Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1878-10-14
Agrifmltmral department.
DAIRY STOCK.

The following communication by a
well-known breeder of.dairy stock, ad-
dressed in reply to note of IN
quiry by an Eeasthampton correspondent
in pursuit of knowledge relative to "the
breeding and management of good dairy
stock" published in a late issue of the
New England Homestead, cannot fail
to interest the dairymen readers of the
MONITOR. 1t was written by Thomas
Fitch of New London, CT. He says:
My experience in breeding dairy cows
for profitable use began in 1914 when
l purchased and stocked a farm near
this city. l had Devons for time,
then Ayrshires, crossing them without
successful results. Some twenty-five
years ago, neighbor of mine bought
two or three thoroughbred Jerseys, and
was enthusiastic in his praises of their
extra qualities.
/ said to him they are beautiful little
ornaments for rich mans lawn who
cares more for fancy and quality than
for profit and quantity, but for dairy
purposes they can never prove profitable.
So beloved then, so l think now; l
mean thoroughbreds. I however pur-
chased few thoroughbreds from the
early importation of John A. Taintor
of Hartford, in this State, to try them
and to cross them with the different
breeds then on my farm. l have tried
them with all the various breeds. ever
owned by me, and the result of my ex-
pertinent, by actual tests, is that the
cross of a Jersey bull with an Ayrshire
COW produces the best cow, for all pur-
poses, evey bred or owned by me. Next
is this same cross with good native
cow next with good milking Short
horn next with a Dutch; next the
sacred COW. and last with the Devon.
1t is we'll established fact, that with
whatever breed you cross a Jersey bull
the infusion of his blood add to the
richness of the quality of the milk, and
the hardness of the breed crossed on is
not impaired, and, as rule, the udder
and teats, as we'll as the carcass of the
grade are enlarged, SO that you really
have better COW in all points, in a
high grade Jersey than thoroughbred
When l say all points, l mean produc
ton, economy in keeping, form, size and
beauty. l feel confident that when
these facts are known, and thoroughbred
Jersey bulls are in general use through.
out the dairy portions of this country
as they are now is this county and sew
eral sections of the State of New York
Delaware county for instance,) tina
with the different breeds in the dair,
herds, as they now exist if the dairy
men will select the heifer calves iron
the best milking COWS and high grad
Jersey COWS ga, rs, 1850 whel
these grades shall take place of tn
COWS now in these herds, the Who'll
dairy product of the country will hav
been doubled in value at small outla
for thoroughbred Jersey bulls. TIL
number of animals bred and handled b
me would be many hundreds. | hav
never had case of milk fever in m
: herd, and think they would be quit
rare if COWS were not forced with extr
feed and fused with. have never ha
more than 4 or 5 cases of abortion
The best age to allow heifers to caly
y the first time is when they are abor
two years old and at grass.
make it rule to turn my bull wit
my young heifers on the 18th of Angus
each year, making it certain that the
will have their first calf in the pastul
= where they can choose their place
bring forth their young as nature sha
J dictate. They almost invariably do we
/ and make better COWS than to come
IS year later.
Z The largest yield of milk per day
a any cow / ever bred was 26 measure
L beer quarts, the largest yield of butt
'e in one week was II IA weighed poun'
rs both produced when fresh on grass al
W six quarts of ground feed per day.