The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1878-08-15
sEFARM TOPICS.

OUTWARD MARKS OF A GOOD COW
This subject TO me is very familiar, and
has been for the last 81 years. 1t is
going over the same ground that has
been gone over in every conceivable
form that mans Imagination could place
it in, and always striking at the same
points. Nevertheless, it will have to be
repeated over and over again until every
dairynan and dairyman's son is i'm
pressed with its Importance and inter-
ested in the dissemination of such
knowledge.
The growing magnitude of the dairy
interests of our State is probably only
realized by very few, even of the most
Sanguine. admit that was ignorant
of the extent of it IN the wastern pOr-
ton of the State before being called
upon to investigate this subject, though
living in dairy district myself-Brad-
ford, Susquehanna, Wyoming, and
Wayne all having a reputation for fine
butter and cheese, and living very much
upon that interest. With all tins repu
tation, | do say that doubt very much
if there is any other class of business
that, as whole, is done in so indiler-
ent a manner.
There is no animal that has been bred
so carelesssly for the business for which
it was intended as the milch-cOw, and
no class of men so blind to their own
interests as the dairymen. They are,
as a general rule, purchasing, feeding,
and milking cows which barely, if at
all, pay for their keeping; raising calves
of the same sort from cows that are not
tit to breed from; using sires without
the least consideration whether they re
from good milking families, or asking
the question whether their dams ever
gave any milk. With this reckless way
of breeding, how is it TO be expected
that dairying can be a success?
To breed superior cows for the dairy
the first point is to select your cows re-
sardess of race, but do not purchase q
cow because she is cheap-they seldom
if ever pay in a dairy.
Such as have shown themselves to be
deep, rich mixers, whose antecedents
have shown and proved them to be good
cows, and who stamp the same charac
teristics upon their offspring, seldom, if
ever, miss, providing they have fair
chance. BY selecting bull from COW
of the same good qualities and raising
your own calves, will guarantee that
in very few years you will have herd
of cows that will not disappoint you
either in quality or quantity of milk,
providing you give them the proper food
and enough of it to manufacture milk
from, for you are all aware that the cow
is but a machine for converting vegeta-
bic substances into milk.
1t is not always the handsome cow,
will soon describe to you, that gives the
largest quantity or the best quality OF
milk, for 1 have seen among the natives
some very ordinary ill-shaped cows that
were extra fine mixers; but they, like
all other good cows, were well marked,
both in the escutcheon and the lacteal
veins. l would breed from such COW,
using a thoroughbred bull with undoubt
ed milking qualities, for it is an easy
matter to breed all the fine points as far
as beauty is concerned.
If the Judges at our county and town
fairs were men who understood the
points and marks OF a good dairy COW,
and would not have their judgment
| SWerVeu Dy bne general Outltne VI ~ III
metry and other points of beauty in the
animal, but would carefully examine the
texture and turns-of the hair, the skin,
flesh, and other signs and marks, and
decide according to that rule, showing
and explaining to the inquiring minds
why they have given the premium in the
case, they would be doing their county
or town. and in fact the whole country
lasting Service. On the contrary,
am sorry to say, there IS very little re,
gard shown in selecting judges as tt
their qualifications to decide intelligent
ly upon the subjects required of them
many of them showing little or nc
knowledge OF the business before them
There IS another point to be lookee
after, and that is the training of III,
heller the first year after her coming in
to profit A good heifer can easily b
spoiled by careless milking and allow
ing her to dry up after being in milk (;
few months, for she is very certain to e
dry at the same time ever after. Sh;
should be well fed and MIXED nearly VI