The Wyandot pioneer. (Upper Sandusky, Ohio) 1853-1868, 1853-11-24
The Cow Made Profitable.

l
Very many families keep but single
cow. They are not farmers, but they
have learned that milk is an almost indis-
1pensable article of food for children, and
that it enters largely proftably into great
variety of compounds prepared for the
sustenance of the household. 1t is to
them matter of no small moment that
the supply be regular and abundant. This
lean be secured in most instances in the
country and villages, only by keeping
the animal that affords it,, And, even
though such course could be shown
to be wanting in economy, should the
COW be found to consume more value
than she is able to repay, still the i'm
mense convenience and luxury of daily
supply of pure, fresh milk, will more than
counterbalance the Odds The milk which
has been subjected to miles and miles of
churning in the dairyman's can, is quite
another article, to say nothing of dilu-
tions and adulterations. HT
But the milch COW, when properly treat
ed, is not an expense. She is no pension
er. She is not to be ranked as cumber
er of the soil. 1t has been estimated, no
doubt correctly, that four quarts day
will pay for her ordinary keeping If SO,
she may easily be made a source of prof
it. No poor family need be rendered
poorer, or made to forego other enjoy
ments for the sake of this.
The living COW is to man nothing more
nor less than a self-operating mill, in
which the grasses and coaser grains
are converted in milk and meat for his
use. Like all other useful mechines, she
transforms the raw material, and returns
product improved in quality, though of
4 diminished quantity. Her food, when
abundant and nutritious, is divided after
digestion into four parts, and receives as
many different destinations; and first, a
j specified amount must be returned by her
for her own sustenance. Indeed she takes
a pretty generous toll for this purpose out
of every grist brought to her MILL A
second portion, highly purified and con-
centrated, is returned in milk; third, in
the form of fat, goes to improve the quail
ity of her flesh for food, and the fourth
passes by the natural channels from the
system. .- T.. ..
All machines are usefulin proportion to
: the amount of service they are capable of
performing. In the case of the COW, this
must depend mainly ON the quantity of
! her proper food which she can transform
into food for man. The morely highly
she is fed, the more milk and beef she af-
fords. This must be true of all breeds,
even the least improved. And yet this
will not be constructed to imply that there
is vast difference in breeds. ga -
On this principle I have managed for
many years. purchase in spring a new
: milch COW, somewhat advanced in years,
: both because her milk is then richer, and
: she is liable to be less dainty in taking
: slops than when younger, and may add
she can be bought at less price. I give
her all the waste food from my kitchen,
rather than keepa pig. She will give back
the value in twelve hours, whereas pig
must needs have credit of many months.
prefer the ready pay system. [ have
lost too much by trusting hogs. In win
ter give a hearty, morning and evening,
mixture composed of a bush of cut hay,
: ten quarts of corn and cob meal, and two
pals of water. This will keep her busy
most of the time, and during the first
winter will go principally to milk, and the
: second more to beef; when she becomes fit
: to butcher. She is kept farrow, and is
MIXED the whole time. With slight va
riations, according to appetite, &C., l have
treated dozen or more in this way, and
| with manifest advantage. One cow thus
managed I killed in February Of the sec
ond year, while she was giving ten quarts
of milk daily, and she weighed, dressed
2 761 pounds, and had 10 pounds of rough
] tallow. She was good size and hearty
5 eater. This is the best way l have ever
tried for disposing of old cows. Their
: milk, when thus fed, is of excellent quail
ity, and until the fattening process begins,
is very abundant. 7-~',.i '... e'.++i
a~rr III. w. BULkELEY.
Ballston, Saratoga County, Neeo York,
Oct. %, 1855 Country Gent ...v
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