239 17 »py 1 FARM 1 N G MOI^E PROFITABLE Ir ^ INTERNATIONAL HARVESTER COMPANY OF New Jersey (Incorporaied) AGRICULTURAL EXTENSION DEPARTMENT HARVESTER BUILDING, CHICAGO FARMIKG AdORB PROFITABLE Note — All or any portion of this book may be reproduced by giv- ing proper credit to the publishers Compiled and Edited by P. G. HOLDEN AND C. M. Carroll Published and Copyrighted 1917 by INTERNATIONAL HARVESTER COMPANY OF New Jersey, Incorporated AGRICULTURAL EXTENSION DEPARTMENT P. G. Hold EN, Director HARVESTER BUILDING. CHICAGO AE374-25\I-G-1-17 TABLE OF CONTENTS Page Frontispiece 2 Title Page 3 Tribute to the Dairy Cow 7 Cows Produce One Billion Dollars 8 Dairy Cows — -Number in the United States 9 Value of Dairy Products by States 10 Creameries — Number in the United States by States 11 Cheese Factories — Number in the United States by States.. . 12 What's a Home Without a Cow 13 Food Values — Both Good — Cow Better 14 Cow Greatest Producer of Human Food 16 Cow Before the Jury 17 Verdict of the Jury 18 Get Rid of the Poor Dairy Cow 20 Cow Testing Associations — Results of 21 Duties of the Cow Tester 22 The Things a Dairyman Should Remember 22 Pioneer Test Association 23 Testing Takes the Guess Out of Dairying 23 Grow Your Own Feed 24 The Babcock Test 26, 61-65 Farm Milk Record Sheet 62 You Can Have a Silo 27 The Pit Silo— Advantages of 28-29 Silage Makes Cheap Milk r :. * 30 Grow Your Protein — Don't Buy It 32 Feed for the Dairy Cow 33 Food Values in Farm Feeds 35 Rations for the Dairy Cow ". 36 Keep Bacteria, Dirt and Filth Out of Milk 39 You Can Improve Your Dairy Business 40 Know Your Cows 41 4 Gm TABLE OF CONTENTS— (Continued) Page Improvement of Dairy Herd Milk Production— Influence of Environment and Breed- 43-47 mg on Dairy Sire— Selection and Management of 48 Points of a Good Sire "^^ Sire— Care and Handling of ^^ Management of the Dairy Herd ^^ Labor Saving Machinery ^^ Ventilation Essential ^^"^^ Sunlight the Great Destroyer of Disease Germs 39, 58 How to Keep a Record of Each Cow 60 Testing Skim Milk ^^ 65 Testing Cream Composition of Whole Milk 66 Composition of Skim Milk 66 67 Butter on the Farm Standard for Judging Butter 68 Composition of Butter 69 Cleanliness in Butter Making 69 Profitable Dairy Herds from Unprofitable Stock 71 What Poor Bred Sires Did for Me "^4 Co-operative Creameries ' Milking Machines Save Money '^^ The Dairy Problem in the South 80 Stick to One Breed ^^ A Calf for Every Boy ^^ 84 Guard Against Disease Breed for Milk Production ^^ Set Your Standard High ^6 Care, Feed, Breed, Weed ^"^ Determination to Succeed Will Bring Success 89 The No-Purpose Cow Grow into the Dairy Business ^^ Good Health, Clear Judgment, Energy 94 5 TABLE OF CONTENTS— (Continued) Page The Man and the Cow 95 Feeding Calves on Skim Milk 96 Cost of Producing 100 Pounds of Milk 98 Properly Feed and Care for Your Cows 99 Test, Weigh, Cull 101 Grow Alfalfa, Have Silos 102 Raise Your Own Stock 103 Know How to Produce and Market 104 Grow Alfalfa, Rotate Crops 105 Facts on Cows, Feeds, and Markets 106 Sell Butter Fat— Feed Skim Milk 107 Good Dairy Advice 108 Have Cows Freshen in Fall 108 Good Care Will Save Feed 109 Short Course Training for Dairyman 110 Apply Business Methods Ill High Points in Successful Dairying 112 Produce Pail Fillers 112 Warm the Water for Cows 113 Raise Your Own Feed 113 The Dairy Business in a Nutshell 113 Feed Alfalfa to Dairy Cows 114 Breed Best Milkers and Raise Calves 114 Give Heifers Chance to Grow 114 The Concrete Water Tank 115 The Milk House 115-116 Have a Summer Silo 117 Cows Need Rest ; 117 Regularity in Feeding Important 118 Must Like the Business 118 Miscellaneous Experiences * 118-122 A Partial List of Dairy Literature 123-125 The Visual Method of Instruction 126 Educational Publications 127 6 TRIBUTE TO THE COW By E. G. BENNETT, State Dairy Commissioner, Missouri Q ITTLE does man realize the debt he owes the Cow. Dur- ing the dark ages of savagery and barbarism, we find her early ancestors natives of the wild forests of the old world. As the bright rays of civilization penetrated the darkness of that early period, and man called upon the cow, she came forth from her seclusion to share in the efforts that gave us a greater nation and a more enlightened people! For two thousand years she has been the co-partner of man, sharing alike in his prosperity and adversity, responding nobly to all that was done for her, until through her development she has become an idol of the people. In 1493, when Columbus made his second voyage to America, the Cow came with him — and from that time to the present day she has been a most potent factor in making this, our own country, one of the great nations. Her sons helped till the soil of our ancestors and slowly moved the products of the farm to market. They went with man into the dense forests of the new world, helped clear them for homes and made cultivation possible for the coming generation. When the tide of emigration turned westward, it was the ox that hauled the belongings of the pioneer across the plains and over the great mountain ranges to new homes beyond. The Cow is man's greatest benefactor. Hail, wind, droughts, and floods may come, destroy our crops and banish our hopes, but, from what is left, the Cow manufactures the most nourishing and life-sustaining foods. The Cow is life itself to thousands of little ones stranded upon the hollow hearts and barren bosoms of modern womanhood. We love her for her gentleness, her beauty, and her useful- ness. Her loyalty has never weakened — and should misfortune overtake us, as we become bowed down with the weight of years, we know that in the Cow w^e have a friend that was never known to falter. She pays the debt. She saves the home. 7 cows PRODUCE A BILLION DOLLARS The Dairy Business Second Only To Corn Crop of United States — Brings Farmers Nearly One Billion Dollars Annually There are about twenty-two million dairy cows in the United States, and the annual value of their products reaches the enormous sura of nearly one billion dollars. Only the corn crop exceeds the dairy produc ts as a source of income to the farmers of the nation. The rapid increase in our population together with the con- stant increase in the per capita consumption of dairy products are reasons why the dairy cow will continue to be an important factor in the development of the country. Neither the production of butter nor cheese has kept up with the increase of population. In 1910 there were 20,625,000 dairy cows in the United States, an increase of about 12,000,000 head in fifty years. This wonderful growth in dairying and cheese manu- facturing has added enormously to the material wealth of every community and state where these pursuits are carried on. It has also been a wonderful aid in conserving the fertility of the soil wherever it has been conducted intelligently. This one great advantage to the wealth of the nation can hardly be computed in dollars and cents. One notable incentive to the expansion of dairy farming has been the great improvement in the quality of the product and con- sequently the increased price which has come to the farmer. In 1870, practically all of the butter and nearly all of the cheese, except in the older states, as New York and Ohio, was made on the farm. The average price of farm butter was about 15 cents and nearly all of it was sold, or traded for dry goods and groceries, at the country stores. The export market for cheese governed the price in New York and Ohio, which practically were the only cheese-producing states in the Union. In 1875 there was a great awakening — the coming of the re- frigerator car worked a speedy transformation in the market. It placed Wisconsin and northern Illinois on the dairy map and opened up the channels of export to their cheese and butter. Later came the cream separator, which w^as a great factor in the development of the dairy business. Since that time the dairy business has been growing very rapidly. 8 DAIRY COWS BY STATES Graphic Map Showing Number of Dairy Cows in United Estimated. Each Dot Represents 2000 head. Number Dairy Cows by States States, 1915, State New York . Wisconsin. . Iowa Minnesota . Illinois .... Texas Pennsylvania. . Ohio.... Missouri Michigan Kansas Indiana Nebraska Oklahoma California Oregon Massachusetts . Maryland Maine. New Jersey.. . . Colorado Connecticut. . . Florida N. Hampshire Estimate January 1, 1915 1,509,000 1,6^26,000 1,377,000 1,186,000 1,007,000 1,086,000 943,000 895,000 797,000 814,000 726,000 646,000 625,000 494,000 541,000 210,000 157,000 177,000 157,000 146,000 205,000 118,000 133,000 95,000 State Mississippi. . . . Arkansas Kentucky Georgia Tennessee Alabama South Dakota . Virginia North Carolina Louisiana Vermont North Dakota. West Virginia. . Washington. . . South Carolina Idaho Montana Utah. ........ New Mexico.. . Delaware Wyoming Arizona Rhode Island. . Nevada Estimate January 1, 1915 434,000 387,000 390,000 406,000 355,000 384,000 453,000 349,000 315,000 268,000 268,000 339,000 234,000 253,000 185,000 120,000 114,000 92,000 68,000 41,000 46,000 44,000 23,000 24.000 Total for United States 21,262,000 10 THE COW MAKES FARMING MORE PROFITABLE U. S. Dept. Agriculture Year Book— 1915 Map of United States Showing Value of Dairy Products. Each Dot Represents $100,000, Value of Dairy Products by States, 1909 State Census, 1909 State Census, 1909 New York .... $74,939,815 Washington. . . $7,693,479 Wisconsin 51,238,399 Nebraska 7,631,658 Pennsylvania. . 38,363,882 Connecticut. . . 7,325,433 Illinois 26,720,849 Maine 6,722,779 Iowa 26,429,743 Texas 5,461,423 Ohio 25,574,635 Oregon 5,170,703 Minnesota .... 25,214,222 N. Hampshire. 5,130,057 Michigan 22,099,178 Maryland 4,900,348 California 19,083,297 South Dakota . 4,501,430 Massachusetts . 14,840,927 Virginia 3,772,617 Indiana 12,768,710 Kentucky 3,729,237 Vermont 11,501,577 Colorado 3,407,723 New Jersey.. . . 9,685,352 Oklahoma 3,366,515 Kansas 9,549,129 Tennessee 3,211,978 Missouri 8,187,856 North Dakota. 2,876,298 West Virginia. . 2,532,324 Alabama 1.358,504 Rhode Island. . 2,017,444 Mississippi. . . . 1,001,562 Georgia 1,974,011 Delaware 966,173 North Carolina 1,787,245 Arizona. . = . . . . 842,210 Utah 1,648,655 South Carolina 626,305 Montana 1,646,693 Florida .- . 578,715 Louisiana 1,588,338 Nevada 443,588 Arkansas 1,505,882 New Mexico.. . 434,199 Idaho 1,379,390 Wyoming 338,925 Total for United States $473,769,412 CREAMERIES BY STATES 11 ' '|s.>-^^ ^ -_^ r^ ^ ^ \ "^ fS ^7 v_ '' ^ 1%:^ 7^ -a3 ^-y !f J*^****.^ / \~. 1 ■f % CCTj^y^^^i^ f ^'^'/"^ "~7 — ?-/ \~ — ^s*^ fr *''jC'?^ \'h — £ \' -i V"'^ /> ■■ __,^^ Creaineries in United States, 1914. Each Dot Represents One Creamery. Number of Creameries by States, 1914 State Number 848 State Number Minnesota ... N. Hampshire. 27 Wisconsin 812 Maine 26 New York .... 576 Oklahoma 25 Iowa 562 ]\Iontana 25 Pennsylvania. . 445 Massachusetts 19 Ohio 307 Idaho 18 Michigan 273 New Jersey.. . . 13 Illinois 216 Virginia 12 Vermont 181 Wyoming 10 California 152 Tennes.see. . . . 9 Indiana 111 Delaware 8 South Dakota . 99 New Mexico.. 7 Oregon 99 West Virginia . 6 Wa.shington. . . 96 Nevada 6 Texas 95 North Carolina 5 North Dakota. 67 Kentucky 5 Nebraska .... 52 Arkansas 4 Maryland. . . . 44 Louisiana. . . . 3 Kansas 43 Alabama 3 Colorado 41 Mississippi. . . . 2 Missouri 39 Arizona 2 Utah 38 Rhode Island. . 1 Connecticut. . . 29 South Carolina Georgia 1 1 Total for United States . 5,463 12 THE COW MAKES FARMING MORE PROFITARLE • /T"'""^"^-— -^ J- r ) / 1 n/ V « / / T — 1 < <^ U. S. Dept. Agriculture Year Bock 1915 \j ; Map Showing Number Cheese Factories in United States in 1814. Each Dot Represents One Cheese Factory. Number of Cheese Factories by States, 1914 State Number State Number Wisconsin 1,720 Utah 8 New York .... 995 Maine 5 Michigan 196 Missouri 4 Ohio 111 Virginia 3 Pennsylvania . . 106 North Dakota . 3 California 93 Arizona 3 Minnesota. . . . 74 N. Hampshire. 2 Illinois 50 Connecticut. . . 2 Oregon 42 Delaware Vermont 35 West Virginia . Iowa 25 15 South Dakota . Nebraska Washington. . . Indiana 13 Oklahoma Colorado 8 Montana Kansas Total, United States 3,520 m HAT'S A HOME WITHOUT A COW? As land, labor and feed increase in price, the cow will more and more displace the strictly meat producing farm animals. WHAT'S A HOME WITHOUT A COW I SHE PRODUCES THE MOST AND BEST FOOD AT LEAST COST Z SHE BRINGS IN A STEADY INCOME 3. CONVERTS CHEAP RUFAOE^^^^^ 4. MAKES THE FARM WORTH MORE 5. BUILDS BIG RED BARNS 6. MEANS LIVING ON THE FARM DAIRY COMMUNITIES ARE PROSPEROUS COMMUNITIES She produces hu- man food with greater economy than does the steer, sheep, or pig. The U. S. Census for 1910 shows an increase of about 20 per cent in dairy stock, while the total number of all cat- tle has decreased. There is al- ways an air of per- manence and pros- perity about a well-handled dairy farm. A man feels inde- pendent when he knows his income is steady. The dairy busi- ness is a cash business. It calls for intellectual activity. The success of the man engaged in it depends upon his using his head, developing his judgment. The successful dairyman must live on the farm. His business requires his personal attention. He cannot live in town and expect the hired man out on the farm to take the same interest in the business that he would take himself. Dairying builds up the farm. It requires fewer acres to produce a good living on a dairy farm than on a grain farm, and consequently leads to closer neighbors and more thickly-settled communities. The cow converts cheap rufage into profit, builds big red barns, means living on the farm— dairy communities are prosperous communities. Don't keep three cows to produce 12,000 pounds of milk when two better cows will do it with the same amount of feed. 13 El BOTH FOOD GOOD VALUES COW BETTER OOD VALUES: BOTH GOOD, COW BETTER A Holstein cow owned by the Dairy Department of the ^ University of Missouri in one year produced more human food in her milk than is contained in the complete carcasses of four steers weighing 1,250 pounds each, This state- ment, impossible as it seems, is not only true, but does not even do full justice to the cow. The solids in the milk, which are completely digest- ible, are counted against the entire carcass of the steer, only part of which is edible. Princess Carlotta is the cow that performed this feat. In one year she produced 18,405 pounds of milk. Below is given the amount of proteids, fat, sugar, and ash contained in this milk, and the amount of the same substances found in the carcass of a fat steer weighing 1,250 pounds, in an analysis made by Dr. P. F. Trowbridge. 18,405 pounds milk 552 pounds G18 pounds 920 pounds 128 pounds LBS 172 !- PROTN — ,33 3 1' FAT ' SUGAR- MINX — - THE COW WILL DO THIS YEAR AFTER YEAR BUT THE STEER IS GONE Proteids Fat ... . Sugar. . . Ash ... . 1,250-pound steer 172 pounds 333 pounds none 43 pounds 2,218 pounds 548 pounds The total amount of dry matter in the milk was 2,218 pounds, all of which is edible and digestible. The steer, with a live weight of 1,250 pounds, contained 56 per cent of water in the carcass, leaving a total of 548 pounds of dry matter. In this dry matter of the steer is included hair and hide, bones and tendons, organs of digestion and respiration, in 14 WHAT A DAIRY COW CAN DO 15 fact, the entire animal, a considerable portion of which is not edible. The analysis of the steer's carcass was made from samples taken after grinding up one-half of the complete carcass and is not in any sense an estimation of the composition of the carcass. Princess Carlotta produced proteids sufficient for more than three steers; nearly fat enough for two; ash enough to build the skeletons for three, and in addition, produced 920 pounds of milk sugar worth as much per pound for food as ordinary sugar. It is because of this economical use of food that the dairy cow and not the steer is kept on high-priced land. When land is cheap and feed abundant the meat producing animals predom- inate, but when the land becomes high in value and feed expensive the farmer turns to the dairy cow. WHAT A DAIRY COW CAN DO In seven milking periods Katy Gerben produced 115,120 pounds of milk and 4,715 pounds of butter. This is an average of 16,446 pounds of milk and 674 pounds of butter for each milking period. In seven milking periods she has produced food nutrients in her milk ec^ual to 39,879 pounds of beef. It would require 47 steers weighing 1,400 pounds to produce this amount of beef. At 10c per quart she has given $5,317 worth of milk. KATY'S WORK TO AUGUST 1, 1915 Milk from Katy and Her Female Descen- dants, 282,255 pounds, or 131,281 quarts at 10c $13,128.10 Seven Bull Calves from Katy and Her Fe- male Descendants 2,575.00 Descendants, in Herd, Five Heifers and One Bull 3,000.00 Income for which Katy is responsible $18,703.10 m COW GREATEST OF HUMAN PRODUCER FOOD OW, GREATEST PRODUCER OF HUMAN FOOD— Prof. T. L. Haecker, for the past 23 years chief of the Dairy Division of the Minnesota Experiment Station, says: "It is inter- esting to learn that the cow, Lady Oak, in one day produced in the form of milk, human food equal in value to the food contained in the body of a calf weighing 115 pounds . In a year's record this cow produced 993 pounds of fat, 631 pounds protein, and 1,052 pounds carbohydrates. This product was equal to 266 calves weighing 125 pounds each, or 142 calves weighing 200 pounds each; 28 yearlings weighing 500 pounds each, or 5 steers weighing 1,100 pounds each. Her daily yield of solids in winter was equal to 22.3 pounds of gain in a steer. These figures indicate the wonderful efficiency of the dairy animal as an economical producer of human food." Dairy Herd of Wm. H. Peters, Huntley, Illinois 16 D THE COW BEFORE THE JURY THE JURY MIUK SCALES BABCOCK TEST FEED RECORD MILK RECORD THIS JURY WILL RENDER A FAIR DECISION WILL IT BE TO THE BUTCHER OR BACK TO THE BARN HE COW BEFORE THE JURY Know your cow. The man who owns a good cow, and knows it, is indeed fortunate. The same holds true of the man who owns a poor cow and knows it, and has en ough good judgment to send her to the butcher rather than to sell her to his neigh- bor for a star boarder in the herd. The good cows of the man who knows, have records, and are generally too val- uable to sell. It is the man who milks cows day after day but con- siders it too much bother to weigh and test the milk, who needs to know something about cow values. Many farmers have owned cows which they thought were just ordinary individuals, and which they were induced to sell at a low price, only to learn later that they had missed an opportunity to develop great cows. This has been true with a large number of record cows in the leading dairy breeds. If the original owner had realized the returns on the time required to keep accurate records he would surely have profited many times over. Again many men have been misled as to the value of their cows that give a large flow of milk at freshening time, but decrease rapidly as their lactation period advances. An accurate record on every animal in the herd will solve the problem and reveal some surpris- ing facts to every cow owner, regardless of his ability to select animals by their external characteristics. The chart shows the cow before the jury. When this jury sits in judgment on your cow, there will be no guessing afterward. 17 D HE VERDICT OF THE JURY Here is a striking example of the conditions which prevail on many farms in all sections of the country. "The ver- of the was: that THE VERDICT OF THE JURY THIS COW EQUAL TO 40 POOR ONES TS T^ tS TT'^j^ T'lTS r"! rS T*! $ 31 PROFIT ON THESE 40 COWS ONE WHOLE YEAR S3I.25 PROFIT ONE YEAR YOU CANT AFFORD TO GUESS diet jury this one average cow gave an annual profit of about $31.25, while the profit from 40 poor cows, in one whole year, was only $31.00 — about the same as the profit re- ceived on the one cow. The one cow is the average of the )^ best of 554 cows in 36 Illinois dairy herds, while the 40 cows are the average of the 3^ poorest of the same 554 cows in 36 Illinois dairy herds. (111. Cir. 118). The poor cows each gave a profit of 34 of a cent every 4 days, or about 77 cents per cow profit for the whole year, after deducting $30 a year for feed. Each one of the poor cows required on an average, just as much feed and care as the average good cow which gave the owner, after deduct- ing $38 per year for feed, a net profit of $31 a year; or, in other words, the 40 poor cows took 40 times as much feed and care as the one average cow. These calculations allow the skim milk, calf, and manure, to pay for the labor and interest on the in- vestment. The lowest 139 cows (one-fourth of all) yielded an average of 1333/^ pounds of butter fat during the year, and the highest 139 cows produced an average of 301 pounds butter fat. 139 Poor Cows Made $107; 139 Good -Cows, $4,000 The profit from the w^hole 139 poor cows was only $107, but the clear money from the best 139 cows amounts to more than $4,000. Herds of these two kinds w^ould have to be kept in the 18 KNOW THE POOR COWS 19 following comparative numbers to produce exactly the same profit for the owner. Good Cows Poor Cows 1 Cow equals 41 Cows 15 Cows equal 612 Cows 25 Cows equal 1,021 Cows Twenty-five cows of the better kind would return the dairy- man a clear profit of $783 per year. They could be kept on an 80-acre farm; they would require a barn only 32x45 feet and a 100-ton silo, and the cows themselves at $70 per head would cost only $1,750. Cows differ widely in their productive ability and the only accurate measure of a cow's production is obtained by weighmg and testing her milk. The most practical method is found in the co-operative cow testing association since it furnishes a cheap, accurate method of testing. BRIDGET The poorest cow in an Indiana cow-testing association that produced only 2672 pounds of milk and 118 pounds of butter fat and made only $3.15 income over the cost of feed. — Information and photograph fur- nished by C. R. George, Dairy Division, Lafayette, Indi?.r-a, ET RID OF THE POOR DAIRY COW The poor dairy cow cuts down the profit — She takes time, labor, feed and care — The cow-testing asso- ciation will do it. 1 . The cow- testing- associa- tion puts your dairy opera- tions on a busi- ness basis. 2. The profit and loss ac- count enables you to cull out the unprofit- able cows. 3. The yearly records will in- dicate the high producers from which the calves should be saved to build up the herd. 4. The official tester is an expert on dairy subjects. His advice is yours for the asking. It will help you. 5. This information will enable you to introduce the most economical methods of feeding and the most up-to- date methods of handling your herd. 6. You can co-operate through your organization in the purchase of feed, in developing a better market for products, and in holding dairy meetings. 7. It fosters a better community spirit among the dairymen and breeders. 8. The cow-testing association is the cheapest and best way to keep records of your dairy herd. According to the Department of Agriculture, there were 163 co-operative cow-testing associations in this country in 1914. Inasmuch as the first of these associations was formed in Michi- gan in 1905, this seems like a rapid growth until we consider the fact that in Europe there are nearly 3,000 such associations. Those who have had experience with these associations are united 20 ■ m GET RID OF THE POOR DAIRY COW SHE CUTS DOWN THE PROFIT SHE TAKES TIME LABOR FEED AMD CARE THE DAIRY TEST ASSOCIATION WILL DO IT GIVES A RECORD OF EACH COW MEANS INTELLIGENT FEEDING AND CARE LEADS TO GREATER PROFITS DEVELOPS COMMUNITY INTEREST TEST DONT GUESS ll In GET RID OF THE BOARDERS 21 in the opinion that every dairy community should have such an association. The average dairy cow of this country produces something Hke 4,000 pounds of milk in a year and approximately 160 pounds of butter fat. This is not profitable dairying, according to the best authorities. Yet farmers cannot greatly increase dairy production unless they apply the scales and Babcock test to their individual cows and find out which cows pay for their food and which do not. The co-operative cow-testing association enables all the dairy farmers of a community to test all their cows. With an average of 25 members, the cost of such an association usually amounts to from $1 to $1.50 per cow per year. Results of Cow-Testing Associations What are the results from condvicting a cow-testing asso- ciation? To quote from the government report, "Seven herds in Michigan have remained continuously in the Michigan asso- ciation since it was formed in 1905. In 1906, the average yield for each cow was 5,885 pounds of milk and 231.1 pounds of but- ter fat. In 1913 the average yield per cow was 6,123.4 pounds of milk and 284.7 pounds of fat. The profit from each cow was $22.23 in 1906; in 1913 the profit per cow was $51.08, or an in- crease of $28.85 per cow." Improvement in dairy production necessitates an improve- ment in the dairyman as well as improvement in the cow, and improvement in the dairy methods. The cow-testing association opens the dairyman's eyes and makes his business an exact profession. The plan of the co-operative cow-testing association came from Denmark in 1895. Ten years later the testing association with some modifications was introduced into the United States. You Can Have A Cow-Testing Association The co-operative cow-testing association is founded on the principle that a number of dairymen who are situated near each other in a given community can organize and employ a man to do their testing cheaper and more satisfactorily than they can do it themselves. The most convenient association to operate is one composed of 26 members. This number permits the tester to spend one day of each month at each place without having to work Sundays or holidays. In some associations the tester fur- 22 THE COW MAKES FARMING MORE PROFITABLE nishes his own horse and buggy and drives from place to place, in others, each farmer takes him to the next testing place. Duties of the Tester The tester, supplied with an outfit, arrives at the home of the dairyman in the afternoon, weighs and takes a proportionate sample of the milk of each cow separately, and weighs the feed which she consumes. In the morning he repeats these operations. The samples from the evening and morning milkings are put together to form composite samples which are tested for butter fat. To find the production for the month, the tester multiplies his results for the day by the number of days in the month. The yearly production is the sum of twelve monthly credits. In addition to the duties named in his contract, the tester is expected to concern himself with the welfare of the dairy interests of the community in which he works. He should be qualified and willing to assist the farmer in such problems as the balancing of rations and the planning of improvements. Things Dairymen Should Remember 1. The cows do not know they are in a testing association and will not give more milk because of that fact alone. 2. If your herd does poorly the first year, do not blame the association and drop out. Remember that a knowledge of the producing qualities of each cow in your herd is essential if you desire to improve. 3. A dairy cow is a factory for the production of milk, but corn fodder and timothy hay are not the proper raw materials to use. 4. Alfalfa or clover hay and ensilage can be converted into milk by the dairy cow more easily than any other rufage except grass, therefore, we will do well to supply these feeds if possible. 5. Cow's milk is about 87 per cent water. Therefore, s:)are no efforts in making it pleasant and convenient for them to obtain a large suj)ply which is pure, fresh and of the right temperature. 6. A dairy cow appreciates kindness and regularity. Loud talking, cursing and abuse should not be allowed in the dairy barn. 7. A warm, well-lighted, well-ventilated barn, kept in sanitary condition, will contribute much, not only to the comfort of the cows but to the owner as well. (Iowa Bui. No. 13.) Gl lONEER TEST ASSOCIATION The Pioneer Cow- Testing Association has been in opera- tion in Iowa since 1909. Next to getting rid of the poor cow the greatest need in Iowa dai- rying today is better methods of feeding and care for the dairy herd. The m a n who keeps cows that produce 349 pounds of butter- fat a year can pay $20 per acre rent and make as much profit as his neigh- bor who keeps cows that aver- age 191 pounds of butterfat a year and pays $6 per acre rent. The 349 pounds of butterfat a year is the average of the best 75 cows in the Pioneer Association. The 191 pounds is the average of the poorest 75 cows in the same association. Testing Takes the Guess Out of Dairying Ten years in a cow-testing association ought to bring ahnost any Iowa herd up to an average production of 349 pounds of but- terfat a year. The testing association takes the guess out of the business, eliminates the poor cow, and improves the feeding and management. It is a simple, economical and efficient method of increasing the butterfat produc- tion of cows. One hundred forty-seven unprofitable cows were sold as a result of the first year's work in the Benson and Pioneer Associations. The Pioneer Test Association is reaping the benefits of organized effort, not only through the increased profit from its dairy animals, but also through the demand which it is creating for surplus stock. Prospective buyers have their eyes on these communities, and surplus stock will be snapped up at advanced prices. 23 24 THE COW MAKES FARMING MORE PROFITARLE Don't Be a Tail-Ender The test association encourages better methods by promoting friendly competition between its members. No man likes to be at the tail end of the procession, therefore the careless farmer adopts some of the ways of the careful farmer. Better feeding methods prevail, cracks in barns are nailed up, manure is hauled out, and buildings are kept cleaner and more sanitary. One creameryman expressed himself as follows: "I can tell the milk that comes from the herds in the test associations by ojiening the cans. It is cleaner and sweeter." The spirit of improvement spreads from the members of the association to their neighbors and the whole community is benefited. While it is impossible to get definite figures on the subject it is probably true that the entire cost of running the Pioneer Test Association was saved through the purchasing of feeds in large quantities, and through improved methods of feeding, to say nothing of the increased butterfat production of the cows. Two to three dollars a ton can usually be saved on protein feeds by purchasing in carload lots. Why not add this saving to the dairy account.'' Grow Your Own Feed But it is not necessary to buy protein feeds. Grow them on the farm in the form of alfalfa, soy beans, cow peas, clover, and the other legumes. Alfalfa can be grown for about $5 a ton, while wheat bran costs from $20 to $30 a ton. Perhaps the men you hire do not like to milk cows. If not, get them together and talk the matter over. Discuss the differ- ence in the producing power of cows and the value of different feeds for milk production. Line the cows up in a row and study them. Perhaps your boy looks upon milking as a drudge. Drudgery is "labor without thought." Increase the interest of your boys in the cow and the drudgery will disappear. Divide the cows between your boys and the hired man and offer a prize to the one who gets the most butterfat from his cows during the year. It will be money well spent. Or, better still, you can afford to take your own boys into partnership and offer theni a percentage of the net profits. Make them feel that they are part of the business and they will milk the cows dryer, feed them better, and pound them less. COW-TESTING ASSOCIATION WILL MAKE MONEY FOR YOU (Iowa Bulletin No. 13) 1. Two thousand, nine hundred and fifty yearly records from 177 different herds have been completed in the five cow-testing associations which have been organized in Iowa since 1909. 2. The average cow in the cow-testing association produced 217 pounds of butter fat per year at a net profit of $32.77, after paying for the feed at market prices less the cost of hauling. 3. If the 1,500,000 milch cows of Iowa produced as much butter fat per year as the average cow in the cow- testing associations, it would mean an increased pro- duction for the state of 115,500,000 pounds of butter fat per year, worth at 30 cents per pound, $34,650,000. 4. The most profitable cow returned her owner a net profit of $125, while the poorest cow lacked $25.92 of paying for her feed. 5. There were good cows and poor cows in every herd. The best cow from each herd returned an average of $55 net profit per year, while the poorest cow from each herd returned but $15.12 net profit per year. 6. The most profitable herd netted its owner $71.22 per cow in one year, while the poorest herd was kept at a loss of 63 cents per cow. 7. Two hundred and fifteen, or 7 per cent, of the cows produced over 300 pounds of butter fat per year, while 321, or 11 per cent, were under 150 pounds. If all the yearly records had been as high as the 215 high ones, it would have meant an increased income of $91,470.00. 8. The cows fed silage produced 27 pounds more but- ter fat and $2.86 more net profit per year than those not fed silage. 9. The cows freshening in the fall produced 27 pounds more butter fat per year than those freshening in the spring and returned $7 greater net profit. 10. The average net income from cows in the cow- testing associations, from two to ten years old, was $314.22, or nearly $35 per year. 11. Any member of a cow testing association can raise the production of his herd to a yearly average of 25 26 THE COW MAKES FARMING MORE PROFITARLE 300 pounds of butter fat within six or seven years if he will eliminate the unprofitable cows, save heifers from high producers, use a pure bred sire from high producing an- cestors and give more thought and attention to the feed- ing and care of the animals. 12. The cow testing association is the most efficient and economical method of detecting the loafers in the herd. It puts dairying on a business basis, arouses the interest of the owner, his boys, and hired man in the cows, stirs up local pride by bringing the people of the community together to talk over their business, and helps to make farm work enjoyable and interesting. BABCOCK TEST BEST DETECTIVE Discover the Boarders by Testing and Weighing Milk By D. J. VINCENT, Silver Lake, Wisconsin The important essentials in conducting a profitable dairy business are namely : Feeding, Breeding, Care and Selection. I will briefly state our conclusions in regard to the above named essentials after having exi)erienced in raising the daily production of the average cow in our herd from 16 to 30 lbs. of milk when fresh, up to 40 to 60 lbs. just because we paid attention to these points. Feeding: For feed we grow all the rufage on the farm, silage for succulence and a leguminous hay such as alfalfa or clover. Part of the concentrates are grown on the farm and enough high protein feeds are purchased to make up a well bal- anced ration. Breeding: As for breeding we believe the sire is more than half the herd and careful attention has been given to the selection of pure-bred sires that are good individuals as well as having good ancestors. Care: We have found that it pays to house the dairy cow in a barn that is well lighted and ventilated. Also we have learned that the dairy cow will respond to good treatment. Selection: The scales and Babcock tester are used as detectives and enable us to keep our herd free from star boarders as well as help us in saving the heifers from the best producers for our future herd. B OU CAN HAVE A SILO A silo should be a part of the permanent improvements on every farm. There is no doubt as to its advantages. It is essential for the economical feeding of live- stock, and espe- cially for the prof- itable production of milk. The results of hun- dreds of feeding experiments con- ducted in the past ten years with silage as a part of the ration give proof of its great value to the farmer. A great many of our old methods wasteful. YOU CAN HAVE A SILO YOU MAY THINK YOU CANT BUT YOU CAN SAVES THE WHOLE CROP PREVENTS WASTE IN FEEDING CAN KEEP MORE STOCK MAKES CHEAP MILK SAVES STORAGE SPACE HELPS UTILIZE CHEAP RUFAGE INSURES SUCCULENT FEED WINTER AND SUMMER TIDES OVER THE DROUTH CLEARS THE LAND FOR PLOWING SILAGE THE WINTER PASTURE ii are There will always be more or less of the corn crop shocked in the field, but corn left exposed to the weather loses from 25 to 30 per cent of its feeding value. Why waste the crop after you have grown it, when you can put it in a silo and pre- serve it with all its succulence.'^ There is very little loss in feeding silage. When you feed the fodder to the cattle, there is a great deal of loss. Cattle refuse to eat the stalks and they are wasted. The acids and the juices in the silage aid digestion and help the stock utilize other feeds, such as oat straw and other cheap rufage. One of the good things about the silo is that any of the forage crops properly siloed make good feed; but corn is the best crop for the silo. United States Farmers' Bulletin 556 furnishes twelve good reasons why every farmer should have a silo: Twelve Silo Reasons 1. More feed can be stored in a given space in the form of silage than in the form of fodder or hay. 2. There is a smaller loss of food material when a crop is made into silage than when cured as fodder or hay. 27 28 THE COW MAKES FARMING MORE PROFITARLE 3. Corn silage is a better feed than corn fodder. 4. An acre of corn can be placed in the silo at less cost than the same area can be husked and shredded. 5. Crops can be put in the silo during weather that could not be utilized in making hay or curing fodder. 6. More stock can be kept on a given area of land when silage is the basis of the ration. 7. There is less waste in feeding silage than in feeding fodder. Good silage properly fed is all consumed, 8. Silage is very palatable. 9. Silage, like other succulent feeds, has a beneficial effect upon the digestive organs. 10. Silage is the cheapest and best form in which a succulent feed can be provided for winter use. 11. Silage can be used for supplementing pasture more economically than can soiling crops, because it requires less labor and silage is more palatable. 12. Converting the corn crop into silage cleans the land and leaves it ready for another crop. There is no best silo, generally speaking. The best silo for us is the one which can be constructed on the farm at the lowest cost and pays us the greatest profit. The best silo for us depends entirely upon our location and our conditions. The Pit Silo A pit silo or a bank silo may be the best. They are adapted to many sections. Regions which are passing through the pioneer stage of their development, where the cost of material, labor, and transportation is high, need not be without a silo. Kansas, Nebraska, and Colorado farmers have constructed more than 1,000 pit silos in the past two years. In Montana, the Dakotas, and other northern states where the winters are severe, the pit silo is in general use. It not only gives perfect satisfaction, but it is the best silo for these cold regions. Many people condemn this type of silo, but experience and investigation prove that it has many advantages. Where the conditions are right, whether it be in the humid regions of the Corn Relt or in the semi-arid or dry sections, the pit silo if properly constructed will give good satisfaction. SILAGE BETTER THAN CORN FODDER 29 A number of them are in use in Wisconsin, Iowa, Mississippi, and other states. One of these silos can be constructed for $20 to $50. Pit silos are not suitable for localities where the ground water is near the surface. They are nothing more than large cisterns dug in the ground 20 or 30 feet deep, cemented ^ of an inch to 1 inch thick, and equipped with a derrick or other hoisting appa- ratus for taking out the silage; sometimes a block and tackle and a horse, or a hand windlass, is used. A carrier may be constructed so as to distribute the silage along the feed racks instead of dumping it in one place. 1. 2. 3. round. 4. 5. 6. Advantages of the Pit Silo Small cost of construction. Less expense in filling. Is air-tight — keeps the silage in good condition the year Maintains even temperature throughout the year. Will not freeze up or blow down. Can be constructed by the farmer at a slack time of the season without the aid of skilled labor. The Pleasant Occupation of Hauling Corn Fodder in the Winter Time, s SILAGE MAKES CHEAP MILK IT TAKES LESS GRAIN Z LOTS-4 COWS EACH-4 MO-OHIO PROFIT PER COW PER MO. ■i S2.46 GRAIN RATION LAGE MAKES CHEAP MILK— IT TAKES LESS GRAIN — Ohio experiment with eight cows for a period of four months, shows that one acre of corn fed in the form of si- lage will pro- duce from 35 to 59 per cent more milk than one acre fed as dry fodder. This experiment was carried on in Ohio (Ohio Bulle- tin 159). Eight cows were divided in two lots, four cows in each lot. The cows were fed for a period of four months. The object of the ex- periment was to determine whether silage could be substituted for a considerable portion of the grain usually fed to dairy cows. The facts pre- sented here justify the conclusion that silage can be made to take the place of a large portion of the grain ration. Here is the average daily ration of the four cows in Lot 1, which received a grain ration: Stover 4.7 pounds; mixed hay, 6.4 pounds; oil meal, 2.5 pounds; corn meal, 3 pounds; wheat bran, 6 pounds. Here is the average daily ration of the four cows in Lot 2, which received a silage ration: Silage, 58 pounds; mixed hay, 6.8 pounds; oil meal, 2 pounds; bran, 2 pounds. In Lot 1 where grain composed the greater part of the ration the profit per cow was $2.46. In Lot 2 where silage predominated in the feed, the profit per cow was $5.86. In Lot 1 where grain predominated, it cost $1.06 to produce 100 pounds of milk, as compared with 69 cents in Lot 2, where silage was fed in excess of the grain. Out of more than one hundred letters received from county agriculturists and prominent dairymen from nearly every state in the United States, the Agricultural Extension Department of 30 THE SILO MEANS CHEAP MILK 31 the International Harvester Company found it to be the general opinion that one acre of corn fed in the form of silage will produce 35 to 50 per cent more milk than one acre of corn fed as dry fodder. ALFALFA AND SILAGE MEAN SUCCESS Have Machinery to Do the Work and Reduce Expenses of Running the Dairy By RAY BILYEA, Walworth, Wisconsin Dairying is a profitable business if the farmer does the work himself. The work is nothing compared to what it used to be, as there are all kinds of machinery for a farmer to use. There are four farmers here that went together and bought a silo filler and an International Mogul Engine to do their own silo filling. They also do a little outside work in exchange for help to fill their own silos. I am taking care of 28 head of cattle on 97 acres and doing it alone. I have a milking machine, so that reduces the expense of a hired man. Three acres of alfalfa produced 16 tons of hay this last year and there is no better hay for cows giving milk. Alfalfa and silage are the main secrets of profitable dairy farming. The grain I feed is oats two- fifths, barley two-fifths, shelled corn one-fifth, ground, weigh- ing in all 900 lbs. and mixed with 200 lbs. of bran and 100 lbs. of oil meal. SILO— ALFALFA— GOOD STOCK SAVE MANURE By JOE GRESSER, Wheeler, Indiana 1st: Have a silo or two and good clover hay, or alfalfa. 2nd: Have a pure bred sire for the herd and raise all heifer calves. 3rd: Operate a separator and feed the skimmed milk to the calves. 4th: Put all manure back on the land to raise better crops. s ROW YOUR PROTEIN— DONT BUY IT This is the result of an experiment in feeding milk cows at the Illinois Experiment Station. The cows were divided into two lots. Lot No. 1 was fed for nine weeks on alfalfa, and Lot No. 2 on bran. They had other feeds, too, but in similar quantities. LBS MILK 630 600 570 540 510 480 450 GROW YOUR PROTEIN DONT BUY IT ALFALFA EQUAL TO BRAN FOR MILK PRODUCTION 1 ST PERIOD 9 WEEKS 2 ND PEBJOO 9 WEEKS | F ^ ^ per cent ... 3.12 Taxes on buildings and cows, 12^ per cent 60 Risk at 4 per cent 1-00 Service fee 2.00 51 5.00 5.00 1.00 1.00 2.00 5.00 4.62 12.12 .70 1.00 1.60 4.00 2.00 2.00 52 THE COW MAKES FARMING MORE PROFITARLE Total expenditures $73.97 $86.92 $110.12 Total receipts 61.00 99.25 154.50 $12.97 $12.33 $44.38 loss profit profit Proving the Facts With Figures Value of cow : Cow No. 1 is worth no more than beef prices and owners of such cows will find it more profitable to dispose of them as such rather than attempt to milk them. Cow No. 2 producing 200 pounds of butter fat in a year barely "breaks even," making something like $1 per month, yet we find a great number of such cows in every state today. Is it profitable to keep them in our herds? She is valued at $10, as that is the price they are actually selling for on the market today. In cow No. 3, we find a profitable animal and a valuation of $100 is more conservative, yet we find plenty of men who would rather pay $80 for two such cows as No, 2 than $100 for No. 3; yet it will take almost four cows like No. 2 to make as much profit as cow No. 3. Value of Butter Fat: Reports from our Texas creameries last year would indicate that an average of 27 cents per pound for butter fat was paid during 1913. Of course, some dairymen are getting much more than this for their products, but the point is, this is a fair average and every dairyman in Texas can get at least this much. Value of Calf: The calves from Nos. 1 and 2 will in all probability be as inferior as their dams, consequently they are worth no more than veal prices, especially in the case of the calf from No. 1. With No. 2 assuming that the calf is raised to maturity an expenditure of $80 is necessary, and it is hardly fair to expect the calf from such a cow as No. 2 to be worth $20 more than its dam. On the other hand, the calf of No. 3, especially if sired by a good bull, would in all probability be as good a pro- ducer as its dam, and would therefore be worth $100 at time of maturity. Granting that it cost $60 to raise this calf to this age, it is actually worth $40 when dropped, and assuming that a cow will produce equally as many bulls as heifers, we have a valuation each year of $20, with the value of the bull calf for veal thrown in as "good measure." Value of Manure: In estimating the manurial value RAISE THE HEIFER CALVES 53 of the feed for each cow, it is assumed that three acres of land will provide sufficient feed for maintaining the cow. Of the three acres of land, one and one-half acres is allotted to pasturage and one and one-half to the growing of silage and hay, On the one and one-half acres for silage and forage crops it is assumed that one acre will produce one ton of cowpea hay and the remaining half acre will produce three tons of corn silage, This amount of feed will contain fertilizing ingredients to the amount of $15. Assuming that one-half as much fertilizing value will be found in the pasture grasses consumed as is found in the forage and silage crops, we have a total valuation of $22.50 from feeds necessary for maintenance. At least three- quarters of this should be recovered in the manure, which makes a manurial valuation of $16.75. To this must be added the manurial value of the concentrates. It has been estimated that 800 pounds of concentrates are required to produce each 2500 pounds of four per cent milk (100 per cent butter fat). This 800 pounds of concentrates has a fertilizing value of two-thirds of a cent per pound, or $5.25. This, however, is not all recovered in the manure, as the milk itself has a manurial value of $2.50 which has previously been accredited to the skim milk. There- fore, for each 100 pounds of butter fat produced, $2.85 must be added to the $16.75, which gives the total manurial value. Value of Skim Milk: While a valuation of 35 cents per 100 pounds for skim milk may seem high, experiments would indicate that 100 pounds of skim milk, when fed in connection with corn, wall produce about six pounds of pork and also that the fertilizing value itself is approximately 10 cents per ICO pounds. When skim milk is fed to female calves of good dairy breeding, and these calves marketed at maturity, the returns on skim milk has often reached as high a valuation as 60 cents to 70 cents per 100 pounds, so that an estimate of 35 cents per 100 pounds is fairly conservative. Value of Cow for Beef : The final value of the cow for beef is placed at $24. Assuming eight years as her period of usefulness, one-eighth of the $24, or $3, should be credited her annual receipts. Cost of Feed : As stated above, three acres of land (valued at $40 per acre) are allotted to each cow, and these three acres are expected to produce sufficient rufage to meet the usual maintenance requirements. Of this three acres, one and one- half is devoted to growing forage crops, which will cost approxi- 54 THE COW MAKES FARMING MORE PROFITABLE mately $10 per acre to grow and harvest, or a total of $15. Add to this $6.60 for interest and taxes and $3.40 for fencing, and we have a total cost for maintenance of $25. Now 800 pounds of concentrates are required to produce each 100 pounds of butter fat, which has a market value of $10 ($25 per ton), therefore for each 100 pounds butter fat produced, an additional $10 must be added to the regular maintenance cost. All other items of the above table are self-explanatory and emphasis should be brought to bear on the fact that every item of income and expenditure has been considered and the fact is outstanding that a cow producing under 200 pounds of butter fat in a year is an unprofitable cow. In this connection, I would especially call attention to the item of manure, a by-product, the value of which is often overlooked. The proper care of the manure on a dairy farm often means the difference between success and failure, and rigid attention should be given to its proper preservation. HAVE LABOR SAVING MACHINERY By ED PETERSON First, get good cows, then feed good, clean wholesome feed. Be sure to feed them enough, get a balanced ration from some one who knows, if you do not understand rations. Keep your cattle clean, well bedded and have a well lighted barn. Cows must be contented to do their best. Do your feeding and milk- ing as regular as possible. Keep a good pure bred sire and raise all heifer calves. It is a great help to have barns arranged conveniently, as this saves many hours work doing chores. I also believe in labor saving machinery, such as the milking machine; tractor for filling silos as well as doing field work, sawing wood, etc. For milking we use a two-horse-power gasoline engine which pumps water at the same time. We raise all our own alfalfa, silage, oats, corn ; do our oWn grinding shred- ding and silo filling. It is very necessary for a dairyman to love his cattle. The more he thinks of them the more they will do for him. GOOD VENTILATION ESSENTIAL Every farmer realizes that moldy, decayed feed is injurious to cows. But how many realize the serious effects of forcing the cows to breathe impure air? If the air breathed is impure, the results will be just as injurious as feed- ing moldy, decayed feed. The effect on the cows will be weakened constitutions, disease, and a reduced flow of milk. To their owner it will mean smaller profits. The object, then, of ventilation is to bring fresh air into the barn and remove from the barn the air that has been breathed. The system of venti- lation used should be one that accom- plishes these results without making the barn cold or caus- ing cold draughts. There is probably plentyof fresh air in -5\ L Fig. 1 This illustration shows the out- side opening of air intake flue (A) as used in a barn with board walls a barn that has broken or open windows, or wide, open cracks, but such a barn will be so cold that most of the feed a cow receives will be consumed in furnishing body heat. Warmth is necessary, but it must be warm with pure air. The King system is one of the good systems of ventilation. In this system two sets of flues are used. One set admits the fresh air and the other set provides an outlet for the foul air. This system can be installed when the barn is built or it may be installed in barns which were not so equipped when built. The illustrations show two styles of intake flues — one for use in barns where the walls are of wood, 55 Fig. 2 Cross section of a board wall showing outside opening (A), and inside opening (B) of air intake flues 56 THE COW MAKES FARMING MORE PROFITABLE I and the other for use in stone or concrete walled barns. (See Figs. 1, %, 3, 4.) The flues should be located at least every ten feet along both sides of the barn. The outside openings are lo- cated near the ground and the delivery openings inside the barn, near the ceiling. In this way the fresh air that is brought into the barn mingles with the warm air near the ceiling and a large part of the chill is taken out of it before it sinks to a level with the cows. The ojienings of these flues through which the a i r i s ad- m i 1 1 e d to the barn should be provided with shut- ters, so that the amount of air admit- ted can be Fig. 3 Concrete wall showing air intake flue outside opening (A) regulated. This regulation is very necessary in e x t r e m e 1 y cold weather, or when a cold wind is blowing direct- ly against the outside opening of the flues. In barns with wooden walls, these y\ flues can be made by simply utilizing the spaces between the studding. The spaces that are to be used as intake flues, however, should be lined with heavy tar felt paper. In stone or concrete walled barns, the flues are made either of vitri- fied or ordinary clay tile. The vitrified tile are much more durable than the ordinary tile, which do not very well withstand the constant action of the air. Fig. 4 Cro^ss section of concrete wall showing outside (A) and inside (B) openings of air intake flue HAVE CLEAN BARNS 57 A well lighted, well ventilated, sanitary dairy barn. (Courtesy Portland Cement Ass'n) Inside view of C. S. Sharp's Dairy Barn, at Auburn, N. Y., showing how an abun- dance of sunlight is admitted. The special construction of the window frames here provides for the intake of fresh air. The principle is the same as the King system described on the foregoing pages. 58 THE COW MAKES FARMING MORE PROFITABLE The accompanying illustration of a cross section of a barn shows how the foul air flues are installed, (see Fig. 5). These are usually two in number. One is located on each side of the barn midway between the ends of the building. The flues extend from the floor, or near to floor, to the highest point of the building. Bringing the flues close to the floor accomplishes two pur- poses. First, it re- moves the foul air from the barn. Second as the cold air is near the floor and the warm near the ceiling, having the flues near the floor removes the cold air instead of the warm. In this way the impure air is dis- posed of without ma- terially reducing the temperature of t h e barn. These flues should be made with as few turns or bends as possible. Galvanized iron or wood may be used in making them; but, if wood is used, the flues should be lined with tar-felt paper. Fig. 5 Cross section of a barn, showing how foul air flues are installed SUNLIGHT THE GREAT DESTROYER OF DISEASE GERMS Sunlight is furnished free by nature to preserve the health of all animal life. It is the germ destroyer. It is necessary to admit the sunlight freely to all parts of the stable. For this reason the ridgepole of the barn ought to run north and south to admit the sunlight on the east side of the barn in the forenoon and on the west side in the afternoon. USE THE BABCOCK TEST 59 Big round or square barns with the cows huddled together in masses are bad, so are basement barns in which the sunhght is excluded by the earth on one side or possibly on two. The barn ought to be long and narrow, not more than two rows of cows being accommodated. These cows may face either toward the center alley or they may face outward. Of the two methods of arranging the cows, it is diflficult to decide which ought to be preferred. Where the cows face in there are no obstructions to the entry of the sunlight which may be allowed to flood the whole floor where the cow stands. If the cows' fasteners and mangers are thrust up toward the windows, they stop the sunlight in great part, and the floors on which the cows stand are kept in perpetual shade. M MM s a ^ s ii i 1 1 1 "Tl^L— — IBM B A Modern Dairy Barn, with Twin Silos The floor should be of cement, not troweled smooth, but left somewhat rough so that it may not be slippery when wet. Such a floor is somewhat more expensive at first cost than wooden floors, but its permanent character and the fact that it may be easily cleaned and kept free from odors is enough in itself to decide every dairyman in its favor. THE BABCOCK TEST The Babcock test has been one of the chief factors in demon- strating the fact that too large a percentage of dairy cows are kept at an actual loss to their owners. With milk scales and the Babcock test, a farmer can learn just what each cow in his 60 THE COW MAKES FARMING MORE PROFITARLE herd is producing. In this way he can easily locate and cull out those cows which do not return a good profit or those which are not paying for their feed. Weighing the milk is not sufficient, as the milk from different cows varies greatly in percentage of butter fat, and it is butter fat that determines the market value of milk. Hence, the Babcock test is of immeasurable value to the man who keeps milch cows. It gives him a simple, reliable means of ascertaining which cows in his herd are producing enough butter fat to make it worth while to keep them. Farmers who do not use this means of finding out what their cows are doing usually make the excuse that it is too much trouble. As a matter of fact, the work of keeping these records is not nearly so great as it may A Babcock Milk Testing Outfit seem. Even if it were a great deal more trouble than it is, it would be better to put in time finding the unprofitable cows and getting rid of them than to go on feeding and milking cows that do not produce enough to pay for their feed and care. HOW TO KEEP A RECORD OF EACH COW'S PRODUCTION In keeping a record of the milk and butter-fat production of a herd there is needed: a spring balance scale, pint glass jars, test bottles, pipette, acid measure, a bottle of sulphuric acid, preserv- ative tablets, a centrifugal machine, and a sheet for recording the weight and test of each cow's milk. The record sheet, ruled WEIGH AND TEST THE MILK 61 as shown on page 62, should be placed with the scales in a con- venient position in the barn and the milk of each cow weighed at each milking, and the weight recorded on the sheet. The testing of the milk for butter fat can be done daily, weekly, or monthly. The practice of making the test once a month meets most requirements. The monthly test does not involve so much work as more frequent tests, and is a very good indication of the per cent of butter fat the cow is producing. In making this test, samples should be taken from each milking for a period of three days and placed in pint glass jars. To prevent the samples from souring, a small corrosive sublimated tablet should be put into the jar. A small dipper (about the size of a shotgun shell) with a long handle proves most satisfactory for taking the sample. Before taking the sample, the milk in the pail should be well stirred with the dipper. The testing should be done as soon as possible after the samples from six milkings have been taken. The operations of this test are as follows: First. The samples should be stirred by pouring into and out of an extra jar several times. In making the Babcock test, 17.6 C. C. of milk is used and is measured by means of a pipette, which is marked to show when this amount is in it. When using the ))ipette, place the small point in the milk and with the other end in the mouth suck the air out of the pipette until the milk rises above the 17.6 C. C. mark. Then quickly place the tip of the forefinger over the end of the pipette which has been in the mouth. This will prevent the milk from running out of the pipette. By slightly chang- Pipette Showing proper way to hold Pipette and Test Bottle when filling Test Bottle 62 THE COW MAKES FARMING MORE PROFITARLE c m 5^ 3. 5* a. > J. ft- u o i\> o u> tt -J O) en > Ol rv r o lO CO ^ 0) m ^ OJ fb - rn o 1 > ■0 > rvi .13 2 > 1 w > A -0 > (Ji "D 2 > 0) '2 > '2 -J ■D 2 > CD ■ 2 > 2 «D '2 > 2 O "0 2 > 2 r 2 > 2 n3 XI 2 2 OJ 1 > 2 ? "0 2 > 2 ui > 1 s J "0 2 ^ ^ TESTING POINTS OUT THE POOR COWS 63 Acid Measure ing the pressure of the finger on the end of the pipette, the milk can be allowed to run down slowly until the 17.6 C. C. mark is reached. Then press the finger firmly on the end of the pipette to prevent any more of the milk from running out. Second. When exactly 17.6 C. C. of milk are contained in the pipette, place the small end of the pipette in the top of the test bottle and gradu- ally reduce the pressure of the finger on the other end. The pipette should not be put straight down into the test bottle; instead, the bottle and pipette should be at a slight angle so that the milk will flow down one side of the neck of the bottle and at the same time leave a space on the other side for the escape of the air which the milk displaces. Don't allow the milk to run out of the pipette too fast or it will choke the neck of the bottle and overflow. This would require washing the bottle and measuring a new sample of milk with the pipette. Third. Take the small acid measure and fill to the point marked 17.5 C. C. wnth sulphuric acid. The sulphuric acid used in making the Babcock test should have a specific gravity of 1.82. This acid can be secured at any drug store or from dealers in dairy supplies. In pouring the acid into the test bottle, into which has been placed 17.6 C. C. of milk, hold the acid measure and test bottles at an angle, just as was done when the milk was being put in. This is important, because there must be room in the neck of the bottle for the air to escape. If there is not the acid will bubble over and spoil the test. When handling sulphuric acid wear old overalls or an apron, as the acid burns clothing. Have a supply of water convenient to wash off any acid that may spill on the hands or clothing. Fourth. As soon as the acid has been poured into the test bottle with the milk it will be noted that the milk and acid lay Whiil the test bottle in a circle to mix the acid and milk A small four-bottle Bab- cock tester 64 THE COW MAKES FARMING MORE PROFITABLE b — c- — ) in two distinct layers — the acid in the bottom of the bottle and the milk on the top of it. The immediate mixing of these two layers is important. Do this by taking the bottle by the neck and swinging it in a circle until acid and milk are completely mixed. This mixture has a uniform brown color and becomes very hot. On the rough spot on the side of the test bottle write with an ordinary lead pencil the cow's number whose milk is being tested, or write some number that will serve as a means of identifying the bottle. Fifth. After the milk and acid are thor- oughly mixed, place the test bottle, together with other test bottles which have been filled in a similar manner with the milk of other cows, into the centrifugal or whirling machine. After making sure that the bottles are so placed in the machine that they balance, turn the crank four or five minutes at the speed indicated in the directions supplied with the machine. Sixth. After whirling the bottles in the machine four or five minutes, stop turning and allow them to gradually come to a stop. Then take the pipette and add to each bottle, without taking it out of the machine, a small amount of hot soft water. The water put into the bottles should come to the bottom of the neck or a little above it. Then start the machine again, and whirl the bottles for at least two minutes. Next add enough more hot water to bring the fat which has gathered at the bottom of the neck to a point between the top and bottom figures of the scale on the bottle. Whirl for one minute more. Seventh. Remove the The reading of the test should be made from A to B, that is between the extreme top and bottom of the fat column bottle from the centrifugal ma- chine and proceed to read the per cent of fat in the neck of each bottle. It is important that the reading be made while the fat is hot, therefore set the bottles in a dish of water at First position ef the Second position of the dividers when used dividers when used the temperature of 130 or 140 for reading the test for reading the test degrees. The scale on the Bab- cock test bottle is graduated from to 10 per cent. The scale TEST— DON'T GUESS 65 on the neck between and 10 is divided into 10 spaces, each repre- senting 1 per cent of fat in 100 pounds of milk. Each of these spaces is subdivided into 5 equal parts, each representing .2 of 1 per cent. If the fat found in the neck after the whirling has been completed extends from to 4 it means that the milk tested con- tains 4 pounds of butter fat for every 100 pounds of milk, or, in other words, the milk tests 4 per cent butter fat. It is not very often that the bottom of the fat column will be formed exactly at the point marked 0, and in most cases it will be somewhat above this point. Hence, the work of reading can be greatly facilitated if a pair of dividers be used. In using the dividers adjust the points to the top and bottom of the fat column and then, without changing the distance between the points, place one point on and read on the scale the percentage of fat which is indicated by the position of the other point. TESTING SKIM MILK When testing skim milk, a double-neck skim milk test bottle should be used, as it gives a better reading. About 20 C. C. of acid should be used, as in skim milk there is a larger amount of solids not fat than in whole milk. These must be destroyed before the fat can be freed. Otherwise the operations are the same as for testing whole milk. TESTING CREAM The operation of testing cream with the Babcock test is the same as for testing milk, with two exceptions: First, a special cream test bottle should be used. This cream test bottle has a larger neck than the milk test bottle. This is because the amount of fat in cream is much greater than in milk. Second, the 18 grams of cream used in making the test cannot be measured with the pipette, but instead must be weighed. This is due to the fact that the weight of cream varies according to its richness. Furthermore, cream is thick and a considerable part would stick to the inside of the pipette. There is also another objection to measuring the cream with a pipette, and that is that cream, es- pecially fresh separator cream, often contains bubbles. Therefore, to get an accurate test the cream must be weighed. There are scales made especially for this purpose, and these can be secured from dealers in dairy supplies. The remainder of the operation for testing cream is the same as for testing milk. The testing of 66 THE COW MAKES FARMING MORE PROFITABLE cream is much more difficult, however, than the testing of milk and considerably more experience is necessary to make a good cream test. Wr? rlC if ', Milk Test Cream Test Skim Milk Test Bottle Bottle Bottle THE COMPOSITION OF WHOLE MILK The composition of milk varies greatly, depending upon the breed and individuality of the cow, the season of the year, lacta- tion period, milking, and environment. The average composition, however, which has been determined by 200,000 analyses reported by a well-known dairy authority is as follows: Water 87 . 17 Fat 3.69 Milk Sugar 4 . 88 Casein 3.02 Protein, Albumen 53 Ash 71 COMPOSITION OF SKIM MILK When cream is taken from the milk by a separator or by hand, practically all of the fat is taken out. The skim milk which remains is frequently referred to as "serum," and it contains everything but the fat, as follows: MAKE HIGH GRADE BUTTER 67 Water 90.68 Fat 02 Milk Sugar 5.00 Casein and Albumen 3.50 Ash 80 BUTTER ON THE FARM It is possible for the farmer to make the highest possible grade of butter on the farm, owing to the fact that he has the entire control of the milk from the time it is drawn until it is turned out a finished product ready for the market. Es- pecially is this true where the farmer has a small separator. With proper ripening before churning, and careful observa- tion of necessary conditions for the production of the best butter, the farmer should be able to economize in the making and insure a distinct saving by feeding the by-products to the pigs and calves. If the farmer can furnish an even grade and a regular supply of butter the year round, he can with a little effort readily find an excellent market. People living in towns and cities generally prefer to buy butter direct from the farmer, if possible, and are willing to give the farmer his price. Cream Separator Saves Time and Money 08 THE COW MAKES FARMING MORE PROFITABLE Besides the income derived from butter sales, the by-products fed to pigs and calves are steadily increasing the value of young beef and pork. The buttermilk, if fed directly after churning, is always productive of good results, as the chances of fermentation or contamination are fewer than in the creamery and consequently it gives better results as a feeding ration. STANDARD FOR JUDGING BUTTER In judging butter, the different characteristics are given dif- ferent values according to their relative importance. Below is given a standard used commercially and based upon 100 as perfect : Perfect Flavor 45 Body 25 Color 15 Salt 10 Style 5 100 Flavor. As shown in the score above, flavor is the most im- portant characteristic. Good butter should possess a clean, mild, rich, creamy flavor, and should have a delicate, mild, pleasant aroma. Flat flavor is noticeable in butter made from unripened cream. Rancid flavor, describes butter which has a strong flavor. It develops in butter which has been standing a long time. Cheesy flavor is common to butter which has little or no salt. Weedy flavors are due to the condition of the milk before churned and are caused by the cows pasturing where weeds are growing, such as wild onions, garlic, etc. Acid flavor is due to improper ripening of the cream. Body. Next in importance to flavor is body. Butter that is greasy, tallowy, spongy, or sticky is undesirable. The body must be firm and uniform. Color. The color should be bright and even, not streaky or mottled. A light straw color is the color most desired. Salt. The amount of salt depends upon what the market wants. The principal thing is to have the salt thoroughly dis- solved and evenly distributed. Medium salting is most desired. Style. By style is meant the appearance of the butter and package. It should be clean and neat. From resh Cream From Ripened Cream 83.75 82.97 13.03 13.78 .64 .84 .35 .39 .14 .16 2.09 1.86 KEEP DIRT OUT OF MILK 69 COMPOSITION OF BUTTER Butter is composed of fat, water, proteids, milk sugar, ash, and salt in the following average proportions, according to a well- known dairy authority: Fat Water Proteids (Curd) Milk Sugar Ash Salt The quality of butter is more affected by the equality of cream or milk from which it is made and the methods employed in manu- facture than by the composition. The English, German and United States governments en- deavor to protect the consumer of butter by recommending 16 per cent of water as a maximum limit. Butter is frequently found which contains more than 16 per cent of water, but this is in violation of the law. The amount of fat in the butter varies with the water — the more water, the less fat there will be. Butter which contains more than 18 per cent of water will appear dead and dull. It will also be leaky. POINTS ON CLEANLINESS Clean cows, clean udders, clean hands, clean pails, sterilized utensils and separators, clean and thoroughly ventilated dairies — these are some of the conditions under which milk, cream and butter can be best preserved and utilized for home use and for the market. Do not stir up unnecessary dust before milking. Each minute particle of dust settling on the milk means that much taint and consequent germination of bacteria. All strainers should be kept scrupulously clean. Sanitary wire gauze strainers are greatly to be preferred to the common cloth strainers so much in vogue. All foreign odors should be abolished from the premises, as milk, cream and butter have a natural tendency to absorb bad smells. The stable should be provided with brushes readily attached to the milking stools or accompanying them. The milker should 70 THE COW MAKES FARMING MORE PROFITARLE be encouraged to use these brushes before milking, and if such milkers are naturally cleanly, they should also be encouraged to dampen the udders before beginning to milk. If the milkers are not naturally orderly, systematic and cleanly, discharge them and either get clean milkers or quit the business. It is impossible to make a filthy man clean by any set of rules or by any amount of possible supervision. The milk is received in pails washed in this way: They are first rinsed in tepid water, then washed in water too hot for the hands and containing some cleansing powder or sal soda, the wash- ing being done with brushes rather than cloths. They are then rinsed with boiling water and steamed, if possible; otherwise they are taken from the rinsing water, the loose drops shaken off and allowed to dry without wiping. The milk is then strained through wire strainers or through two or three thicknesses of cheese-cloth, which pieces are washed and scalded or boiled between successive hours of milking. After straining, the milk is either aerated, cooled and sent to the factory, or it is run through the separator at home. The cream separator is one of the best milk clarifiers. It removes the finest particles of dirt from the milk which could not be removed by a cloth or wire strainer. Even if the whole milk is to be sold at retail, it should be run through the separator for clarifying purposes. Cows knee deep in manure and mud. Manure should be hauled out, yard graded to slope from barn, and surface covered with cinders or gravel. Courtesy University of Illinois. PROFITABLE DAIRY HERDS FROM UNPROFITABLE STOCK The Change May be Accomplished at Minimum Expense Through the Co-operative Breeding Circle By JAS. R. JOHNSON, Ontario, Canada Q HERE are three big herds of dairy cows in Canada. In the first herd are all of the cows that pay for their feed and labor, and then yield a profit. This is the smallest herd of the three. Then there is a much larger herd, composed of cows that just about break even. Their milk is sold for about the value of their feed, and the farmer receives the calf and manure in pay- ment for his labor. The biggest herd of all, however, is composed of the cows who do not even pay for their feed, and the owner has only their society as a return for feeding, milking, and caring for those cows 365 days in the year. If the average cow pays only for feed, and in that average are all three of these herds, we can only conclude that there are many thousands of cow owners who must be paying their cows something to board with them. Better Cows the Remedy There is only one way out of the situation — better cows. The man with a tidy bank account (needless to say not accumulated from the profits of his herd) can go out and buy better, an d this is probably the best way. Most of these poor-cow owners, however, cannot go out and buy good cows. They haven't the money in the savings bank, and the bank wouldn't lend them the money to buy a half a cow, no matter how honest and industrious they might be. The solution usually given to this man is to buy a pure-bred sire and grade up his herd. Even this, however, may be difficult. A good sire would cost $100, and probably more. Of course, I know that wonderful results are figured for that expenditure of $100. Figured c6rrectly, too. But I know from experience just what $100 means to many farmers whose incomes are small and the demands of whose growing families are ever increasing. In dozens of cases it would be hard even through the most rigid economy, to find $100 for a pure-bred sire. Governments have recognized this situation and have been active in placing sires of pure breeding in sections not already supplied, but they cannot go far toward meeting the great need 71 72 THE COW MAKES FARMING MORE PROFITARLE of the country. My suggestion is the organization of co-operative breeding circles among the farmers. Many Cows, But Poor The co-operative creamery at Milaca is one of the largest, if not the largest, in the state of Minnesota. In spite of this fact, the great majority of the cows tributary to Milaca are of the most common type, and in many instances the dairymen have not been making as much money as the success of their creamery would lead one to believe. A couple of years ago, Mr. E. L. Westover, then agricultural director of the Milaca High School, started an agitation for the improvement of these common cows by means of the co-operative purchase of pure-bred dairy sires. The idea took immediate hold upon the farmers to whom it was broached, and two successive meetings were called to afford discussion of the matter among all the dairy farmers of the community. As a result, in February, 1913, the Guernsey and Holstein Breeders' Association of Millelacs county was organized. At the time of organizing, the membership consisted of 35 farmers having about 400 cows. Last year it had increased to 50 farmers with approximately 500 cows. The original idea was to bring in enough pure-bred bulls of one dairy breed to fill the needs of the entire membership; but an early difficulty presented itself, in that the members could not agree upon one breed. So a compromise was effected, and two breeds, Guernsey and Hol- stein, were introduced into the community. It was decided that one bull should be purchased for approximately 70 cows; and, acting upon the expectation of having about 600 cows in the Association, nine pure-bred bulls were bought. The district was divided up into sections or "blocks" and one bull was placed in each block — five Guernseys and four Holsteins. With this arrangement, no member of the Association, whether he wishes to breed to a Guernsey or a Holstein, is more than one and one-half miles from the sire. Raising the Funds The bulls were purchased at well-known breeding centers in Minnesota and Wisconsin, and varied in age from one to four years. The total purchase price was over $1,300, the Guernseys ranging from $110 to $225 and the Holsteins from $112.50 to $150. Pre- vious to buying the bulls, it was arranged that each member would buy one share of stock, at a cost of $2, for each cow he owned. With 400 cows in the Association at the beginning, the ORGANIZE CO-OPERATIVE RREEDING CLURS 73 sale of stock amounted to only $800, and it was necessary to borrow $700 from the bank to make the purchase and bring the animals to Milaca. Last year, an additional 100 cows increased the sale of stock $200; and it was then decided to make a further assess- ment of $1 per cow on all members of the Association to cover the remaining $500 of debt. Thus the total cost to the 50 members was $1,500, or $30 apiece for the part ownership of nine pure-bred bulls, the service of which, as will be seen, will extend over a period of eight to 10 years. In addition, one dollar service fee is charged. The block system established is the most interesting feature of this Association. There is a Guernsey circuit and a Holstein circuit, the former comprising five and the latter four blocks. These blocks, of course, overlap; but there is no mixing of breeds. At the end of every two years in both circuits, each bull will be transferred to the next block, number one going to number two, and number tw^o to number three, etc. Thus, each member in the Guernsey circuit wall have the use of five bulls over a period of ten years, and the members in the Holstein circuit wall have the service of four bulls over a period of eight years. Should any bull prove unsatisfactory, he will be disposed of and a new one procured. The Board of Directors designates the place in each block for stabling the bull, which must be free from disease and have clean, sanitary surroundings. As caretaker of the bull, these members are paid $50 a year, but have no privileges over the other members as to his serv- ices. In each block a director is also appointed, who is respon- sible for the proper stabling and care of the bull in his block. It is his duty to see that the bull is kept in a strong, vigorous and healthy condition, on a suitable ration, with sufficient yardage to afford ample exercise in the open air, and that he is not per- mitted to run with the herd. Each block director must also inspect the herds in his block at least once in each two months. I notice that the average farmer in this Association had just 10 cows. His initial expenditure, therefore, was just $30, and that expenditure brought him the services of a first-class sire, not for two years or at most four, as is ordinarily the case, but for the entire serviceable life of the bulls purchased. Instead of having the feeding of his own sire, the cost is distributed over half a dozen farmers. Does not this system reduce the cost of herd improve- ment to a minimum? WHAT PURE BRED SIRES DID FOR ME A Practical Illustration of Results from Using Pure-Bred Sires By R. J. WELD, Sugar Grove, Pennsylvania s EVERAL years ago I became ambitious to improve and increase the output of my dairy herd and as the animals in the herd were not specific dairy animals and the production of the dairy was to be sold as butter, I chose the Guernsey breed as my improving factor. I choose also to breed up a herd of cows on my own farm, thinking that by raising my own cattle I could have them under my own individual care from birth to maturity and could therefore work into the animals such char- acteristics and possibilities as I was able to command. My first step was to purchase a registered Guernsey bull calf, The dam of this calf was an animal that was owned on a farm where the milk was weighed daily and a Babcock test of the milk was made every month, so I was able to get a complete record of the production of the bull's mother. The calf which I bought was a registered animal, so was strongly re-enforced with the qualities of the breed. Used the Babcock Test We also commenced the daily weighing of the milk and once a month made a Babcock test of the milk so as to determine the percentage of butterfat. At the end of the first year's work of record keeping we found that our cows had made an average of 4,400 lbs. of milk, while our best one had given us 5,500 lbs. The average butter fat production was 186 lbs., while one cow made 232 lbs. By discarding the low producers and using the Guernsey bull to breed from, we, in six years raised the average production of milk up to 5,430 lbs. and the butter fat up to Q55 lbs. Follow- ing along the same line of breeding and selecting for nine years more, having in the meantime purchased a second and then a third Guernsey bull I had the production up to 6,850 lbs. of milk and 315 lbs. of butter fat. With the close of the year 1912 I had the average production up to 7,144 lbs. of milk per cow and 338 lbs. of butter fat per cow. Taking the period covered by my breeding 74 HAVE A GOOD SIRE 75 and weeding work I have gained 2,744 lbs. of milk per cow and 152 lbs. of butter fat. Through the influence of the Guernsey blood I have made a larger per cent of gain in butter fat than in milk and I have also improved the character of my butter both in texture and color. Furthermore, the grade animals are in demand at good prices. My expense for bull to breed up my herd has been only $220, part of this, in fact, nearly all of it has come back from the sale of the bulls after I was through with them. I do not practice in- breeding so I have a mature bull to sell about every three or four years. BEECHER WYTHE No. 2 A cow that returned $2.53 worth of butter fat for each $1.00 worth of feed consumed. She produced 559 pounds of butter fat, 17,652 pounds of milk and made an income of $112.32 over cost of feed. — Information furnished by C. R, George, Dairy Division, Lafayette, Indiana A CO-OPERATIVE CREAMERY THAT CO-OPERATES N observer would notice nothing unusual as he watched patrons deliver their milk and cream to a secluded little creamery at Iowa Falls, Iowa. The creamery itself would not appeal to one as being anything out of the ordinary, and the equipment within it is not especially modern. The patrons who own the plant do not care for show or style. They are more interested in efficiency and in getting for their dairy products a price which is justly due them. The accomplishment of this for the last eighteen years is one thing which makes the Iowa Falls creamery stand out by itself. The record of which the farmer stockholders are justly proud is a credit to any organiza- tion, and the methods of business management might be followed with profit by hundreds of other creameries. Creamery Organized Twenty Years Ago When the creamery was organized, nearly twenty years ago, two objects were in view. One was to make butter or cheese at actual cost, and the other was to produce a product of the very best quality, and to sell it at a top notch price. Both of these ob- jects have been accomplished. The cost of manufacture has been kept down to A low figure by efficient management, and the quality of the butter produced has commanded extra fancy prices. Stock- holders and patrons are the ones benefited. Last year the patrons received for their fat five cents a pound more than did the average patron of the eighty -five best creameries within the state. As the average person furnishes approximately 1,000 pounds of fat a year, each was paid about $50 more than he would have received from the average so-called best creamery. This price was made possible by the relative low cost of making the butter, and the quality of the cream and milk delivered, the latter not only providing raw material for premium butter, but also for the sale of sweet cream to ice cream manufacturers. The creamery does not aim to be a large one, nor does it try to complete with centralizers or other plants in Hardin and Franklin counties. The management believes it is at the point now where it can get along most economically. To enlarge it would be to add to the expense without resulting in any extra profit, and if it attempted to compete with other plants in the 76 SCRUB COWS CUT DOWN THE PROFIT 77 volume of business done, it is feared the quality of butter or cream might be lowered so that more would be lost than would be gained. Makes But One Grade of Butter Only one grade of butter is made. This makes it necessary to refuse all poor or sour cream and milk. The butter-maker, who is an expert, is instructed to turn down everything that does not come up to the creamery's high standard. With this rule en- forced, there would be no excuse for having butter of an inferior quality. Poor cream from stockholders or officers is rejected with the same freedom that would be applied to non-stockholders. When cream is turned down at this plant, it is taken to and ac- cepted by a centralizer not far away. The producer receives a proportionately less price per pound for the fat, and he aims therefore, to have only a grade of cream which will be accepted by the Iowa Falls Creamery. Most of the patrons live within a few miles of the creamery and many of them drive in with their cream. During hot weather the cream must be delivered every day. Twice a week is the limit in the winter. No shipped-In cream is accepted, although many have requested this privilege. This practice would draw the cream from a wider territory, and older cream would have to be used. Under such conditions, the management does not believe so high a grade of butter could be produced as at present. A Manager Who Manages The butter-maker keeps in personal touch with his patrons. When anything is wrong with the milk or cream he explains the matter to them, and by using a little tact, his advice is not re- sented. The aim has been to educate rather than to force. The extra price secured by reason of this policy has encouraged the patrons to take good care of their cream and milk, and to deliver it in an A-1 condition. They know that to do otherwise would be to have' to take it to another creamery and accept several cents a pounds less for the fat. The company was organized in 1897, with a capital stock of $5,000. Shares were $100 each, and $4,200 worth of stock was issued. A few years ago they thought it would be better to have more stockholders, and each share was split up into four. These were disposed of, until now there are 155 stockholders. The most any person holds is four shares, but this amount gives him only the 78 THE COW MAKES FARMING MORE PROFITARLE one vote at any of the elections or business meetings. One share of stock gives the owner the same privileges that a dozen shares would give, and, as the creamery is operated on a no-profit basis, there is no object for one person buying several shares. The only ones who own four shares are those who did not sell part of their stock at the time the shares were divided. Pays 203 Per Cent On Investment Although no effort has been made to make the stock pay dividends, the stockholders have received a total of 203 per cent on the money invested since the company was first organized. This does not come from a profit on the butter, but from a cent a pound charged non-stockholders for making the butter. This fee charged to non-stockholders is used in the payment of taxes, insurance and other items not charged directly to the manufacture of the butter. There has been enough to make these payments and also to pay the dividend mentioned. At the same time, it makes the actual cost of manufacturing the butter slightly less than it otherwise would be. At the end of each month all the receipts from the sale of butter or cream are added together. The expenses incurred, such as salaries, fuel, salt, butter packages, freight, cartage, etc., are added. The manufacturing cost is deducted from the total re- ceipts. Then this sum is divided by the number of pounds of fat that have been delivered to the creamery during the month. Shareholders are paid the price thus obtained, while the non- stockholders get a cent a pound less. In this way the shareholders get their milk handled at actual cost, no private owners having to be paid fat dividends. Cost Two Cents Pound to Make Butter The average cost for making the butter during the last five years at the Iowa Falls Creamery has been kept down to two and one-tenth cents a pound. This includes the fuel, salt, tubs, labor, and all direct manufacturing costs, but not the freight nor the cartage. Two men are employed the year around, and three men during the busiest summer months. The total amount of busi- ness amounts to about $90,000 each year. The average price per pound for the last five-year period is thirty-two and one-half cents, and this includes some years during which butter was com- paratively cheap. The butter is being sold to a New York firm BE REGULAR IN MILKING 79 at one-half cent a pound above New York extras, and there is no commission deducted for the selling. The Iowa Falls Creamery is a beautiful example of the value of hiring an expert butter-maker, regardless of his salary. Government records show that the butter-maker at this creamery received the highest salary of any Iowa butter-maker in that class of creameries. One of the officers of the company stated that a few hundred dollars in excess of the average salary paid to butter- makers has resulted in thousands of dollars in increased profits. MILKING MACHINE SAVES MONEY The Milking Machine is Used 730 Times a Year — Will Increase Profits By L. J. VOGT, Salem, Wisconsin In my opinion the best machine on the farm is the milking machine. It is very simple and comparatively inexpensive, is best for the cows and produces more milk. The different parts of the machine are easy to wash and can be washed while the machine is going. It takes from two to three minutes to milk one cow. The milk is very clean because the covers of the can are air tight. Each pail holds about four gallons and two of them will fill a S^-quart can. The cows like the machine and anyone can operate it. Some agricultural implements are used once or twice a year, but the milking machine is used 730 times a year. My barn has a good ventilating system, which every dairy farmer ought to have. We have an International engine which runs the milking machine and it is always in good order. We also have an International corn binder and believe they are all right. WARM DRINKING WATER FOR COWS By F. W. ROBERTS, Woodworth, Wisconsin Good COWS, good feed, good methods, good markets, all things done regularly and in order. Coal to warm the drinking water in winter is worth $20 per ton. THE DAIRY PROBLEM IN THE SOUTH Dairying as a Side Line for the General Farmer Most Profitable in South By M. H. BARTON, Clemson College, South Carolina nN THE South there are two phases of dairying, both of which may be made a success, viz.: 1. Exckisive dairying for milk production; 2. Dairying as a side line in farming. In this discussion I shall refer exclusively to the latter, as it applies to the general farmer. Dairying as a side line for the general farmer is probably the most profitable for the South. We have a genial climate and a responsive soil which will furnish ; 1 . Succulent feeds the year round, 2. Cottonseed meal, the cheapest protein food the world affords, 3. Legumes and other necessary rufage. Having adopted such a logical order of farm practice, we may begin dairying on a scale sufficient to grow into successful dairying as the waste lands are put to permanent pasturage and as the farm increases in fertility and productiveness to support a gradual growth in the industry. The man who starts on the average poor soils of the South with dairying as the only means of enriching his land, finds it not only a "long way" but a slow and costly way "to Tipperary." Winter and summer legumes must be the basis for soil fertility and soil ability with livestock for soil conservation and farm economy. Humus is our greatest need and nitrogen the next greatest need in economic feed or other production. Legumes in crop rotation, therefore, are imperative; for the cow, if fed on non-legumes of home production alone, is only a soil conserver, but when fed legumes, becomes both a soil conserver and a soil builder, and a part of farm economy. Selection and Breeding of Herd Selection of a few dairy type animals to start with, bought on the advice of the Babcock Test and niilk sheet record, is the only safe method in buying. Such cows may be bred to a pure bred bull of known heavy producing lineage until his calves show his ability or inability to transmit productiveness at the pail. 80 INTELLIGENT FEEDING ESSENTIAL 81 When he has proven such ability, a few pure bred heifers of the same breed, with high producing blood behind them, may be purchased as a basis for the future herd. Feed is Half the Breed "Feed is half the breed," is an old adage too true in the South where a one-sided, unbalanced ration is so commonly fed and where a "pasture" too often means a poor area fenced in as an exercis- ing ground with little or nothing to graze. Size and vigor of the animals are essentials in maintaining and developing dairy ability, and are the important results of proper feeding from calfhood to maturity, as shown by actual performance at the pail and in the breeding pen. For heavy production in the South root crops, silage, Abruzzi rye and citron melons are the greatest winter succulents for inducing the best and most economic results in the digestion and assimilation of other foods. Cottonseed meal is on every South- ern farm in abundance as a by-product of the cotton crop and furnishes protein and carbohydrates in the ratio of 1 to 1.2. In recent years corn as a carbohydrate supply has become a certain crop of wonderful possibilities as to large economic yields when preceded by clover or vetch. Vetch and oats make a splendid hay product, yielding often 3 to 4 tons per acre. With such foods, and with Bermuda grass and bur clover mixtures for grazing, the general farmer with intelligent care, kindness and judgment should make the dairy cow almost reach perfection as an eco- nomic producer of human food and human prosperity. Such a dairy industry heretofore has lacked, and yet lacks, in most of the Southern States, a co-operative marketing feature such as is now being successfully worked out in South Caro- lina by Clemson College in co-operation with the United States Department of Agriculture. Co-operative Creameries Pay In South Carolina, creameries are being established with co-operative cream collecting routes. The creameries are estab- lished with local capital under a charter giving only one vote to each stockholder regardless of shares held. The annual dividends to stockholders are limited to 8 per cent, the manager is chosen by the College and all products sold under a State brand. The patrons get the benefits of all profits other than actual cost of production and 8 per centdividends and are protected against exploitation. This 8^ THE COW MAKES FARMING MORE PROFITABLE feature assures the permanency and growth of the industry, and South Carolina is rapidly becoming a butter producing state under expert, economic management. I can not too strongly commend this feature as a necessity in successful dairying for the general farmer. STICK TO ONE BREED Don't Mix Breeds — Dairyman Must Be a Student — Have Good Accommodations for Farm Help By W. H. GARDNER, Solon Mills, Illinois The most important things in making the dairy pay are cows, feed, man and equipment. The cows must be of the dairy type and good producers. A pure-bred herd sire of the same breed and known to be from high producing ancestry must be kept at the head of the herd and all the best heifer calves raised. Stick to the same breed. The dairyman who frequently changes breeds or crosses breeds by putting a bull of a different breed at the head of his herd never gets anywhere but at the tail end. The most important step a dairy farmer can take and the one that will pay the largest interest on the money invested is the purchase of a pure-bred sire. The dairyman with grade cows should belong to a cow-testing association. Those with pure- bred herds should make official records. The feed must be a balanced ration. I would not try to run a dairy farm without alfalfa and silage. Here is my winter ration for Holsteins giving 50 lbs. of milk per day: 40 lbs. silage, 16 lbs. alfalfa hay, and 12 lbs. mixed feed, consisting of 400 lbs. ground corn and oats, 100 lbs. gluten feed, 100 lbs. bran and 125 lbs. ajax flakes. In summer the cows are on pasture, supplemented with silage and sometimes with alfalfa and grain. The dairy farmer must be a student and a busy man the year round, working all summer getting feed together, and all winter feeding it out. By having a large per cent of the cows freshen in the fall the labor will be very evenly divided between the seasons. The farm must be especially equipped for dairying with modern barn, silos, milkhouse, water system, tool shed, good machinery and good fences. This will be a source of pleasure and satisfaction to the owner and will go a long way toward hold- ing hired men. A CALF FOR EVERY BOY Some people think it is a hard job to milk cows and care for stock, "Down near Bloomington, McLean County, Illinois, one time," said P. G. Holden, of Iowa, "I saw a man walking along briskly, with a spring in his step as though he was going somewhere and had no time to lose." "Do you know where that fellow grew up?" I said to a friend who was with me. "No," he answered. "He grew up in a dairy region," I remarked. "How do you know that?" "Look at the way he is going down that field. He is mov- ing along as though he was after a pig in the garden or a calf in the corn — he has energy." Later I was told that this man spent the most of his life on a dairy farm and was then, and is today, a prosperous McLean County farmer. "The boy who measures his wits against a calf's wits is going to be some man when he grows up." We should be proud to live on a farm, and bring up our boys there, Three-fourths of the boys who go to town would 83 84 THE COW MAKES FARMING MORE PROFITARLE have amounted to more if they had stayed on the farm and attended to business. After they get on a starched collar and cuffs, the 'checkered shirt' isn't good enough for them. They get a notion that they are too nice to work. The worst thing in the world to say to the boy is: 'Go and get an education so you won't have to work as your Pa has had to all his life.* Our boys should be taught to do more of the common, practical things in life. The boy in the country is not unfor- tunate. He can have just as good an education as the boy who lives in the city. Our schools, in the future, will teach in terms of the lives of people — in terms of the lives of boys. The boy will know quack grass and dodder and alfalfa, and sour soil, and be able to test cow's milk. Give your boy a pig or a calf. Make him a partner in the business and he will love his work on the farm and not try to get away from it. It is not a hard job to milk cows and care for stock if we take an interest in our work and get our heads in the game. We will find that all work is drudgery unless we like it, put the best we have into it, and use intelligence. GUARD AGAINST DISEASE Get Your Head in the Game — Apply Business Methods By E. R. MOORE, Area, Illinois Keep the best cows your circumstances will permit, re- placing the poorer ones at earliest opportunities, by raising a few of the most promising calves each year. Give them good care and good feed. Guard against disease, especially contagious abortion, by the greatest watchfulness. This is a strong argu- ment in favor of raising, rather than buying, milking stock. Most important of all, apply business sense and business methods to the production and sale of milk. It is imperative that the pro- ducer know to a reasonable degree of certainty the cost of pro- ducing milk and the returns therefrom. The business usually reduces to problems of feeding well and cheaply. The most important means to this end is the silo, a close second is alfalfa hay. Having both of these, expensive grain feed need be used only to a limited extent. BREED FOR MILK PRODUCTION Survey on 59 Farms in Kansas Show Dairy Breeds Most Profitable By P. H. ROSS, County Agent, Leavenworth County, Kansas Profitable dairying depends upon the intelligent feeding and care of good dairy cows. This consists of the use of good common sense applied to the requirements of the individual cow. Just as a cow's production will never be standardized in quant- ity or quality, so can the feed never be standardized in amount nor in kind. Brains pay as big a dividend in dairying as in any other business enterprise. Blood will tell. The greatest producers and the most prof- itable producing cows always have been and always will be of dairy breeds, bred to produce milk and butter economically. This is strikingly shown in a farm survey conducted by the Leavenworth County Farm Bureau in 1915 in co-operation with the Extension Division of the Agricultural College and United States Department of Agriculture at Tonganoxie, Kansas. Fifty- nine farms included in this survey were dairy farms and the following table shows how the dairy breeds compare with other breeds in producing milk and profits : Kind of Cows Number J^irms Dairy Receipts per Farm Dairy Receipts per Cow Cows per Farm Labor Income Scrub Dual Purpose. Dairy Breeds. 18 19 2^2 $250.00 468.00 1,249.00 $51.78 $50.76 88.26 5 9 15 $279.40 144.70 486.40 Not only did the dairy cows return $38.00 more per year per cow than the other kinds, but the man who kept the dairy cows received three and a third times as great an income per cow for his labor as the man who cultivated the society of the two- purpose cow. A cow should have but one purpose, and that to make money for her owner. A good judge of dairy cows is born, not made, but the scales and tester will make a blind man see the cow who pays her way. Of these two, the scale is the more important, as one can usually guess much closer to the butter fat percentage of a cow's milk after milking her a year than he can to the total amount of milk the cow produced. Testing the milk twice each 85 86 THE COW MAKES FARMING MORE PROFITABLE month during the lactation period and weighing each milking is the one best way to get a correct valuation on the individual animal. Because some men succeed without this only emphasizes the profitable nature of dairying and not the advisability of slack business methods. SET YOUR STANDARD HIGH Work by Clock — Milk, Feed and Water Just As Promptly as You Go to Your Own Meals By ARTHUR D. CORNUE, Hebron, Illinois Regularity is one of the most important things leading to successful dairying. Work by clock; milk, feed and water just as promptly as you go to your own meals. Get the best cows you can, get a pure-bred bull from the breed you like and raise your cows. Join a cow-testing association, which is the cheapest way to locate the poor cows. If you can't join one, get scales and a Babcock tester and go at it yourself. Weigh your milk from each cow and keep her record. Set your standard high and make them come to it as fast as you can. We can just as well have cows that give eight or ten thousand pounds of milk and 350 or 500 pounds of butterfat, as poor cows, which will eventually put you out of business. Raise as much of your own feed as possible, put up a silo or two and fill with the very best corn you can raise, then raise clover and alfalfa. Alfalfa is the best, but clover is good. Buy such feeds as oil meal, gluten, bran or cotton-seed meal. Now in a few words — be regular, clean, gentle, love your work, have good, pure, warm water and a balanced ration of good, wholesome feed. With these you can expect to make money. 1 his cow, owned by Mr. Cornue, gave over 14,500 pounds of milk last year. CARE, FEED, BREED, WEED Consider These Points Carefully and Follow Them or You Will Be a Failure in the Dairy Business By C. B. COOK, Owosso, Mich. ROFITABLE dairying has been reduced to a few principles that bring success. These essentials may be treated briefly under four heads: Care, Feed, Breed, and Weed. All of these points must figure or dairying will be a dis- appointment. Comfortable, sanitary quarters are indispensable to good dairying and such surroundings are becoming generally so recognized by the keepers of cows. The animals are being better protected from heat, cold, flies and filthy conditions than ever before in the history of dairying. The ration is a most important factor and must be closely studied by every careful dairyman or he will take a subordinate place in the ranks. Many different types of rations are fed by dairymen in various parts of the dairy field. A ration must be balanced, it must be palatable and it must be economical or it should give way to a better compound. A cow giving some 300 pounds of butter a year ought to receive about 23^2 lbs. of pro- tein per day and about six times as many heat and fat-forming units for best results. Breeding is one of the greatest factors for results in building profitable dairy types. The breeds that represent the pure dairy type are the most reliable stock to raise if profits are the goal. In the last analysis it costs as much to produce a pound of beef as a pound of butter fat, while the latter brings much more per pound. On this basis the pure dairy type has always won over the dual purpose cow. Sections of the country that have made enviable reputations in dairying are noted universally for their pure dairy conformation. The record of the sires,- dams and grand dams, are the greatest factor in breed- ing quality into dairy cows. The sire then is more than half of the herd when producing animals are to be furnished from the young stock of the farm. Not only should registered sires alone be used, but only those that spring from a long line of ancestry carrying a fine record of performance. With good feed and modern stables a man may produce but indifferent results if this most important point is overlooked. Cases to prove this point are numerous on all sides. Mr. Cutler, a farmer at Wayland, 87 88 THE COW MAKES FARMING MORE PROFITABLE Michigan, with a modest herd of registered dairy cows four years ago bought at an auction a bull calf for $315, giving his note in payment for the youngster. The stock from which this calf sprang had a record of not less than 30 pounds of butter per week for several generations back. On the strength of this bull's pedigree, Mr. Cutler sold two heifer calves last fall for $600 and had eleven more equally good ones left to build up his herd. These heifers have completely outclassed their dams and have placed the owner in another class of dairymen. For the best efficiency measures, the question of weeding is also vital to success. The dairy function is one most highly specialized and abnormal. Some animals will fall below their class and must be eliminated from the herd for best results. The weeding process enables the progressive breeder to save his young stock only from the best cows, thus insuring rapid move- ment toward a superior line of stock, that always moves quickly at a long price when there is a little stock to spare. T'' r J ■ ■■ J^ ^P^K^B>li^^^BB -^^ > •» ^■SL^bI m '£:^ ^^V^mL^ ^*'^S^!S3ife.»3^^B .^r^-r ■ lit. \ s\WM ^1^ ■f MTiA W^""^^ H^^> '^■d *'^r^^^y ' ;^ ''^$5r--'S: ^'ff^f-> ^ "" I ■■'jt * _i_ A' >-- ^Hl' "~' if? m^' 55 ii^d»i^ ;-^M Dairy Herd on the Farm of S. B. Woods. higher order of farming and it is the nearest thing to perpetual motion ever discovered. Long hours and everlastingly at it are necessary for the best results. One of the most important things is that the farm will grow corn, oats, clover, alfalfa, etc. If it is riot well drained, tile drain it. There is 50 per cent to 1 00 per cent in money well invested in tile drainage. The buildings need not necessarily be very expensive but must be warm, have good floors, plenty of sunlight and ventilation, plenty of silage and storage room for hay, grain and corn. Get the best cows you can afford, and have nothing but a good bull. This is important. The man 94 DAIRYMEN MUST HAVE THEIR HEADS IN GAME 95 who buys a good bull, raises good heifer calves and sells off the poorer cows, will soon develop a good business, and that is what he must have if he is to make money in the dairy business. Feed an abundance of corn silage, winter and summer. Grow alfalfa, soy beans and cowpeas for hay. Don't have too much in pasture, but sow oats and Canada field peas for early soiling crops, and corn to fill the silos. Keep the cows full of good feed — keep them busy working up good feed into a money product. A cow that is bellowing over the fence for something to eat is wasting her time and will probably waste yours in getting her out of the corn field and fixing fences. The next important thing is to take some of this money the good cows have made you and build a good home for your wife, boys and girls. Make them think the dairy farm is the best place on earth. Don't buy more land to keep more cows and lose your boys and girls. THE MAN AND THE COW Success in Dairying Depends Upon the Man Behind the Cow By RAY MEEKER, Muncie, Indiana I consider the most important points in the dairy business as follows: 1st: The Man. He must like and take an interest in his work; he must be thoroughly versed with feeds and feeding; know how to mate his animals successfully and care for his calves. 2nd: The Bull. A good prepotent bull always insures high production in the young herd. Some bulls have been known to increase the producing capacity of heifers from 100 to 150 pounds of butter fat more than their dams. A good pure-bred sire is always cheapest in the end. 3rd : Environment. Cattle, in order to do good, must be kept in a comfortable stable, where there is plenty of light and ventilation through the winter, and in summer must have plenty of shade and air. Cattle must always have plenty of fresh water. 4th: Cow Testing. The cow has been likened to a ma- chine, and some machines are better than others. By testing you are able to distinguish the good ones from the poor ones. FEEDING CALVES ON SKIM MILK Good Advice in the Feeding of Calves — Under-Feeding Better Than Over-Feeding. By E. F. BURTON, Wyoming State Dairy Division, Laramie, Wyoming Ig^lHE CAUSE of failure in feeding calves on skim milk is due IBJil to over feeding, dirty feeding buckets and an improper ration. Usually over feeding of milk in dirty pails is the seat of most of the serious troubles. One must keep in mind the fact that the young calf has a small stomach which cannot hold more than two or three quarts of milk, depending upon the size of the calf. And if more than this amount is fed the calf gorges itself so that some of the milk is forced through the stomach into the intestines before the proper digestive processes have taken place. This causes indi- gestion, colic and scours. For this reason underfeeding is less objectionable than overfeeding. If there is a surplus of milk throw it away rather than overfeed the calves with a view of sav- ing the milk. To feed it to the calf may save the milk, but cause the loss of the calf. The amount of milk to be fed when the supply is plentiful should depend entirely upon the size of the calf. The following is a good guide to follow: For 1st 100 lbs. in weight feed 10 lbs. of milk per day. For 2nd 100 lbs. in weight feed 5 lbs. of milk per day. For 3rd 100 lbs. in weight feed 2.5 lbs. of milk per day. Whole milk should be fed for the first week, when skim milk may be added in small amounts at first and gradually increased by about 1 pound per day until at the end of 15 days the whole milk may be discontinued entirely. It is usually well to let the calf nurse its mother for the first two or three days. The longer the calf stays with its mother the harder will it be to get it started to drink. If there is any trouble experienced in this respect let the calf go until real hungry, when it may be induced to suck one's finger. This accomplished, little further trouble should be had. Fix stanchions so that the calves may be tied up while being fed milk. The calves should remain tied after feeding until they have ceased to try to suck each other's ears. The habit calves form of sucking each other's ears is extremely bad for the calf, 96 GOOD FEED INCREASES PROFITS 97 causing colic and scours many times. Don't guess at the amount of milk to be fed — measure it. A calf whose appetite is satisfied is overfed. Care should be exercised in feeding milk rich in fat. One reason that Jersey and Guernsey calves are so badly troubled with scours is due to the milk being too rich in fat. Best results are found when milk tests about 3 per cent. More fat than this is not needed and is often harmful. The milk must be warm and sweet to get good results. Let the calf miss a meal rather than feed sour milk. Be regular in feeding. This is important. Two pounds of grain in the calf's ration is equal to 1 pound of butter fat. This being true, grain should be fed with skim milk. The most satisfactory amounts to feed will be: For the first three months, feed 1 pound of grain for each 10 pounds of milk, and for the next three months, feed 1 pound of grain for each 5 pounds of skim milk. Bran is best for getting the calf started to eating grain, and can be fed on top of the milk to start with, or a small amount may be put in the calf's mouth after it has had its milk. The calf will soon acquire a taste for the bran and will then readily take any grain ration. Calves can be induced to eat grain at 2 to 3 weeks of age. Always feed grain dry after the milk. Corn is the best grain to feed. Feed it as meal until the calf is 4 weeks old when whole corn may be substituted. Barley is about equal to corn but should be ground. Oats are good. Wheat bran may be combined with any of the grains to advantage, especially with barley. Alfalfa or other kinds of hay should always be fed liberally to calves as soon as they will eat it. As soon as pasture is avail- able give the calves access to it. Silage is excellent for calves. Salt should be supplied. Good clear water must always be avail- able even though calves do get milk. Clean yards and stables are important, since scours are often contagious. Many treatments are advocated for scours. Dried blood may be used at the rate of one teaspoonful to the feed. Most likely the best thing to use is formalin. Mix 1 ounce, or 2 tablespoonsful, in 153/2 ounces of water and add 1 teaspoonful of this to each pound of milk fed. Seldom ever will it be necessary to use more than two treatments. As soon as scours appear cut down the feed — one meal may be missed. After the calf has missed a meal be careful that too much is not fed at the next 98 THE COW MAKES FARMING MORE PROFITABLE time. Prevention is better than the cure — remove all possible causes of trouble. At Nebraska it was found that a calf could be raised properly to 6 months of age on the following amounts of feed : Feed Amount Price Value Whole milk 175 lbs. 2700 lbs. 125 lbs. 450 lbs. $1.50 percwt. . 25 per cw t. 1 . 00 per cwt. . 50 per cwt. Total .... $ 2.63 Skim milk 6.75 Grain milk Hav 1.25 2.25 J^12.88 COST OF PRODUCING 100 POUNDS OF MILK Results of Tests Made Under State Supervision by 10 Different Experiment Stations, Give $1.97 as Average Cost to Produce 100 Pounds of Milk Lynderboro, New Hamsphire, Cow Test Ass'n $1 .93 Massachusetts Experiment Station 2.42 Storrs Agrl. Experiment Station, Connecticut 2. 12 New Jersey Experiment Station 1 . 94 Delaware County, New York, 1912 2.35 Delaware County, New York, 1913 2 . 03 Kent County, Michigan, 1914 1 . 67 Kent County, Michigan, 1915 1 .58 Livingston County, Michigan, March 1916 1 .83 Livingston County, Michigan, April, 1916 1 . 85 Average cost of producing 100 pounds of milk, ten experi- ments $1.97H PRODUCE MILK WHEN MILK IS HIGH By A. WILLBRANDT, Algonquin, Hlinois Give good cows good care. Feed well on a good balanced ration. Have them come fresh in the fall so as to get the most milk when the price is the highest. PROPERLY FEED AND CARE FOR YOUR COWS KEEP CLEAN AND HEALTHY Rules Published by the Ohio State Dairy and Food Department Health — Cows must be in good health and free from disease. Cows known to be afflicted with tuberculosis and those having any other contagious disease must be removed from the herd. Milk from such cows and from those having a swollen jaw, inflamed udder, ulcerated teat or running sore shall not be used. Comfort — Clean bedding only can be used. Dusty or moldy hay or horse manure shall not be used for bedding. Food — Decaying silage, fermenting brewers' grains, ferment- ing malt, distillery waste or moldy feed shall not be fed. Water — Drinking water must be clean and fresh. Wells and devices used to furnish same must be free from foreign matter and contamination. Cleanliness — Cows must be reasonably clean while milking. When cows have dust on backs, particles of manure on sides or udders or other foreign matter on their bodies which might gain access to the milk pail, they are not clean. Have Light, Well Ventilated Stables Location — Stables must be free from contaminating sur- roundings. Location must be well drained. Pigpens, chicken coops, stagnant water, mud holes, manure piles or privies within 100 feet are contamination. If horses are kept in the same barn with cows a tight partition must separate them, unless they are separated by an open air space of at least 12 feet. Dust in the stable while milking is a contamination. Stables must be pro- vided with a tight, sound floor with sufficient incline to drain readily. Walls and ceilings must be tight. Light — Two square feet of glass to each cow must be pro- vided. Ventilation — Ventilation means the removal of impure air and the supplying of fresh air without drafts on the animal, and in such a way as to conserve as much as possible of the animal heat of the cows in cold weather. This must be provided for either by an automatic system or adjustable windows. At least 300 cubic feet of air space for each cow must be provided. 99 100 THE COW MAKES FARMING MORE PROFITABLE Cleanliness — Manure must be removed daily from the stable to a distance of not less than 400 feet to preclude the chance of odors getting back, unless sufficient straw, shavings or ab- sorbents are used. Floors — Floors must be kept clean by careful sweeping and washing. An earth floor must not be used. Walls — Walls must be kept free from manure. Walls and ceilings must be whitewashed or made clean and sanitary or dis- infected in any other manner equally effective. Utensils — Utensils must be of smooth, non-absorbent material as tin or tinned copper, the seams of which are flushed smooth with solder. They must be clean to superficial inspec- tion. After being washed they must be scalded with boiling water or steam and inverted in pure air to drain. The water supply for washing utensils must be free from contamination. Milking must be done in clean suits with clean dry hands and udders of the cows must be clean before being milked. Milk as soon as drawn shall be immediately removed from the stable to a room or house used exclusively for the straining, cooling, bottling or canning of milk or for the washing or storing of cans or other utensils and appurtenances. The Milk House — The milk room or house shall be located on well drained land whose surroundings are free from contamina- tion. The milk house or room must be well screened or otherwise protected from the intrusion of flies, fowls and animals. If attached to stables it shall have an independent outside entrance. How- ever, if attached by doorway, there shall be a ventilated passage- way with self-closing doors at each end, only one of which can be open at a time. The walls and ceilings shall be tight and either oiled, painted or white washed so that same be kept clean. Light and ventilation shall be provided. Floor shall be of impermeable material, sloping so as to give good drainage. Milk shall be cooled to a temperature of at least 60° F. before it leaves the premises, unless, in case of immediate delivery at wholesale where receiver is prepared to receive it properly. If cream is produced, skimming or creaming shall be done in the milk room or house, and shall be stored in the same manner prescribed for milk. If to be sold or delivered, it shall not be kept longer than three days in summer or four days in winter. TEST, WEIGH, CULL The Best Cows Will Fail Without Good Feed and Care By M. JESNESS, St. Paul, Minnesota The selection of dairy cows for profitable milk and butter production goes hand in hand with the testing and weighing of the milk. The type and conformation of a cow, although indicating to some extent the dairy tendencies of that individual, are by no means reliable in selecting good cows. The only reliable method of selecting the good animals from the herd and weeding out the poor ones, is that of weighing and testing the milk from each cow separately at periodic times throughout the year. The cow- testing association is still rather new to most farmers and com- paratively few have started this line of work. The milk is weighed and tested once a month, and record is kept of milk, butterfat, value of product, feed consumed and profit above the cost of feed. It has been estimated by the United States Agricultural Department that carefully conducted tests taken once a month will come within 2 per cent of the actual production, which would be accurate enough for all practical purposes. These associations also create interest in dairying in their particular communities. The dairyman seeks better methods of feeding and gives more attention to the care of his cows. Don't Be Careless With Cows The sire is another factor of vital importance in getting a good herd of dairy cows. The average farmer lays very little stress on this. With an average grade sire the chances of im- proving the herd is very slight, while the rise of pure bred sires from producing families is almost certain to bring good results, giving higher production and more valuable offspring. The- care and feeding of cows is perhaps as important as anything else, for without proper care and feeding, the best of cows are at a decided disadvantage. The majority of farmers are careless when it comes to caring for the cows. Many turn them out in winter during the coldest weather for perhaps three or four hours at a time. This is a sure way to cut the milk flow to a minimum. The feeding of bundle corn outside in winter is poor practice for it keeps the cows out too long. Some farmers feed only rufage to their 101 102 THE COW MAKES FARMING MORE PROFITA BLE cows; this is entirely justifiable if a good part of their ration is made of good quality clover or alfalfa hay. How- ever, milk flow cannot be kept up on corn silage and timothy or wild hay. It is advisable to add some concentrate high in pro- tein to a feed of that kind. Whether it is profitable to feed grain to dairy cows, depends on the cows and the price of grain and the price received for milk or butterfat. With good average cows at ordinary prices for feed and butterfat, there are undoubtedly good profits in feeding grain. The common rule for feeding cows is 1 lb. of grain to 3 lbs. of milk. The grain ration should be made so that with the rufage a balanced ration will be formed. The essentials of feeding and care of cows may be put down as, balanced rations — succulent and palatable, with moderate temperature, comfortable surroundings, reasonable ex- ercise, and regularity in feeding and milking. GROW ALFALFA— HAVE SILOS Do Not Have Pastures Where Land is High Priced By ARTHUR CATLOW, Barrington, Illinois This is my 18th year in the dairy business. When I first started I bought cows of cattle dealers, I bought in the fall and sold what I thought poor cows in the spring. I did this three years and found myself getting poorer every year. The next fall I decided to buy no more cattle from cattle dealers, so I looked around among the farmers and bought ten head of 2 and 3 year-old heifers bred to a pure-bred bull. The man I bought the heifers from advised me to buy a pure-bred bull, which I did. To make money from cows, you must have good cows and a good farm which any man can have if he uses his brains. I feed a balanced ration, weigh my milk and test it. Keeping the cows clean is one of the best paying things I do. I used to raise timothy, but no more — alfalfa for mine. I use one ton of limestone an acre a year on alfalfa; that is, every year sow five acres and put five tons of limestone to the aC-re before I sow and in this way I plow five acres and sow five acres every year. For the last seven years I have had no pasture, as it is the highest priced land any man can have. The silos are cheaper and better. RAISE YOUR OWN STOCK Don't Buy Feed That You Can Produce at Home- Cut Out the "No-Purpose Cow" By JOSEPH CREER, Orland, Illinois To make a success in the dairy business a dairyman should first procure cattle that are adapted for dairy purposes. A large percentage of the smaller dairy farmers keep a class of scrub cattle. Some of these cattle will produce a good flow of milk for a certain period after freshening, but, as a rule, they soon com- mence to dry up and lay on flesh and the farmer sells them to the butcher or cattle dealer, rather than hold them over till they freshen again. I am sure there is quite a percentage of this class of scrub cattle that would not pay their board under any conditions. The cows that are bred for dairy purposes, naturally turn the feed that they consume into milk, instead of laying on flesh. The dairy farmer should produce most of the feed for his cattle on the farm, in place of having to buy consider- able milk-producing feed on the market. Every dairy farmer should have a silo. If he can have two silos so much the better, the small one for summer use and the mmm The Feed Lot on many farms. The manure pile on the water's edge contaminates the water supply; the fertility is rapidly leaching out of the manure, and the surroundings are unsanitary and unfit for stock of any kind. 103 104 THE COW MAKES FARMING MORE PROFITARLE larger one for winter. If these are filled with good feed in the fall he doesn't need to worry about what he is going to feed his cows when the dry weather conies and the grass stops growing. Plenty of clover or alfalfa should be grown on the farm to be fed in connection with silage. Good corn fodder from corn that has been thickly drilled in rows, also makes a splendid feed for a change. Cows like a variety, but they must have feeds that are rich in protein in order to produce a large amount of milk. Cattle should be kept in well lighted barns where there is plenty of ventilation. They should be fed at regular intervals and have access to plenty of water. A tank heater should be used in the water in winter to take the chill off, and they should have plenty of salt, either placed in their feed or in a box in the cow yard, where they can get it at will, and they must have good care. KNOW HOW TO PRODUCE AND MARKET Big Problem in Dairy Business is How to Dispose of Products at a Profit By W. A. WATERMAN, Auburn, Maine The success that a dairyman achieves depends largely upon his ability, situation, and kind and adaptability of dairy cattle. First: He must understand his business, not only how to get good yields from his cows but how to dispose of the dairy products and surplus stocks to the best advantage. There is much to be said about the care and management of dairy cattle, but to my mind more attention should be paid to the selling of the dairy products and the surplus stock. The creameries make a first class dumping place for dairy men to dispose of their products, but the man that is in the dairy business for the last dollar cannot afford to dispose of his products in this way if situated near a good market for milk, cream or butter. Any dairyman producing a clean, wholesome product can usually find a ready market for same at a much better price than the average creamery is willing to pay. Cut Out the Scrub Cows The matter of disposing of the surplus dairy stock to the best ALFALFA EQUAL TO WHEAT BRAN 105 advantage is worth a little thought and consideration. Too many dairymen are content with scrub or grade cows, when pure- breds would pay them a much larger profit. It costs just as much to maintain a scrub cow as a good one — calves from scrub cows are not worth much — good calves will add to the standard of the herd. If more dairymen would dispose of their worthless scrub bulls, and buy a pure-bred sire of whatever breed they like best, or is best adapted to their locality, they would see a marked change. The dairyman who studies his animals and knows which cows are paying a profit, is careful about the way he feeds, careful about marketing his best pure bred stock, tests for ofiicial records and then lets the public know what he has in surplus stock, is sure to find dairying a pleasure as well as a profitable business. GROW ALFALFA— ROTATE CROPS By CHAS. CONLEY, Huntley, Illinois Keep good cows and give them good care. Balance the feeds for milk. Raise your own cows. Keep pure bred sires. Select your best calves from your best cows. Sow clover every- where you can on a dairy farm. Establish alfalfa. Rotate your crops. Keep good horses and few of them. Keep no hogs except for your own use. Make you^r own butter and feed the skim milk to the calves. Have a small cream separator for this use. Keep the most modern farm machinery and take good care of it. Keep your dairy barn in a good, clean condition, having it well ventilated and well lighted. *r.ruK&-!r«»i«£\i-- ..- cows— FEEDS— MARKETS If You Market Milk, Have Milk Producers; If You Sell Butter Fat, Have Butter Producers By CURTIS C. TAYLOR, Kennebunk, Maine I think the question of making the dairy business a paying proposition can be divided into three distinct heads: Cows, Feeds, and Market. 1st. The Cows: If the dairyman is to sell milk, he should select that breed of cows which will give him the greatest amount of milk and should pay strict attention to their breeding and development, so as to gradually and continually increase the amount of milk per cow. He will find the scales an important factor in this line. If he makes butter or sells cream he will find it to his advantage to select another breed. In this event he will require scales and Babcock tester in his work of grading up and in- creasing the butter fat contents of the milk produced by his herd. 2nd. The Question of Feed: There are two distinct phases of feeding proposition — adaptability and cost. He must feed for milk production, body condition and general health. Under the cost of feed belongs the balance sheet; whether it is a profit or a loss he should not choose cheap feeds simply because they are cheap in cost but rather from their degree of adaptability and digestiveness. Eastern farmers buy too much grain. We get good prices for our product but turn around and pay it out for grain. If we would raise it on our own farms we would be far ahead at the end of the year. We can raise grain for less than it costs to buy it, get better grain and to my way of thinking that is what we must do in order to make a success of the dairy business. 3rd. The Market: We have little difficulty in finding a market for first-class dairy products, as the demand exceeds the supply practically all the time. My own personal experience of 10 or 12 years bears out these things which I have written. I retailed milk for over seven years and am at present making butter. I weigh all my grain at feeding and weigh my milk each day. Work with your hands and head and you will succeed. 106 SELL BUTTER FAT— FEED SKIM MILK By W. D. STEIL, Prairie View, Illinois I remodeled my barn last year, putting in up-to-date barn equipment and have plenty of big windows. An important thing is to have a good sire and raise all the heifer calves, which I am doing. The next is to have a good milkhouse. I have a pressed brick milkhouse with a 14-inch hollow wall and a big cement cooling trough in it, I milk 19 cows at present. I think if a farmer would get a power separator and separate his milk and raise hogs and calves on the skim milk he would make more money than by selling his milk. I have an International "Famous" 3-horse engine, which we use for pumping water, sawing wood and cutting stalks. I in- tend to get a small mill next winter. I have also a McCormick Grain Binder which made the 24th year last year, and it is still in good condition. I have also a Clover Leaf Manure Spreader which is a handy tool, if I could not get another one, I would not sell mine for any amount of money. I raise some hogs, but not very many, since we don't get anything back from the creamery for them. Cows in a sanitary dairy barn. Note the cement floor and bedding under the cows. — Courtesy Poitland Cement Ass'n. 107 GOOD DAIRY ADVICE Don*t Allow Dogs to Chase Cows — How To Keep Milk By GEO. BARTLETT, Geneva, Illinois Some essentials to profitable dairying are pure bred, large type, well fed cows. Raise calves from best cows, raise your own feed. Have cows freshen in fall of year, they will milk well through winter and do well when grass comes. Provide regular feeding and watering by steady help. Don't allow bull to run with cows, especially young heifers, which should be bred when they are about 14 to 18 months old. Don't allow dogs or horses to chase cattle, as it may cause trouble at calving time. Cows should be placed in box stalls several days before calving and fed bran and clover hay. No heated feed such as would cause a fevered condition should be given them. Rub a little salt on calf as soon as dropped. The cow will taste salt and lick calf off well. Don't allow calf to have much of first milk. Don't milk cow out perfectly clean first milking. Cows should be kept in well -ventilated barns. Have each cow in same stanchion every day. Swinging stan- chions are advisable, as cows rest easier. Have partitions between all cows and allow at least 3 feet 4 inches to 3 feet 6 inches for each cow, thus preventing them from stepping on their teats. Clean cows before milking, strain milk in can; when full place in water and cool to 55 degrees. Don't mix warm and cold milk together. Stir milk while cooling to get even temperature. HAVE COWS FRESHEN IN FALL It Pays to Feed Dry Cows — Have Cows In Good Flesh When They Freshen By A. W. ABBOTT, Downers Grove, Ulinois Keep no cows that will produce less than 6,500 lbs. of milk a year. Use a pure bred sire from high producing ancestors. Raise the best heifers and see to it that the heifers are well fed. Have the cows freshen in the fall, September or October, prefer- ably. Raise enough alfalfa to feed daily for at least 300 days. Put up enough silage to feed the year around. Feed grain in proportion of 1 lb. grain to % lb. milk. Weigh the milk and weigh the grain. Keep the cows in the barn all the time, or as 108 STUDY YOUR COWS 109 much as possible, especially in bad weather. Water at least twice a day. Feed a dry cow well, it pays big. Have cows in good flesh when they freshen. As to grain rations: Feed home grown feeds (ground) as far as possible. Corn and oats are the best. The addition of M wheat bran makes ration bulkier and adds to palatability. A pound of oil meal a day will keep the cow in splendid shape, keeps her bowels loose and her hair slick. If there is trouble on account of cows scouring, the substitution of cottonseed meal in part or whole will help check this condition. Do not waste any money on stock tonics or foods. With a herd of cows giving 8,000 lbs. milk annually and 6 tons silage, 3 tons alfalfa and 2,500 lbs. grain, to each cow, a man cannot help but make money, unless he spends it all for keep, and then he will have to keep lots of it at that. GOOD CARE WILL SAVE FEED By OTTO OSBRAND, Peotone, Illinois To make the dairy pay: First of all, good care. Good, warm water in winter will save a lot of feed. Also good, clean straw to lie down on will save a lot of feed. Feed all they want. For summer a good clover and blue grass pasture is the best green feed with silage corn when the grass becomes short in July and August months. A dairy farmer should always keep the best cows, as they are the most profitable. SHORT COURSE TRAINING FOR DAIRYMEN By FRANK J. BENDER, Hobart, Indiana An important and essential factor in successful dairying is the selection of a breed of cattle which is suited to the locality. Another factor is keeping of individual records of each cow in order to find out which ones are returning the greatest amount of profit. You can select the choicest heifer calves. After the herd is selected comes the great question of feeding which we believe can never be too thoroughly taken care of and to which we think many farmers give too little time and care. It is our firm belief that every dairy cow should be fed a balanced ration at all times, both during her lactation period and during her rest, which for a good producing cow should be from three to six weeks. With our experience, we have found that every calf being raised should be kept growing and never allowed to stand still or get thin. Breeding of the Holstein cattle should be put off so as not to let the heifers come fresh before they are V-A to 3 years of age, when they attain full growth. The herd should never be allowed to run with bull. Every farmer should keep in touch with the advancement of the best herds in the country. I think it a great advantage for all the farmers that can possibly do it to take a short course in dairying at some college. I have had the privilege of so doing and I can truth- fully say that I find it of great help. FIT THE COW TO THE BUSINESS If You Wish to Sell Cream or Make Butter, Have Butterfat Producers — If You Sell Products to Cheese Factory, Have Milk Producers By CHAS. W. PETERSON, Darlington, Wisconsin If you are going to sell milk to the cheese factory and want to produce more milk testing the lowest in butterfat, .get that kind of cow. If you wish to sell cream or make butter, get the cows that have rich testing milk, as you do not have to handle nearly so much milk or be as long separating to get the same amount of cream. Feeding and milking should be done at the 110 KEEP A RECORD OF YOUR COWS 111 same time each day, as changing makes a difTerence in the flow of milk. Handle all cattle quietly and do not abuse them. It is best to have the same man to milk the same cows each day. The care of the milk is very important. It should be cooled very quickly if you wish to keep it good. The cows should be kept clean and dry and not allowed to run out in bad weather. APPLY BUSINESS METHODS By CHAS. KUEBKER, JR., Grayslake, Hlinois I consider good cows, proper equipment, and a good business man the three great essentials of successful dairying. In running a dairy, keep account of the various deals and records of different departments, for without a set of books, losses and gains cannot be computed. Good cows come next, and while I haven't anything but a mixed herd, it is a herd from which the boarders are being elimi- nated. I have no pure bred sire, but the one I have is the best that I could get, as I consider performance from a cow to be better than registration papers. Keep cows in sanitary quarters, well bedded and plenty of light, have adequate machinery to carry on the business in 100 per cent efficiency, both in field and in the dairy. Preserve the fertility of the soil to the best advantage, growing heavy pro- ducing crops and returning them to the field in the form of manure. HIGH POINTS IN SUCCESSFUL DAIRYING By LOUIS P. ZIMMERMAN, Waseca, Minnesota Try to make each individual cow stand on her feet. To do this : 1st. Raise good cows — they cannot be bought. (a) Use the best sire you can get. (b) Pick out the best cows by yearly records of butterfat. (c) Cull the yearlings and heifers closely. 2nd. To make good cows pay, have fall-fresh cows (Septem- ber to December) because: (a) Butterfat is highest in winter. (b) Better feed and no flies to bother, (c) More time to give to cows and calves. 3rd. Plenty of good feed in balanced ration: 35 pounds silage. 15 pounds clover hay. 3 pounds bran. 3 pounds wheat middlings. A little gluten or cotton-seed to best cows; corn fodder in fall instead of silage, and for young stock all winter. A good barn, warm and well ventilated, plenty of light, water cups inside and convenient for men to handle hay and manure. Keep enough hogs to use skim milk economically at all times. Use a milking machine to reduce labor. PRODUCE PAIL FILLERS By H. I. COON, Maplehurst Farm, Walworth, Wisconsin Select good cows of high grade or full blood stock of some good milk producing breed and stay by that breed. Select a pure blood sire from the best milk strain. Raise your own stock by careful breeding and feeding to produce pail fillers with which to replenish your herd. Feed the cows a good balanced ration. Give them plenty of good water and salt; milk at regular hours — as far as possible by the same hands. Keep the cows clean and well bedded, giving them plenty of fresh air and light. Keep them free from excitement, test every cow, sell the poor ones and keep only the best of your herd. 112 RAISE YOUR OWN FEED 113 WARM THE WATER FOR COWS Raise Own Feed — If You Buy Feed There Is Nothing in the Dairy Business By ALBERT YAGER, Blue Island, Illinois The most important thing to make the dairy business pay is to build silos large enough to feed in winter with a little grain and in summer alongside of pasture. If you have a long term lease, or if you own your own farm, build silos of your own. Also have about 30 acres alfalfa on good soil that would make about 75 to 90 tons of hay. In our neighborhood get a good herd of pure bred Holstein cows, that would produce 6,000 pounds of milk per year, ar.d a registered sire. Have the stable up to date and well lighted and ventilated; pump water by mill or engine and use a tank heater in winter to take the chill from the water. If you have to buy feed, that is, mill feed or brewers' grains and hire help, there is nothing in the dairy business. RAISE YOUR OWN FEED By A. W. MARQUARDT, Elmhurst, Illinois When a man has a silo on the farm, and his own machine to fill it and fills it in season with home grown feed and feeds it right, and raises his own herd, he will make money — you can't stop him. I do not believe in buying too much feed. Get your own farm in condition, so it will raise enough feed to supply your dairy. This cannot be done unless you have machines with which to do it. Do not feed or keep a dairy cow in the barn that will not pay. THE DAIRY BUSINESS IN A NUTSHELL By WEAR BROTHERS, Elgin, Illinois, R. 5 To make the dairy business pay the best, raise all the heifer calves from good cows and keep pure-bred sires. Have good silos and put all corn raised in the silo. Have plenty of alfalfa and clover hay. Cows must be well housed and given plenty of water to get best results. 114 THE COW MAKES FARMING MORE PROFITARLE FEED ALFALFA TO DAIRY COWS By W. F. FRANZEN, Bensenville, Illinois Get a dairy herd. Keep record of each individual separate. Weigh their milk every tenth day. Test the milk for but- ter fat every month, and improve the herd by culling out the poorest and keep the best p,roducers regardless of what may be offered for them. Rely on a record which can be traced back to the fourth generation only, as many others fall back frequently. Feed a balanced ration, and give cows producing more than 20 lbs. of milk per day some concentrates. Alfalfa is an ideal feed for milk cows, especially in summer when pasture runs short. BREED BEST MILKERS— RAISE CALVES By E. J. GISS, Prairie View, Illinois Purchase a pure-bred sire and breed your best milkers to him, raising the heifer calves. Weigh and test the milk for butter fat and get rid of all boarders. Raise your own feed to make a balanced ration as nearly as possible. Do not keep any more cows than you can profitably take care of. Ry grading up your herd or keeping pure-breds you can dispose of surplus stock at a profit. Ruild a silo, as you pay for one, whether you build one or not. Raise a lot of clover and alfalfa, not only for more milk but to make your land produce more. GIVE HEIFERS CHANCE TO GROW By WM. H. PETERS, Huntley, Illinois Have your cows freshen at about 3 years. It gives the heifer a chance to grow and she is a good sized cow when she comes in if she has had good care. I do not buy many cows as the price of good ones is too high and the" poor ones are only boarders. When raising calves pick from the best cows and keep the best bred bull that you can buy to keep cows as com- fortable as you can. Keep them clean. HAVE PURE WATER FOR THE COWS 115 THE CONCRETE WATER TANK. Concrete water tank on farm of H. C. Mitchell, near Hugiiesville, Missouri. The tank is 16 feet square and has a concrete approach or plat- form ten feet wide so that the stock will not have to stand in mud while drinking. This arrangement also pre- vents stock from undermin- ing the tank walls in muddy conditions which usually de- velop in bad weather. This tank supplies the stock in two feed lots, the water being pumped by engine from a drilled well. HAVE PURE WATER. A concrete curb about a spring in a cow pasture, which insures a supply of pure and uncontaminated water. Stock, and expecially dairy cows, must have good water. *»^te-'--"^ 1915, Stillwater. A Study of Farm Butter-Making in New Hampshire. New Hampshire Agricultural Experiment Station Bulletin No. 141, 1909, Hanover. Investigations in the Manufacture and Storage of Butter. United States Department of Agriculture, Experiment Station Bulletin No. 84, 1906, Washington. Methods Practiced at the Kentucky Agricu'tural Experiment Station Dairy, Kentucky Agricultural Experiment Station, Circula|i- No. 15, 1913, Lexington. Farm Butter Making. Colorado Agricultural Experiment Station, Bul- letin No. 63, 1910, Fort Collins. Milk, Butter and Feeding and Management of Dairy Cows. Com- monwealth of Pennsylvania Agricultural Department, Bulletin 268, 1915, Harrisburg, Pa. How to Produce Cream that Makes Good Butter. Purdue University Agricultural Experiment Station, Circular 51, 1915, Lafayette, Ind. Handling of Cream and Making of Butter on the Farm. Illinois Ex- periment Station, Circular 131, 1909, Urbana. Farm Butter Making. New York College of Agriculture, Cornell Reading Course, Vol. 3, No. 60, Ithaca. Suggestions for the Manufacture and Marketing of Creamery Butter in the South. United States Department of Agriculture Bulletin No. 66, Washington, 1916. Butter Making on the Farm. Wa.shington State College, 1-9, Pullman. Some of the Essentials in Cheese-Making. Cornell University Agri- cultural Experiment Station, Circular No. 3, 1908, Ithaca, New York. Cheese and Its Manufacture. Nevada Agricultural Experiment Station, Bulletin No. 18, Reno. 123 124 DAIRY LITERATURE Home Cheesemaking. Montana Agricultural Experiment Station, Cir- cular No. 1, 1908, Bozeman. Fancy Cheese for the Farm and Factory. Wisconsin Agricultural Ex- periment Station, Bulletin No. 270, 1915, Madison. Organization and Construction of Creameries and Cheese Factories. Wisconsin Agricultural Experiment Station, Bulletin 244, 1915, Madison. Cheese and other Substitutes for Meat in the Diet. Reprint from Year Book of Department of Agriculture, 1910, Washington, D. C. Investigations in the Manufacture and Curing of Cheese. United States Department of Agriculture Bulletin No. 85, 1906. Washington, D. C. The Cold Curing of Cheese. United States Department of Agriculture, Bulletin No. 49, 1903, Washington, D. C. Methods of Making Some of the Soft Cheeses. Cornell Agricultural Experiment Station, Circular No. 30, 1915, Ithaca, New York. The Care of Cream. Ohio Agricultural Experiment Station, Circular No. 134, 1913, Wooster. Cooling Cream on the Farm. Purdue University Agricultural Experiment Station, Bulletin No. 188, 1916, LaFayette, Ind. Marketing Butter and Cream in the South. United States Department of Agriculture, Special (Office of the Secretary), Washington, D. C. Co-operative Creameries. Minnesota Agricultural Experiment Station Bulletin No. 35, 1896, St. Paul, Minnesota. The Care of Milk. United States Department of Agriculture Farm In- stitute Lecture No. 1, Washington, D. C. Investigations in Milk Production. Minnesota Agricultural Experiment Station Bulletin 140, 1914, University Farm, St. Paul, Minnesota. Bacteria in Milk and Artificial Refrigeration for Dairymen. West Virginia Agricultural Experiment Station, Bulletin HI, 1908, Morgantown. The Production of Clean and Sanitary Milk. Virginia Agricultural Ex- periment Station, Bulletin 185, 1909, Blacksburg. Care of Milk and Cream on the Farm. University of Nebraska, Bulletin No. 133, 1912, Lincoln. Preventing Contamination of Milk. Illinois Agricultural Experiment Station, Bulletin 91, Urbana. Some Suggestions Regarding the Care of Milk and Cream in the Home. Nebraska Agricultural Experiment Station, Bulletin 42, 1913, Lincoln. Economic Milk Production. Purdue University Agricultural Experiment Station, Bulletin 21, Lafayette, Indiana. Milk Production — Herd Improvement. Purdue University Agricultural Experiment Station, Circular No. 11, Lafayette, Indiana. The Care and Handling of Milk. Michigan Agricultural Experiment Station, Bulletin No. 221, East Lansing. Care of Milk in Hot Weather. Michigan Dairy and Food Department, East Lansing. Some Important Factors in the Production of Sanitary Milk. United States Department of Agriculture Circular 142, Washington, D. C. Sanitary Milk Production. United States Department of Agriculture Circular 114, Washington, D. C. The Care of Milk and Cream. Oregon Agricultural Experiment Station, Bulletin No. 107, CorvaUis. Nutrients Required for Milk Production. Missouri Agricultural Experi- ment Station, Bulletin 7, Columbia. DAIRY LITERATURE 125 Milk Records and Tests. North Carolina Agricultural Experiment Station Bulletin 116, Raleigh. The Care of Milk on the Farm. Washington Agricultural Experiment Station Bulletin No. 12, Pullman. Effect of Food on Milk. New Hampshire Agricultural Experiment Station Bulletin No. 18, Durham. The Production and Care of Milk and Cream. United States Depart- ment of Agriculture, Special Bulletin 1914, Washington, D. C. Directions for the Home Pasteurization of Milk. United States De- partment of Agriculture Circular 152, Washington, D. C. Cost of Producing Milk on 174 Farms in Delaware County, New York. Cornell University Department Farm Management, Bulletin No. 364, Ithaca. Studies of the Clarification of Milk. Iowa College of Agriculture Experi- ment Station, Bulletin 28, Ames. Velvet Beans for Milk Production. Florida Agricultural Experiment Station, Press Bulletin 159, 1916, Gainesville. Silage for Milk Production. Florida Agricultural Experiment Station, Press Bulletin 245, Gainesville. Testing Milk and Cream. Iowa Agricultural Experiment Station, Circular 32, Ames. The Production of Clean Milk. Ohio Agricultural College Farmers Read- ing Course, 2-1, Wooster. The Production and Care of Milk and Cream. U. S. Department of Agriculture, Special (Office of the Secretary), Washington, D. C. The Efficiency, Economy and Physiological Effect of Machine Milking. Wisconsin Agricultural Experiment Station, Bulletin No. 3, Madison. Milking Machine Experiments. Wisconsin Agricultural Experiment Sta- tion, BuUetin 173, 1909, Madison. Covered Pails Mean Cleaner Milk. New York Agricultural Experiment Station, BuUetin 326, Geneva. Milking Machines. Nebraska Agricultural Experiment Station, Bulletin 108, Lincoln. Milking Machines. Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station, Bulletin 140, Manhattan. Labor Requirements of Dairy Farms as Influenced by Milking Ma- chines. United States Department of Agriculture, Bulletin 423, Washing- ton, D. C. The Farm Separator: Its Relation to the Creamery and to the Cream- ery Patron. United States Department of Agriculture, Bulletin No. 54, 1904, Washington, D. C. The Hand Separator and the Gravity Systems of Creaming. Purdue University Agricultural Experiment Station, Bulletin No. 116, 1906, La Fayette, Indiana. Lessons for the Farm. Practical Dairy Problems. Cornell Reading Courses, Volume 1, No. 16, Ithaca, New York. Care of Dairy Utensils. Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station, Bulletin, No. 131, Manhattan. Computation of Dairy Rations. Pennsylvania Agricultural Experiment Station, BuUetin 114, State College, Pennsylvania. Investigation in Milk Production. Minnesota Agricultural Experiment Station, Bulletin 140, 1914, University Farm, St. Paul. Influence of Environment and Breeding in Increasing Milk Produc- tion. Iowa Agricultural Experiment Station. Bulletin No. 156, Ames. The Visual Method of Instruction The Big Idea in Education Characterized in I H C Lecture Charts and Lantern Slides SIMPLE— LOGICAL— IMPRESSIVE-PRACTICAL USED EVERYWHERE —\n Community and Home — Rural School and College — On the Farm and In the Factory — By Teacher, Pupil, Farmer, Banker and Merchant I H C CHARTS OR SLIDES LOANED FREE On these conditions — that you have a plan for using them, pay express charges from Chicago and return, and report all meetings at the end of each week CHARTS OR SUDES FURNISHED ON THE FOLLOWING SUBJECTS: 1. Corn is King 2. Alfalfa on Every Farm. 3. A Fertile Soil Means a Prosperous People. 4. Live Stock on Every Farm. 5. Dairying. 6. Greater Profit from the Oat Crop. 7. Make More from Your Farm Poultry. CHARTS I H C lecture charts are 70 inches long by 63 inches wide, made of a good grade of sheeting, printed in clear black letters, w^hich can easily be read at a distance of 100 feet or more. They are arranged for setting up and taking down quickly and conveniently. Sets contain from ten to fifteen charts. Each set with iron stand, pointer, and lecture book, is packed in a canvas case. Weight, 35 lbs. LANTERN SLIDES Lantern slide sets, 50 to 60 slides, plain and in colors. Weight, 15 lbs. Lecture Books Furnished For the information and direction of lecturers, each set contains an illustrated lecture book outlining in brief form the story of each chart or slide. 8. Weeds Mean Waste. 9. Home Economics and Sanitation. 10. Fight the Fly. 1 1 . Great Forward Movement in Education. 12. Diversified Farming for the South. 13. Home Canning. 14. Development of Agriculture — (No. 14 in Lantern Slides only.) 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