Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1877-03-08
THE HERAL Id.
THE DAIRY cow.
An Add sess By D. HuntieY Before me Ds'5s'
man, Conventioa lately held at Appleton.

The aDairy Cow should be the
best machine possible for converting
vegetable products into milk. The
machine must not be too small; ano
experience has proven that IT may
be too large: the expense OF running
the machine being out of ell proper
ton to the profit. Ii is not the
largest cow that gives the most milk
or whose milk makes the most but
ter or cheese. Some of our farmers
are not satisfied with medium sized
COW, but will pay an extra price Tor
. large COW, saying she will bring so
much moro for beef when through
milking: not realizing that the ex-
pense of keeping her will be ten or
fifteen dollars each season, amount
ing 10 few years to three or tour
times az much as she will sell for
when fattsd. Dairying is fast beoom-
ing one of the great and leading in
dustriea of the west. The number
of COWS are already counted by the
millions. The quality of our goods
will compete against the world. Ii
by iudicious breeding or crossing on
our native COWS, we can secure an
increase of four pounds Of milk daily
from each cow, the amount OF money
made or saved 10 so doing would be
millions of dollars Annually Breed
ine from the best mixers OF our ma
i've stock is slow and uncertain in
its result They do not transmit to
their offspring with any degree OF
certainty these milking qualities. But
with a well established breed this 10
not 40. They transmit their good
qualities to their progeny almost in
variably. This being the fact, the
next point is, which is the best dairy
breed? In answer to this question
let us examine the Ayrshires.
They are now well defined and
we'll established breed, having been
long distinguished for their remark
able dairy qualities; and for the
amount of milk they give 10 proper
ton to the size of the animal and
food consumed. She has just the
form for it. Her mead is email
with a long narrow -muzzle; her
eyes arkling and lively,
her horns usually small, clear and
crooked, and set we'll apart at the
roots. Her neck is long and slender,
small towards the head, and fine
from the dew-lap. Her shoulders are
thin; her fore quarters are light ;
her hind quarters are large and well
developed, giving her often wedge
shane appearance. The back is
straight and broad behind the car
cass deep; the pelvis full and wide
over The hips; the tail usually long,
small and slender, and the legs short
with firm joints. The udder is large,
square, broad, extending well for
ward, not over feshy nor too low
hung nor LOO loose. The milk veins
are large and prominent ; teats set
we'll apart and pointing outward
Her skin is thin, hair soft, and hei
whole figure compact and well pro-
portioped. | have found them some
what nervous, especially young ami
mails, but this is easily overcome by
kind treatment and gentle handling
The COW is docile and easily manag'
ed. She is as hearty and as hardy as
our native stock, if not more so. Al
between the Ayrshires and the Jer
seya, for butter alone, quantity mo-
being taken into account, the Jer
sys are said to be more desirable.
But the Ayrshire milk is The
more nutritious. The nutritiVe quail
ties of milk are found in the Caseir
or cheesy properties. For thepro
duction of cheese the Ayrshires are
without rival. The milk bearI
transportation better t b n th'
Jersey; this, and the large quantity
they give makes them, for supplying
city customers with milk, superior tt
any other known breed. L cOult
cite you to numerous instances where
the Ayrshires have given enormou
quantities of milk, their own weigh
monthly for FIVE or six months; o
Ayrshires that have given milk from
which Is lbs. OF butter q week hav'
been made for several weeks in sue
cession, on grass alone. Many ar
reported as giving so, So, or 60 10
daily for months together. My ex
perience with Ayrshires has beer
quite limited, but very satisfactory
10 the spring of 1871 the Farmers
Club, consisting of some thirty mem
bers. purchased three full bloode'
AYRSHIRE bulls. They are nov
milking ] and blood heifers. 1 hav
taken some pains to ascertain thei
milking qualities; all agree that they
are a great Improvement upon tn
best of our native COWS. In the re
port before the Farmers Industrial
Association, printed in last week
Post. Mr.. L. l.. Randall stated tina
the Avrshires of his herd wer
young, yet the three youngest, witt
the same feed yielded large
quantity of milk than the same mum
Der of catives; the sales of the yea
amounted to 500 per COW. Messrs
Myers, Rock, Randall and other
stated before the Farmers Club las
season, that from one halt bloo
Ayrshires they made apound G
bntter from less than 20 lbs of milk
The average in good butter darie
being about "a lbs. What little ex
perience | have had in milking ful
bloods is that they hold cut thel
milk longer than the natives, beinI
difficult to dry them off at thai
AYRSHIRE COW Wonder, MIXED 8
months in three years; tried he
milk in August when heifer; mad
/! lbs butter daily; had it been in
favorable time of year | think sh
would have made two pounds Pc
day. | would recommend the Ayr
shires for the following reasons
They are hardy and well adapted :
the climate; very hearty eaters an
give more milk in proportion to tn
weight of the carcass. and food cor
sumed than any other breed. The,
fat very easily when not giving mill