National opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1865-1874, 1871-02-24
breeding Cows for the Dairy.


So great is the demand, and 80 insult.
iicient the supply, Of really good milcll
cows, that il is wonder more attention
is not paid TO the matter Of breeding
them exclusively. The dairymen them.
selves cannot well raise their own calves,
us they require all the milk of their cows
for the manufacture Of cheese but they
can ut least do something toward the
improvement OF this stock, by using
only first-class bulls OF pure blood, either
Short Horns or Ayrshires, to run with
their cows during the summer. This
would greatly enchance their value when
they are sold off in the fall, and those
who purchased in order to keep till then
calves were dropped and old enough to
be fed by hand, would be more likely tn
raise and well care for the heifer calves,
from the certainty that they would prove
valuable rs mixers in the future.
Grade cows with strong infusion OF
good blood in them, always command
fair prices, and usually prove better
mixers and better feeders, as well as
finer and larger animals, than those OF
purely native stock. Two crosses Of
Short Horn blood followed by cross Of
Ayrshire make the most profitable dairy
stock that can be had, without Mt the
same time going to the heavy expense
of keepinga herd of thorough-breds. II
some of our best farmers, in those DIS
tricts that are Us yet not given to cheese
making, would go into the business of
breeding cows for the dairy, We think
they would find it exceeding profitable.
II good grade heifers, with one or two
crosses of Short Horn heifers of milk
ing strain, can be had, they would form
good foundation for herd and, by
using a Short Horn bull to them, and
afterwards an Ayrshire bull to their
progeny, animals could be obtained that
would combine the large size and good
feeding properties of the Short Horn,
to which the Ayrshire cross would add
the adaptability for producing milk in
quantity. The Short IIorn blood should
he struck to, giving cross Of Ayrshire
only after two or three of the Short
Horns have been put in.
If large, well made heifers Of native
stock, from good milking dams, can be
had, the use of the Short Horn blood
will soon bring their progeny into better
size or form, and then cross of Ayr
shire might be added. 1t is now proved
that the capability of COW to secrete
milk depends greatly upon her being a
large feeder and good digester, and these
qualities are best obtained by using
Short Horn blood to cross with. Large,
heavy cows are the best milk producers,
yet they are not as profitable 70: general
dairy as the larger Short Horn, or Ayr
shire grades. 1t must not be overlook
ed that large, heavy cows can be made
most ont of rs beef, when their best days
as mixers are passed.
BY a judicious course of breeding,
taking care to feed well, so rs to bring
the young heifers early to maturity and
ready for the pail at three years old,
more money can be made than one
would suppose. Such animals readily
command any price in reason. We have
seen some sold this fall at prices rang
ing from 500 to Sl60 each. The actual
cost Of breeding and keeping such ami
mails till three years old would be but
little more than that of raising native
stock the principle item being the pur
chase and keep of pure blooded bull, |
of sufficient good pedigree to impress
the high qualities of his blood upon the
stock to which he used He must be of
purity of blood. and from a
milking tribe, otherwise the effort to
breed high class of cows would result
in failure.
The matter of breeding stock exclu-
sivelv for the dairy is one well worthy /
of consideration, and We are inclined to
think that those who would undertake
to start and establish herds with that
view, would find it not only profitable,
but also feel II sense of pride and salts
faction i'll witnessing the success of their
efforts to obtain high name that would
Of itself bring buyers to their doors
ready to pay such price as only really
good animals can or ought to command.
.Cundda Farmer.