Bellows Falls times. [volume] (Bellows Falls, Vt.) 1856-1965, 1867-04-05

From the Massachusetts Ploushmsn.
Jersey Cows.

1866, for the purpose Of discussing the
merits of the difficult breeds of cattle sew
orally, for beef, for milk and for work,
were somewhat exercised in arriving at a
But the remarks about the Jersey cattle,
and the concluding remarks about the COM
mittee, ETC., must disagree with, and not
with any idea Of taking issue with anybody
but to look at these questions of breeds and
see il it would not be better way to ascer-
tain first the nature of the business we
intend to follow, and then the capacity and
extent of our pastures and farms to main
tain the breed we conclude to select.
viii take up the last first. Have you
very rich pastures near home. Do you
wish to sell milk or make butter or breed
for work or the shambles ? 1t has never
been claimed for the Dutch cattle that
their milk was rich in cream, butter max
ing at great profit is out of the question.
AS to quantity it must be patent to ev-
erybody that COW will consume about
three per cent of her live weight daily Cor
its equiyalenD Of good upland English
hay, therefore COW of 1900 pounds
ought to yield more than one of 900
pounds or its equivalent in beef or mus
Gle and bone.
Hence this fact ought 10 teach us that
we cannot expect all the above character
istics in any one breed of cattle.
Why not as soon take the best blooded
Arabian race horse and pu! him to the
plough and truck, or the heavy Norman
csrman horse and put him in the race
q course, and expect them to perform equal
ly as well in either department?
1t is this everlasting desire of the Yam
kee farmer to combine everything in our
business and thus produce nondescripts,
instead of making himself thoroughly ac-
quainted with some other department of
agriculture, by which he could take the
lead in that particular and thus gain for
himself name and position that would
enhance his property ten-fold over mixed
business.
In the debaes every one allowed
they would get a thoroughbred bull of
whichever breed they might choose TO i'm
prove their native stock with. Was not
this contradiction of their disbelief in
thoroughbreds2 If we all should act on
this plan, where would the thoroughbreds
come from ]? 1t is just what makes them
so high in fine. 1t is not SO wi tn the Ver-
mont and New Hampshire sheep breeders.
Now, Mr.. Editor, in taking up the con-
Guiding remarks about the Jersey cattle,
shall endeavor to give clear and fair
statement Of facts as they have come under
my practical ownership and knowledge,
gained from others. If ] have to make
statementsor put queries about other breeds,
twill be understood that do not condemn
themfor other localities or purposes.
All animals that own or keep, are well
fed, housed and cared for, but not over
grained, as we never allow over two quarts
Of meal to COW daily through the season
of feeding hay and roots. 1t will be un-
derstood that have had 10 buy every
thing that my stock consumed till the past
year, and very much Of it in the past year.
In 1852, ! began with native cows. The
first was very good one and gave good
profit over keep, but in the twelve years l
realized but small profit, as some would
60 dry for long time, and if raised
calves four out of five would be worthless.
If one was raised for the butcher till three
or four weeks it would not pay for one
weeks milk All these troubles led me to
purchase three jerseys and three Ayrshires
in 1868. having sold all natives but one.
Thus could test them all under like cir
cumstances. The result was the native or
grade Ayrshire fattened up and dried of
in milk, SO that sold her to the butcher.
The thoroughbred Ayrshire gave good
mess Of milk, when they came in, fifteen
to twenty quarts, but their teats were SC
short with full udder that it cost much
more to draw the milk than / wished to
pay, and as soon as CESSATION commenced
again their flow would decrease, and they
would begin to iatten, which caused theiI
. feed to be shortened and this again reduces
the quantity of milk, SO that in the whole
yearthey did not yield more than an aver.
age, taking the whole together, as their milk
was not rich in butylaceous principle. ]
sold them and retained the Jerseys, which
under all the above circumstances would
give fifteen to eighteen quarts when they
calved and continue this flow for months
, with hardly a perceptible change in guam
tity. My practice is to dry them off 9
month before their time is out. l never
; had one that was giving less than two
quarts per day at that time, and one l have
that eoouof he dried off wifhnuf DANGER al