Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1860-02-07
Worcester Farmers' Club.

The subject of discussion last night was
Neat Cattle.
Mr.. Brooks of Princeton former President of
the Worcester Agricultural Society, who was
present. said the farms of New England, which
have endured cultivation for two hundred
years, needed renovation, and what is wanted
is Stock husbandry. Cattle more than pay
their way and an animal will make manure
enough to raise another. He knew that farm
ers could not afford to sell their hay for twenty
dollars a ton; it was worth much more to feed
out The farmer should consider one-fourth
or one third of the farms products good in
come, and the rest should be given back to the
soil. This is better economy than putting
money out at interest. He should feed out his
hay TO his own stock, and send the ma
nure back on the land, and pay little at
tention to guano and foreign manures.
There is some question as to what is the best
stock. The old native breed were good ami
mails. They were the result of an intermix-
ture of the cattle imported in 1926 and there
abouts-the English Devons brought to Ply
mouth Colony and the Yellow Denmark cattle
which Mason introduced into New Hampshire
The Ayrshires were the best for milk, and the
Durham for beef. The latter came to maturi-
ty earlier, but, being larger, they eat more;
and cattle, like sheep, will eat in proportion to
their size. His impression was that the Ayr
| shires cat more than the Devons, and that was
likely, for they gave more milk and COW
! So bo nate hat
which produces it, Some dairymen make
their cows drink tcpid water, sailed, in or
der to make them thirsty, so they will
drink great quantities of water and of course
yield more milk. He alluded to the Holder
ness cattle which are known in Princeton, and
whose milk was superior for butter. Import
ed cattle deteriorate in our climate, and should
be imported very young. Therefore half
bloods and graded stock were the best He
characterized the Durham breed as docile in
the extreme, and having no ambition; they
never would resent abuse. He preferred the
Ayrshires for all purposes. His Ayrshires
gave him 80 to 40 lbs. of milk day each.
His principle in raising calves was to get
them along as cheap as he could. He took the
calf Immediately from the COW and rubbed it
dry. He MIXED the COW and made the calf
drink for the first ten days. He then tried
skim-milk, or oil meal cruel, which tastes
smooth and something like milk. In three
or four weeks it will eat hay, and solids
should not be given before that time, as the calf
has till then no way to digest such food. Ii
the usual way is followed when the calf is
weaned it should be kept on liquids until it is
ten weeks old. Dat meal is very good, while
skimmilk has a tendency to make the calf
pot-bellied. To raise calf need cost but $40,
the first year, SIS for two years, and S25 for
three years. 1t was profitable business.
Mr. Salisbury, who was present for the first
time, was asked some questions concerning his
success with his imported Jerseys. He said
they were good mixers and the milk was I'm.
usually rich The bull calves from this stock
grew very fierce at three years old, so as to
be dangerous. When in England he found the
Jersey butter much more waxy than other
kinds, and it was a common thing for dairy
men to mix two or three Jerseys in their
short horns, which he purchased of celebra-
ted raiser OF Durhams in England he was con-
WINGED were not alike. One was an excellent
cow. He thought by breeding from grades
undesirable qualities might be transmitted, and
it was necessary for success to have bulls of
pure stock. His advice was look well to the
stock, and he quoted from speech by Daniel
Webster, wherein the same advice is urged,
and where it is said that "turnips made Eng
land"
Mr.. lincoln said he preferred. the Ayrshire
to any other COW. They made excellent but
ter, and would thrive on the poorest feed bet
ter than any other stock. His Jerseys were
great mixers, and for butter-making, perhaps
the best.
The question was earnestly discussed by
Mr. Bigelow, Mr.. Chafin, who preferred the
Durham and native mixed breed, Mr.. Keith,
Mr.. Brooks, Mr.. Hadwen, Mr. Sears, who was
much in favor of using cotton seed meal for
mich COWS, Mr.. Barnard, who differed from
Mr.. Brooks regarding the mildness of the Dur
hams, he having had a Durham OK whose de-
light was to kick, Mr.. Eames, who preferred
the high-grade Devon, Mr.. Jaques, and others.
There was an irrepressible tendency, during
the latter part Of the evening, to wander away
to the discussion of manures. On the whole,
the meeting was quite animated, as it certainly
was interesting.
The question for next Monday night is neat
cattle, with more especial reference to mich
cows, milk, etc.