Milch Cows and Dairy Farming / Comprising the Breeds, Breeding, and Management, in Health and Disease, of Dairy and Other Stock, the Selection of Milch Cows, with a Full Explanation of Guenon's Method; The Culture of Forage Plants, and the Production of Milk, Butter, and Cheese: Embodying the Most Recent Improvements, and Adapted to Farming in the United States and British Provinces. With a Treatise upon the Dairy Husbandry of Holland; To Which Is Added Horsfall's System of Dairy Management

by Charles Louis Flint

The following table gives the dates of calving of the three cows, together with their weights and yield of milk at the commencement and termination of the experiment:

When calved.		January 1.					March 6.
	Yield at calving.	Weight.			Yield.		Weight.			Yield.
	Quarts.	Cwt.	qrs.	lbs.	Qts.		Cwt.	qrs.	lbs.	Qts.
Mr. Smith’s—Nov. 12.	17	8	3	0	15	1⁄2	8	0	0	9	1⁄2
Mr. Pawson’s—Oct. 6.	16	7	2	0	12		7	1	0	6	1⁄4
My own—Oct. 8.	18	9	3	0	15	1⁄2	10	1	0	12	1⁄2

Mr. Smith’s cow lost in weight in nine weeks 84 pounds, being 9¹⁄₃ pounds per week, with an average yield of 12¹⁄₂ quarts per day. Mr. Pawson’s lost 28 pounds. This loss, together with the diminished yield of milk, occurred almost wholly after the oats had been withdrawn; her weight on the 6th of February being still 7 cwt. 2 qrs., and her yield of milk 11 quarts per day.

My cow has gained in the nine weeks 56 lbs., being 6¹⁄₄ pounds per week, with an average yield of 14 quarts, the diminution being regular. January 1st, 15¹⁄₂; Feb. 4th, 14; March 4th, 12¹⁄₂; making an average yield of 14 quarts per day. The whole loss and gain of weight will be in flesh and fat, the cows having kept up their consumption of food and their bulk.

The weekly account of profit and loss will stand as follows:

	s.	d.		s.	d.
Mr. Smith’s cow, average yield fer 9 weeks, 121⁄2quarts per day, at 2d. per quart,				14	7
Deduct loss in flesh, 91⁄3 lbs., at 6d.,				4	8
				9	11
Cost of 14 stones hay, at 6d. per stone,				7	0
Profit,				2	11
Mr. Pawson’s cow, average during the first five weeks, 111⁄2quarts per day, at 2d. per quart,				13	5
Cost of 9 stones inferior hay (at 4d. per stone), per week,	3	0
Cost of 63 lbs. ground oats, 4s. 8d.; turnips, 1s. 6d.,	6	2		9	2
Profit,				4	3
My cow, average yield for 9 weeks, 14 quarts per day, at 2d. per quart,				16	4
Gain of flesh, 61⁄4 lbs per week, at 6d.,				3	1	1⁄2
				19	5	1⁄2
Cost of food:
Hay, 63 lbs., at 6d. per stone; straw and shells of oats, 1s. 3d.; mangel, 1s.,	4	6	1⁄2
Rape-cake, 35 lbs.; bran, 101⁄2 lbs.; malt-combs, 101⁄2lbs.; bean-meal, 101⁄2 lbs.,	4	0	1⁄2	8	7
Profit,				10	10	1⁄2

The richer quality of the manure will probably compensate for the extra labor, cooking, and attention bestowed upon my cow.

With a view of extending the comparison, give particulars of the whole of my cows the weights of which were registered on the 8th of October, and which were still on hand, free from calf, and in a state admitting of comparison. These were bought at a neighboring market in but moderate condition, and were young, having had two or three calves each. A cow in full condition attains her maximum yield in a week or so after calving; whilst those in lower condition continue, by my treatment, to increase their quantity up to about a month after calving.

TABLE.
No.	Calved.		Greatest yield per day.	October 8 Weight.			February 4.				March 4.				Computed average per day during					Gain, Oct. 8 to Feb. 4.	Gain in weight per week.
							Weight.			Yield per day.	Weight.			Yield per day.
			Quarts.	Cwt.	qrs.	lbs.	Cwt.	qrs.	lbs.	Qts.	Cwt.	qrs.	lbs.	Quarts.	Weeks.			Qts.		Lbs.	Lbs.
1.	July	28.	12	9	2	0	10	0	0	8	10	1	0	8	29		—	10		84	4
2.	Aug.	25.	18	10	0	0	11	1	0	14	11	1	0	14	27		—	16		140	6	3⁄4
4.	July	28.	18	8	2	0	10	1	0	15	10	0	0	15	31		—	15		168	8
6.	Sept.	8.	16	10	2	0	10	2	0	14	10	3	0	14	25		—	15		28	1	1⁄3
7.	Sept.	8.	16	10	2	0	11	0	0	10	11	0	0	10	25		—	13		56	2	2⁄3
11.	Aug.	25.	16	9	1	0	9	2	0	11	9	2	0	11	27		—	13	1⁄2	28	1	1⁄3
Average,			16							12				12	27	1⁄3	—	14

TABLE.
No.	Calved.		Greatest yield per day.	October 8 Weight.			February 4.				March 4.
							Weight.			Yield per day.	Weight.			Yield per day.
			Quarts.	Cwt.	qrs.	lbs.	Cwt.	qrs.	lbs.	Qts.	Cwt.	qrs.	lbs.	Quarts.
1.	July	28.	12	9	2	0	10	0	0	8	10	1	0	8
2.	Aug.	25.	18	10	0	0	11	1	0	14	11	1	0	14
4.	July	28.	18	8	2	0	10	1	0	15	10	0	0	15
6.	Sept.	8.	16	10	2	0	10	2	0	14	10	3	0	14
7.	Sept.	8.	16	10	2	0	11	0	0	10	11	0	0	10
11.	Aug.	25.	16	9	1	0	9	2	0	11	9	2	0	11
Average,			16							12				12