The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1871-11-25
FARM AND HOUSEHOLD.
Improved Dairy Stock.

The following is from the Mark Lane
EMPRESS, and is probably an Illustration
of the way dairy stock is improved in
England. With us little attention is
paid by dairymen to improvement of
their herds, on which account the extract
is of more value to our readers:
Every succeeding year finds farmers
increasing their dairy stock, laying out
their land so as best to suit its success
full management, each year developing
greater interest on the subject of the
breeding Of the best breeds of cattle,
and the most profitable modes of man
aging them, than its predecessor. With
dairy stock it would almost appear as
if there was no such thing as standing
still. Unless improvement is aimed at
constantly by wedding out those men,
bers of the herd which are found to be
inferior mixers, and by occasionally
introducing fresh and, if possible, supe-
rior blood through the agency of the
sire, there is great danger of retrogres-
sion. 1t is neither profitable nor cred
liable to q farmer to have his stock
decreasing in stamina, in lower condi-
ton, and the receipts from their produce
less than during previous years, yet
unless the interest in their welfare and
improvement is constantly kept up, this
is contingency that is almost sure to
become certainty. No bad mixer
should have permanent place in herd
which is kept not for show, nor for
breeding purposes solely, but principally
for the disposal of dairy produce To
keep such COW is Simply to lose money
wilfully, her keep costing quite US much
as the best mixer in the stall, and the
trouble she occasions just as much as
that given by the animal which gives
double her amount of produce 1t may
be difficult to have every one first-rate,
yet the herd may be so improved by
judicious selection as to have all good
cows In a stock of forty we shall sup
pose that there are ten bad, or at all
events Indifferent, mixers. BY testing
the milk of these cows carefully, and
ascertaining the amount of produce in
butter to be under the average of what
might be fairly expected from the care
and keep expended on each, there is
nothing more easy than to keep the bull
from them, dry off at the end of the
season, stall feed, and get rid of them
without any further loss. TO fill their
places, from twelve to twenty heifers
can be sent to dairy, ample margin being
thus left to afford choice at the period
of calving. By persisting for a few
years in this course the stock will not
only become first-class mixers and
increase the profits of their owners, but
will gain character and reputation
in the district for their good qualities.
Much can be done in given time by
holding over the offspring of those cows
which have proved themselves to be
tirst-class mixers, breeding, if possible,
for all permanent stock from those only,
and thus getting into a strain of milk
ers. 1t is just as likely as not that a
! heifer, whose mother was an excellent
mixer, may herself turn out to be
scarcely worthy of house room; but
when she is the dcscendent of cele-
brated line of pail filters, the probabili-
tiles are altogether in her favor that she
will possess in high degree the good
qualities of her race.
In large herd there will, in spite OF
the most careful scrutiny, be an occa,
sionaly bad mixer. This no fore
thought can prevent, and whatever loss
may result, it must only be accepted
for the time being, and the removal OF
the animal causing it effected on the
first favorable opportunity. With re-
CARDS to the best breeds of cattle for
dairy purposes, it may be taken as a
very safe rule, that every district OF
country possesses a breed of cattle in
every way suitable to its climate and
soil and that, with care, skill and cap
ital combined, good specimens fit for
general purposes may be obtained with.
out going far from home 1t is quite
possible that cattle of particular breed
extensively purchased and brought from
great distances, may do very badly and
lead to much disappointment and loss
before becoming acclimatised, and even
afterwards never doing so we'll as the
ordinary breeds to be found in the local
ity With the bulls it is quite different
they must be got. of pure blood, with.
out stain if possible, whatever the