Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1875-12-22

individual improvement in a large dairy,
and for long time, would seem almost
incredible.
The same rule applies to the variations IN
the profits Of individual members Of herd.
Hence the Importance Of individual tests,
both with regard to value Of products and
cost Of keeping.
SIZE so CRITERION on MERIT.
While it is evident that large cows which
produce only the same amount Of butter Of
cheese as small ones arc much less profitable.
on account Of the greater amount Of food
consumed, it does not necessarily follow that,
because COW is large, and consumes a
large amount OF food she is less profitable
to her owner than a small one, especially
where the pasture is good aud food abundant
Your premises are doubtless legitimate,
and will apply to a large majority Of cases
where such variation is found Bat it is
the structure and functional perfection Of
the digestive and secretiye organs in each
individual, and their proportionate develop
HlNAl anu lNMNlf MlllAN lllANA ANANl Alilll' lliT
dividual merit in th. matter A COW which
weighs eight hundred pounds is just as prof.
table to her keeper as one which weighs
only six hundred pounds if her digestive
and milk producing organs have the same
characteristics, and are developed ia the
same proportion TO her size. We can only
determine with regard to individual merit,
by individual tests.
COMPARATIVE VALUE on LARGE ANp SMALL
cows
The question Of the comparative value Of
large and small cows for the dairy is an in
teresting aud important one. My opinion is
that, ordinarily large cows are not asprofta-
bic for dairy purposes as those Of medium
size, because Of difference in development.
The treatment Of the COW while young has
msch to do with her value for the dairy,
Cows Of good dairy stock, and of naturally
good dairy qualities, are often spoiled for
that purpose before they reach maturity
BY high keeping and close confinement the
fat and muscle secreting glands are unduly
developed, while the milk-producing organs
viii bscome dwarfed aud inactive. The
proper development Of dairy COW is that
where all extremes are avoided, and where
the milk producing glands are early de
veloped by use aud where the fat and mus
cle-produeing glands are not excited to un
due activity by too stimulating food and
close confinement.
find in my practice that heiiers whicl
come in at two years old make better cow
than those Of equal promise which do no
come in until year later, especially whei
the latter become very large aud fat. | hav'
known good cows to be spoiled for the dair.
by becoming excessively fat when allowed
to go farrow, even for one season. Such re
suits as these are evidently owing to the di
version Of food from the production of mill
to that of beef and tallow
Many fne-blooded dairy cows have been pro
nounced naturally worthless, because Of ba,
management in this particular. lam Of tn
opinion that one reason why grade stock j
so often pronounced superior, for dairy pur
poses, to the full-blood stock, from whicl
they spring, may be attributed TO the differ
ence in their development, and not to natura
superiority.
II COW Of large size comes TO that stat
by proper development in herself and in he
progenitors, il her milk-producing organ
are developed in proportion to the rest O
her system, | know no reason why tina fact q
her being large should make her less profit
able for dairy purposes. As a rule, larg
cows are made so by the opposite treatment
the dairy as those of medium, or even small
size. When such cows are used, it must RI
quire more food to produce a given amour
of butter and cheese, and hence may resu
the waste which you have pointed out.
THr CHARACTERISTICS OF \ RACE MAY II
CHANGED.
by long course Of uniform treatment "
may change the characteristics of race, an
from race Of naturally good mixers vienna
develop one only fit for the production c
beef. We have an interesting example {
the effect of feed and management in tn
different families of the Shorthorn stool
Some families have been so highly kept, i
order to produce fine, snowy animals, an
develop large, symmetrical form, tina
while the females do this to remarkable d
gree of perfection, they will scarcely produC
milk enough to support their own progan
While other families, which have been ma
aged with more especial reference to the
dairy qualities, have a superior developmeI
of their milk-producing organs, and, viii
of large size, are still superior dairy COW
Hence we learn that the size Of dairy stoc
is not a safe criterion by which to judge
its merits. The only safe test of excellenc
in farm stock Of any kind, is that which wi
secure those animals who produce the grea
est value of the product sought, in proporto
TO the value of food consumed, when su
jected to the conditions to which the keep
finds it necessary to submit his animals
Whiting December IL. +. ID. DOUGLAS