San Marcos free press. [volume] (San Marcos, Tex.) 1877-1892, 1878-09-21
FARM TOPICS.

OUTWARD MARKS OLA GOOD Cow
This subject to me is very familiar, an,
has been for the last "a years. 1t
going over the same ground that ma
been gone over in every conceivable
form that mans imagination could plac,
it in, and always striking at the SAM
points. Nevertheless, it will have to b.
repeated over and over again until ever.
dairyman and dairyman's son is i'm
pressed with its Importance and inter
ested in the dissemination of suci
knowledge.
The growing magnitude of the dairy
interests of our State is probably only
realized by very few, even of the mos'
sanguine. l 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 a dairy district myself-Brad.
ford, Susquehanna, Wyoming, and
Wayne all having reputation for fine
butter and cheese, and living very much
upon that interest. With all this repu-
tation, do say that doubt very much
if there is any other class of business
that, as a whole, is done in so indiffer-
ent 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 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
fit to breed from; using sires without
the least consideration whether they IRE
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 successP
To breed superior cows for the dairy
the first point is to select your cows re-
CARELESS of race, but do not purchase
cow because she is cheap-they seldom
if ever pay in 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, 1 will guarantee that
in very few years you will have 8 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
s but machine for converting vegeta-
Ole substances into milk.
1t is not always the handsome COW,
will soon describe to you, that gives the
argest quantity or the best quality of
milk, for l have seen among the natives
some very ordinary ill-shaped cows that
we're extra fine mixers; but they, like
I'll other good cows, were well marked,
10Th in the escutcheon and the tactical |
'eins. would breed from such COW,
Using thoroughbred bull with undoubt.
ID milking qualities, for it is an easy
natter to breed all the fine points as far
s beauty is concerned.
If the judges at our county and town
airs were men who understood the
oints and marks of a good dairy COW,
nd would not have their judgment
by the general outline of SYM
retry and other points of beauty in the
nimal, but would carefully examine the
eXture and turns of the hair, the skin,
esh, and other signs and marks, and
ecide according to that rule, showing
nd explaining to the inquiring minds
ny they have given the premium in the
ase, they would be doing their county
+ town, and in fact the whole country,
lasting service. On the contrary,
m sorry to say, there is very little re-
ard shown in selecting judges as to /
leir qualifications to decide intelligent
upon the subjects required of them ,
ANY of them showing little or no
nowledge OF the business before them.
There is another point to be looked .
ter, and that is the training of the
eifer the first year after her coming in
profit. A good heifer can easily be
'oiled by careless milking and allow {
g her to dry up after being in milk ,
W months, for she is very certain to go {
y at the same time ever after. She {
Iould be well fed and MIXED nearly up {
her coming into profit the second l
,ar. All cows are inclined to deterio-
tie, and nothing but good breeding and c
re will keep them up to the standard |
III wish to have them in for milk; and v
III must not forget the color of their C
ir, horns, or muzzle. ?
The best cows are of medium size. rs
rule, and small boned. The head is
lall and rather long, with thick, wide
IS, which give the muzzle flat APP s
eyes large and bright, with
acid expression; ear large and thin, S
III soft, silky hair, and with rich u