MILK RECORDING.

Shannon News, 19 February 1924, Page 4

MILK RECORDING.

TWELVE'GOOD POINTS. Among the very many'reasons"why it is good'-business 1 for every dairy farmer " regularly to * weigh and test the milk of the individual.,coirs' in his herd, the following are worth consideration. (says “The Dairy’*):— 1. Because it is impossible for any man, no matter how expert, to decide the relative, value 0f... the individual animals in his herdwithout actually weighing l . and testing the milk. The mn" " ‘ believes that it can be done is only fooling, himself.

12. Because weighing and; testing the milk only now. and then is not a -fair way of determining the value of the eows. It is not what a cow. does in a day or a - week that determines ' the profit she will return to her owner at the close of the year; Even one year’s weighing = and • testing* *is not sufficient to give the-dairyman the information he should' have in order to select and grade up his; herd from year co year.

:3. Because profit is not determined solely by the price of the product. The amount that one: can sell over and above the amount that;must be sold before the cost of production is met is just as important as the price. The production of the individual cow, therefore is of primary importance. i 4. Because there may,bo considerable variation in the yield and quality

of, the milk of individual" cows from day to day, and weighing and testing the milk is- the- only- way’ to get- at the average ability of the cow. 5. Because experience * has shown that at sales of dairy cattle better prices are secured for cows from wlpch records of production have been secured. This applies, to -grade cattle for commercial milk producioa, : as well as to purebred cattle. 6. Because milk records will , quickly j indicate when a cow, is S°in£ off her feed! This is of importance to thp health ofj the herd, -since approaching illness . nearly always capses cows to go off feed. 7. the weighing - and testing off milk -means more profit from the herd in practically all cases (-where it hajs been tried; The man who weighß ami tests sees quickly some of the leaks in his business,* and * if-he is *a worth the name .he will remedy matters,for his profit. 8. Because .many- men who have started keeping records, of their herds have been able greatly ,to increase the production of .their,, and-in some cales even to double it.

9. Because records help the dairyman to make. a careful -study of his - business. This -inevitably means im- , prdvement- and. increasedilprofits. 10. Because ■ the - keeping, :of records sometimes brings out the ifact that certain cows that 7 are ■ ihafkdd for, 'the ‘blqclc, because-they-are 7 not believed tolbe profitable, are the most profitable, of a-nd .that others which are thought to be goo 1 d are .not earning their keep. 11. Because keeping records, does not take much time.' Some ; taJk;aj lot of foolishness about hot 'having time fori such things. -What is -our, time for, anyway? If it is easier and more profitable work-to weigh milk ithan ta lug. manure, and carry vfeed for cows ; that do not earn their keep, why : not weifeh milk? 12. Because it should be theambitioxx of every man- to do his very ,best in whatever line of work he undertakes, and ho dairy farmer can say he is doing his best to make the best nut -of his farm and live stock -who does not attempt to know by the most. accurp,te,and. practical means possible just how well his cows are -doing for him.