Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1872-06-05
What Breed of Dairy Cows are tht
Best for All Purposes


This is question often asked, but
difficult one TO answer, unless by the
sweeping assertion that we want them
all. So far us we are able to learn,
there is no one breed that, as a rule,
is possessed of all the points desired.
There may exist individuals in almost
all of the established breeds, that pos
sess all good qualities in sufficient
degree TO answer the purposes Of the
ordinary farmer, but as race, there
arc mono that embrace all good quail.
ties, and every farmer must be gov
erned in his choice by his situation.
If he aas rich pastures, and oxton
sive corn.ields, and is near market
where the price of good beef rules high,
the Durham will probably be as near
perfection as any that can be obtained
The Shorthorns are great CATERS
If they run to milk they give large
quantity Of it. If they have ten.
dency to fattcn, they fatten with great
rapidity. They grow rapidly, and are
capable of carrying an immense load
Of flesh. They require the best of
care, and the richest of feed, and with
this, they will amply repay all out
lays.
But If allowed to roam in the public
roads and wild pastures in Summer,
and kept on poor hay and mouldy
corn fodder in Winter, they will in.
variably prove tho rorst scrubs, and
the poorest investment, that the farm
can make, The objection to them as
dairy cows is, that you are not sure
whether they will prove to be great
feeders, or halfand-half. The remedy
is TO feed literally at all times, and If
the COWS are good mixers they will
be very good ones, and If not, they
will fatten rapidly, and can be disposed
Of to good advantage as beef. With a
dairy Of forty cows, dozen or so OF
the best heifcr.calfs should be raised
each year, and ten or dozen cows
fattened each Winter to be sold in the
Spring, when the beef commands u
very high price.
If he keeps Shorthorns, on the sys.
tenn proposed, he will not receive as
much money from the cheese factory
as if he kept Ayrshires or natives. =
But it is for him TO decide whether
half dozen or moro fat cows sold
every Spring to the butcher, will not
make up for the deficiency. On the
whole, we would say, if he has high
priced land and proposes to adopt high
farming, take tho Shorthorn; cows
solely TO the production of milk and
butter, take the Ayrshire or Aldcrney
II the location is near a large city
where milk is the chief object, we must
have the Ayrshires, as there is no race
quantity of milk; il being generally
estimated at from 80 to so pounds pei
day. Our oest Ayrshire cows give 60
pounds of milk per day. A committed
appointed for the purpose, testified
under oath, that one Of Messrs. Walcot
& Campbells cows gave So pounds Of
milk per day, for several days in sue.
oession.
The Ayrshires have been bred ex.
clusively for milk, and will probably
yield greater quantity for tho food
consumed than any other breed On
the other hand, if he proposes to sell
beef and raise oxen as we'll as cheese
and butter, we would advocate the
Devon.
The Devons, rs race, are thrifty,
and with good pasture, present hand
some appearance. The milk is quite
rich, and produces butter of better
color than that obtained from the
Durham, but the quantity is not large
They are q quick, active race, and ior
farm labor, the oxen can hardly be
exceled They will movo the pillow
almost, perhaps quite, MS fast as the
horse. To carry out the latter system
Of raising cattle for beef, rather thar
the dairy, to the best advantage, We
must adopt higher order of feeding
than when the only object is milk
We want cows that will eat large
amount of food. This is of the very
first importance. An animal that will
not eat freely should be rejected.
If there is no great demand for beef
but large one for good butter, ther
tho Aldcrnoy will come as near tn,
standard as any we have. For rich
ness OF milk, they have no equal, but
their diminutive size puts beef entire
ly out OF the question but there is M
rnce of cattle that can surnass than