in winter than in summer. 63 Fig. 19—Floor Plan of Ideal Cow Stall 64 CHAPTER IX Dairy Barns and Equipment It is not so much my purpose here to advise the building of new dairy barns as to point out inexpensive ways of improving those many dairy farmers already have. I shall give no consideration to fancy high- priced buildings. I have no prejudice against finely furnished and high-priced dairy buildings, but I hold that when it comes to a matter of profit a plain inex¬ pensive dairy barn, if it meets the requirements of the cow, is most practical. If storage room for feed is needed as well as stable room, a bank or basement barn, properly constructed, is quite satisfactory. In a basement stable extra care should be taken to secure good drainage and plenty of light. Have the floor of the basement high enough that surface water will drain away. Keep the second story enough above ground to allow for good-sized windows all the way around the basement. Basement barns should have double-boarded floors above. When feed is stored above and dropped into the stable through chutes, there is sure to be more dust in the stable than when feed is brought in from the sides or ends. A satisfactory arrangement is a one- story stable with storage buildings for hay at one end and silo at the other. THREE REQUISITES OF DAIRY STABLE Whether building a new dairy stable, or altering an old one there are three positive essentials to keep in mind. The stable should be made warm , should be pro- G5 66 MAKING THE DAIRY PAY vided with plenty of windows, and with some system of ventilation. If you have a cold stable put on new siding, chink it, or cover it with building paper. Building paper and chinking may make the stable unsightly, but your cows will more quickly make the profits from which you may build a new stable. Window glass is so cheap that any cow owner can afford to light his stable. It is not expensive to cut out the siding every few feet and put in windows. It pays to do it. One-fourth of the space all the way around at the window level Fig. 20—Front Elevation of Ideal Cow Stall % DAIRY BARNS AND EQUIPMENT 67 should be devoted to windows. The direct rays of the sun are fatal to filth and to most disease germs. A stable is much more healthful if it is well lighted. VENTILATION A BARN NECESSITY Ventilation means simply a change of air. Barn ventilation is good if it provides for changing the air often enough to keep it reasonably pure. It may be provided by opening windows, but this creates a draft and in cold weather unduly lowers the temperature inside. If ventilation is to be secured in this way mus¬ lin should be tacked over the openings in cold weather. 68 MAKING THE DAIRY PAY A better system is to let fresh air into the stable through small openings and pass it out through open¬ ings in the ceiling. The best known method of ventilating a stable is by the King system. This consists of a system of flues. The fresh air flues open on the outside three or four feet below the ceiling, run upward along the wall and open into the stable near the ceiling. There should be several of these fresh air flues, and they should be on at least two sides of the stable. The impure air is drawn out through one or more flues opening near the floor and extending up to a point a few feet above the ridge of the roof. All these flues are air tight. By this system the fresh cold air enters the stable near the ceiling and is mixed there with the warm air. The air drawn off is the cold air near the floor. The intakes should be about six inches square and the outlets two feet square. One such outlet will pro¬ vide for 20 cows. If there are 30 to 50 cows, provide two such outlets, one at each end of the stable. The intake flues should be provided with valves so that in very cold or windy weather the circulation of air may be controlled. HITCHING THE COW There are many ways of fastening cows in the stable. I do not care to recommend any one way. Give them as much liberty as is consistent with cleanliness. STABLE FLOORS Cement is the best material for the floor of a cow stable. If desired the bench upon which the cows stand and lie down may be covered with wood, cork DAIRY BARNS AND EQUIPMENT 69 cows, 3 feet 2 inches; heifers, 3 feet. 70 MAKING THE DAIRY PAY brick or other material not as hard as concrete, and that conducts heat less readily. My own cows have stood on a cement floor for some years and I have noted no bad results. I recom¬ mend a cement manger with feed alley raised six or eight inches above the bottom of the manger, as shown in the accompanying cut. COVERED AND INCLOSED BARNYARDS For 10 years I have had an inclosed barnyard, as shown elsewhere. This yard is 48 by 90 feet, sided with matched siding, covered with a good shingle roof, and has a cement floor. It is in the form of a shed and is joined to the barn. Such a yard is very convenient in many respects. I turn the cows into the yard twice a day while the stable is being cleaned and the silage and grain placed in the mangers. This gives the cows an opportunity to move about without being exposed to wind and cold. It is used for an exercise yard for the growing heifers and for other stock. Before I had this yard I drew the manure direct from the stable to the field when possible. When the snow was too deep or the fields soft the manure had to be thrown out of doors. Now I haul it out when I choose; usually one day in the week is devoted to this work. When I cannot get it to the fields it is under a roof, and is not deteriorating. I try to have all the manure made on the farm in the winter months either deposited on the field or kept in this covered yard. I consider this covered barnyard one of the most practical buildings on the farm. Having it joined to the barn makes it very convenient, but it has the draw¬ back of shutting off part of the direct light from the basement stable. CHAPTER X Grops for the Dairy Farm To fairly cover the above subject would require a book by itself. I shall not attempt here to even speak of the numerous crops that can be grown to advantage some years, or in some sections, either for winter feed¬ ing or for soiling. I wish, however, to offer a few suggestions worth considering in every section every year. Corn should be grown on every dairy farm where it is possible to grow corn. It should mostly be stored in silos for winter and summer feeding. For the silo, grow corn that will produce a large tonnage, but grow corn that will mature in your climate. Immature corn makes sour, unwholesome silage, low in nutrients. Rather than grow very large stalks plant the corn thick, thus growing more and smaller stalks. When planting corn for silage I use 50% more seed than when plant¬ ing corn to husk. Cut the corn and put it in the silo just as it reaches maturity. ALFALFA AND CLOVER Many farmers are just beginning to realize some¬ thing of the immense value of alfalfa as a dairy feed. Possibly there are sections in this country where alfalfa cannot be grown, but it is now being profitably pro¬ duced in many sections where a few years ago it was thought impossible. When you consider that a ton of good alfalfa hay is worth nearly as much for feed as a ton of oats or wheat bran, and that even as far north as northern Michigan three crops a year can be 71 72 MAKING THE DAIRY PAY grown, you are forced to conclude that a special effort to get this crop started on your farm is well worth while. But little trouble has been experienced in getting the seed to grow on almost any soil. The trouble is to get the young plant to live and thrive through the first year. I feel like urging every dairy farmer to try growing a small plot of alfalfa on his farm. Nearly every experiment station has been studying alfalfa. I advise each farmer to write the station of his state asking for information on growing the plant in his locality. I am sure that the following advice to those who have never grown alfalfa will be found practical in every section. Select a plot of fertile, well-drained soil. Plow it early and work it well. If the plot is not too weedy, sow part of it as early in spring as you can. Cultivate the rest of the plot thoroughly until late June or July, or until the land is in good condition for germinating the seed, then sow it. Use about 15 pounds seed per acre. If there is an old alfalfa field within reasonable distance where a load of soil can be obtained, get it and scatter it over at least a part of the plot. If soil cannot be obtained secure an inoculating culture from your experiment station. If they cannot furnish it they will be able to tell you where to get it. This should be used on the seed before sowing. Directions for using it accompany the culture. Sowing 400 pounds an acre of soil from an old alfalfa field and covering immediately is a successful way to inoculate your soil. Alfalfa will not do well where the soil is sour or lacking in lime. Scatter over at least a part of each plot a liberal supply of air-slacked lime. If you fail in the first attempt, try again. By treating different CROPS FOR THE DAIRY FARM 73 parts of your plot differently you may be able to learn when to sow the seed and what to supply to make the crop successful. If you learn how to grow the crop the results will many times over repay you for the effort. When a good stand of alfalfa is secured it should stand for a term of years. It will be some years yet before the average dairy farmer is ready to discard clover entirely, if that time ever comes. CHAPTER XI Silos and Silage At one time silos were considered a sort of rich man’s luxury; now they are recognized as the poor man’s necessity. A few dairy farmers are putting off building a silo until they have rearranged or built a dairy barn. Others are not yet persuaded that they need one or can afford it. To these I submit the following facts: The silo is one of the cheapest forms of a success¬ ful storage building. What sort of a building can you erect for the same cost that will successfully store so much good cow feed? SILOS AND SILAGE 75 A corn crop can be harvested and put in a silo at less cost than it can be husked and stored. By placing a field of corn in the silo the fanner conserves a greater proportion of its feeding value than is possible in any other form. As silage, the cows eat and relish the stalks as well as the leaves and grain. As silage the crop is more palatable than when field cured and this is of immense advantage to the cow owner. The crop retains its natural plant juices, which materially aid the cow in digesting and assimilating this and other feeds. Silos should be round, perpendicular, smooth on the inside, and air tight. They may be built of wood, tile, or cement. Cement silos are rapidly coming into use, and where suitable sand for building can be secured within reasonable distance, are not much more expen¬ sive to build than wooden ones. The foundation of a cement silo should be broad and strong, the walls well reinforced with strong wire, and the inside plastered with a rich cement mortar. A farmer with six cows can afford to have a silo. If he has more than six he cannot afford to be without one. CHAPTER XII Farm Gare of Milk and Gream American dairy products might be much enhanced in value, and the health of infants and adults who con¬ sume milk materially safeguarded, were more care used in milking and in handling milk and cream. Milk sours and decomposes through the action of minute organ¬ isms that get into it during the process of milking and afterwards. Warm milk is almost a perfect medium 76 Ayrshire Cow, Lily of Willowmoor, World's Champion of the Breed Record, milk 22,106 lbs. in one year; per cent, 4.02 ; butter fat, 888.7 lbs., butter, 80 °/t 1,110.88 lbs. 3 rt ,2 fc~ | a m i 3 8 S rn ^ G 5 ifi o o £ 1/3 •> o c J n o « WU.2U u *G +± ^ ^-0.2 .5 _ G <-> >> c ^ n3 O rt C ° J_ W3 'TD bjo 0 ) 00 c o o 2 s.«'g s 4 -» -O . 3 u g tH ^ ~ l- }> CD O & CO GC tH CM .2 rC 05 O'? "O O +J c/3 c n c/o a