Frank Abeyta, age 7, of Santa Maria, California, for his question:

How much milk can a cow Give a day?

A famous cow named Capper gave more than 20 tons of milk in a year. Some days she gave more than others. If the amount was equal every day of the year, it would have been almost 14 gallons. This is enough milk to fill 56 quart bottles every day of the year. But Capper was a champ, and most cows give much less milk. Some give only 15 quarts a day. A lot depends upon whether the cow is well fed and comfortably sheltered. As a rule, during her lifetime a good dairy cow gives enough milk to equal seven times the weight of her body.

Dairymen noticed ages ago that some cows give more milk than others and some give richer milk than others. They kept the calves from the best cows to build up their herds. In this way, the dairy cows became better through the ages. The Holstein type cows like Capper tend to give the largest amount of milk. The little taffy brown Jersey cow gives the milk that contains the most creamy butterfat.