Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1868-02-21
Craftsbury Farmers Club.

Inc question before the CraftSDury
Farmers Club was, What is
the best breed of cattle, for all pur-
poses, in our climate p
VIM. j. Hastings said, that in this
section we should select a race of
cattle best suited for the dairy. and
thought cross of the Devon and Ma
tive the best, as far his experience
went; had kept dairy of ten to for
ty cows for long time, and the best
COWS he had ever owned were grade
Devon and Native; thought there
were few COWS in this section now
but what had little Devon blood in
them; thought it very important that
we keep our calves well the first year
as their size would depend mainly on
this if kept poor the first year they
would become Stunteds
A. A. Randall said, that in his
opinion we should select a breed of
cattle for their beef qualities as well
as dairy. The Native COWS years
ago, before any OF the improved
breeds were mixed with them, did not
average to make over fifty pounds of
butter per annum; thought that by
crossing the Native and Durham we
would get breed good for both
dairy and beef.
A. Davidson said, this was a very
important question. The Native cat
tie possessed some good qualities
but they were in many cases Inform
ed and slow to mature; thought that
after selecting one in four of our
calves to raise from our Native cows
that not more than one in five of these
raised made good cows. He had
kept sometimes fifty to sixty COWS
and sometimes less, but after selecting
the best he was able, never had sue
ceeded in getting a dairy of that size
together that would average over 15(
lbs of butter to a COW; thought the
dairies of Native cows would no
average over 100 lbs if so much a:
that, but by crossing with Devon OF
Durham the dairy would be improved
the cross with the Durham h,
would prefer. The Durham is larg,
in size, and fattens very easily ant
rapidly and no breed disappointed tn
butcher so little.
W. Wylie said, he thought tn
Native cattle with the same feed ant
care given to the high bloods, wer
: equal if not better than any of tn
!. fancy breeds for almost any purpose
:, he had Native cows that he though
|, would make 800 lbs of butter eac
|, in year; thought Native blood til
: best blood. The Durhams were to
q large for this section, what it took t
keep one of them would keep tw
:, Natives. If he was going to Gro:
], the Natives with anything would pr
f fer the Devons.
Y ii. S. Andrus had owned Durham
d Devons, Ayershire and Herefords, an
If thought the Durhams the best f
IS dairy and for beef; liked the Her
81 fords well thought that as a gener
II thing the fancy breeds had bett,
1t treatment than the Natives; thong
# our improvement in butter maxim
was owing to Improvement in o.
in stock.
|. d. r. Collins said, that if Y
e. denied the fact, of the superiority
n, the so called improved breeds ov
the Natives, we took the ground th
ID no improvement was possible, for
ter long series of years had be,
ir- devoted to attempted Improvement
the most careful selection and tres
K ment, no improvement had been mac
OF course we must come to the &C
in clusion that none was possible. III
conclusion he thought no thinking m
lie would admit; while with the Nati1
but one in five or more OF the caly
os- were worth raising. With the Th
q. oughbred cattle we were almost ST
to get good animal, to be sure The
would be difference in them, but [
tai poorest of them would be about eo
to the best Natives. Of two co,
re- one Native and the other Thorou
bred, possessing equal dairy qualit
ac- he would call the Thoroughbred C
BILE worth double what the other COW W
for this reason she would be so m,
ion more likely to transmit her &c
ON qualities to her descendants.
this section, climate and feed tai
rs into account he preferred the Dcvo
they were finely formed, easily k,
came to maturity early, made the
rst OF oxen, easily matched, took on f
rapidly and weighed heavily for Il