Rocky Mountain husbandman. [volume] (Diamond City, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1878-03-07
PEN NOTES ABOUT THE. FARM.
BUTTER MAkING-NO.. II.

ful and an abundance of good feed is to be
had without cost, the selection of a dairy
herd is not considered with the Importance
attached to it in countries less favorable fon
the business. But that any cow driven up
from the range will do for the dairy is a
mistaken idea. 1t is true there is ordinarily
but II slight difference in the quality OF but
ter made from common and good cows, yet
there is q vast difference i'll the quantity pro-
duced A Jersey herd would OF course be
the choice. but it would seem extravagant
to talk about getting together fancy herd
in this country. Most OF QUE butter makers
are content with the common native COW
and Short-horn, though the few that have
tried the half and quarter bred Jerseys are
well pleased with them. 1t is found that
there are some good mixers among the
widest Texas cattle, and | know of num-
Der of instances where men have contended
that the Texan cow bred to our native bulls
bring better mixers than some OF our
choicest graded Short-lorn COWS. This
may be accounted for to considerable ex-
tent by the fact that the Short-horns brought
to this country are mostly strains bred to beef
instead of butter strains. But the Texas
cow is too wild to ever be adopted as a
nilker. There is Il wide variance in the
quantity and quality of milk produceda by
the COWS in this country, This, however, is
not caused so much from the breeding into
finer or better bloods as from the negligence
and carelessness of the management. FIRE.
ulently have heard men say a certain COW
dad a calf when. but le..:nonths old, and gave
more milk than the calf wanted, and at the
age of three or tour years when driven in
for dairy use she WAS found to be very
poormilker. 1t was natul.a for them.to
think that the COW should. improve instead
of depreciating in her yield of milk, and
they wonder why il was that their favorite
had turned out to be of so little value. just,
here men doanot often stop 10 think over the
chances the cow has had to increase her
milk. but condemn. her and discard her
breed, when had they taken into notice
that the cow had been allowed to run with
the herd, and, perhaps, when her calf was
young left it in some grassy hiding place for
hours and probably days, while she, in her
endeavors to keep up with her associates,
had wandered over the hills until her bag
became filled to overtlowing, irritated, and
| if not entirely spoiled, so disrupted as to
stop or greatly restrain her mixing, quail
ties. Even though cow may ba1if gen-
tie disposition, If she has.a.calt when young
/ she will grow more Or less.fretful. land If not
relieved of her milk regular will decrease in
her milking capacity So it appears that
whatever may be the breed unless attention
is given to the rearing, the cultivation and
exercising of the milk producing organs
there will be some poor mixers. 1t is there
tore needless to undertake to lay down any
certain rules to be guided by i'll the-selection
ot.a, dairy herd. The bestplan Is to tfy the
cow and if not good tArn her out and try
another In case you are purchasing and
have to drive them home before testing then
qualities, select COWS with nearly straight
!. backs, short legs, buitrather long, with
4 round ribs, and large belly, the ndders well
! shaped, the hind part appearing as if it pro-
ceeded from the waist. The milk veins un
der the belly should be large.
1t is nos always tha,proilic mixer thai
makes the most butter or the best article
bnt in this country the prolific mixers are
more preferable. since tie number OF little
but rich mixers is comparatively small
The feed that the cow takes has much to dc
with her milking product. Our Montan;
grasses have no superior. Especially do
p