Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1877-04-11
FARM AND FlRESlDE.
stock f01 Butter.

The time is rapidly approaching when
the quality of Jersey stock, as deter
mined by the butter yield, must be put
on record. By the butter, because
large yielder of milk may be small Of
butter, but a large yielder of butter can
not be small of milk. In this view, the
most important feature Of the herd is
the butter quality of the bull. A bull
whose daughters will yield lbs. of
butter ION grass alone) at two years
old, is good one whose daughters will
yield 8slbs. is better; one whose
get will yield 9 lbs, is the best; but one
whose daughters will yield 10 lbs, is to
be classed as "a. l." and should be
secured without regard to color or
black points. Take three 2-year-old
heifers. the get of three different bulls,
and place them in the same field, all
having the same food. One allows the
food to pass through her, without
abstractlng either fat for the ribs, or
butter for the udder the second
becomes fat, while but little butter goes
to the udder, but the third inherits a
quality that enables her to abstract from
the food, not fat for the ribs, but butter
for the udder, from to 10 lbs. per week.
These latter constitute the butter
strain; it can exist in COW and dis
appear in her daughter: it can be
wanting in COW and appear in her
daughter in both cases caused by the
quality inherited from the sire. Hence
the absurdity, without regard to quality,
of solid color OF black points; we must
have butter first, and fancy points after
wards. The opposite course has been
productive Of the many wretched failures
everywhere apparent. It is in these
respects that we see the necessity of re-
liable records of butter yields. The
horsemen have meetings Of 3-year-olds,
and 4-year-olds, and the opportunity is
afforded the public Of timing them. AS
to heiters and cows, we have the state
ments cow-men and owners. sometimes
sworn to before Justices Of the Peace,
as to yields some feeding grass only
some having 4 to 6 quarts OF meal per
day, some feeding all the meal the
COWS will eat, and some saying nothing
about the feed, and none ever stating
the weight of the animal.
What we need is, that the American
Jersey Cattle Club shall select some re-
liable man, whose farm is centrally
situated, to whom all Jersey COWS COM
peting for record, shall be sent for
trial. That all trials should be on grass
alone; that the weight of the COW shall
be stated, and her yield of butter per
week shall be published in her Club
Record.
This would tend to the increase. and
spread OF, the best butter animals, and
to stop the perpetuation of the indif-
ferent and worthless. 1t would sayel
thousands of dollars. directly and midi
rectly to the public, and specially to
those who are wiling to, and can
economically pay large prices for AMI
mails, ifassured Of their butter quality.
L take a high standard for 2-years-
Odds, 9 lbs, for 3-years-olds. 109 lbs.
Tor 4-year-olds, Il lbs.. for 5-year-olds, |
ID lbs, and for 6-year-olds, IA lbs, on
grass alone, | know such animals can
be forced beyond those yields, and
where larger yields have really existed,
such forcing has taken place. But there
can be no comparison so fair. so uni
formly reliable, and so little calculated
to injure the COW, as that based on
grass alone. There is another point. |
very important, viz: the butter yield, |
say six months after calving. The COW
that is large yielder when fresh. but
whose yield decreases rapidly, may be |
Of less value than one whose Weld is |
smaller at first, and falls off but little.
A fair proportion to be decrease in the
first six months, would be, say one
third, so that u FOUNDER might fall to
5 pounds, or 90 FOUNDER to lbs., in |
this time.
The percentage Of cream increases
rapidly as the yield Of milk is reduced
therefore, when the percentage ofcream
is stated, with it should 60 the number
ofquarts of milk per day.
Now as to weight; 10 lbs. is as much |
butter for COW weighing 700 lbs, as
Is lbs. is for one weighing 1850 lbs
Jersey cows vary from 700 to 900 lbs,
there are few that, no doubt, would
weigh 1000 pounds. We must ever
keep in mind that, other things being
equal, the LOCO pound COW will require
more feed than the one weighing 700
lbs, perhaps as much more in proper
ton, as the difference in weight would |
indicate. Alengthy, apparently large
cow, sometimes will weigh no more
than one apparently smaller, but with
more capacious body. The most
economical cows are those on short
fine legs, with neat heads and
necks, but with large, full-ribbed,
capacious bodies. Such have good |
constitutions, are easy keepers, and re-
cuperate quickly from a reduced con-
dition, and such, other things being
equal, are the greatest butter producers
fer given amount of feed.
Lemons for Consumption.