Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1879-06-25
Increase Of Jerseys in Vermont.

Increase of Jerseys in Vermont.
Since the above reported interviews
were recorded. the number and size of
Jersey herds in Vermont have greatly
increased, and the progress in this direc-
ton continues unchecked. well remem-
Der that when the few Jerseys present
were brought into the ring in the Vermont
state fair, held in Rutland in 1873. one of
the Winslows of Putney, Short. horn
breeders. observed contemptuouslv, swell,
the scrawnier you get them the better
You like them, don't you?" At the two
last state fairs the Jerseys outnumbered
every other breed, and were treated with
the respect they deserve. Now for some
of the practical results of Jersey dairying
in this state. The place where the Jersey
stock has longest had footing among our
dairymen is in North Pomfret. Windsor
county, where perhaps ten or dozen
farmers have had Jersey herds for the
past eight or ten years. These herds
have been mostly grades, but have been
graded SO high-only thoroughbred bulls
being used-that very little evidence of
native blood is seen in them at this time.
Many of the COWS are pure blooded, but
merely rs butter-makeTs these are not
always thought to he the most valuable.
These Pomfret farmers live among the
hills; their farms are usually less than 100
acres, and their milking herds vary in
number from six to fifteen cows. They
are intelligent, educated men, vet men
who do their own work, especially in the
case Of their cattle. They exercise great
care in selecting, feeding and handling
their cows, and in the manufacture of
their butter, and they get prices consider
ably above the highest quotations. Some,
by making fancy prints of two to four
ounces for first class hotels and restau-
rants, have got what might be called fancy
prlces-siXty cents and upwards, per
pound-but that is not the rule.
| will take Mr.. +. S. Wood as illustrat-
ing the dairying of North Pomfret fairly
in his practice. lie has his cows come in
at all seasons, but mostly in the fall. Dur
ing the season of pasturage they are
yarded at night, and fed one or two quarts
of corn meal, according to age and condi-
ton, before milking, they being tied up
for that purpose. They are also fed a
little hay. Care is taken that milking
should be at regular hours, and as much
as possible without change of mixers.
When the pasturage becomes short in the
fall, fodder corn and green oats, or mown
grass, are fed until severe frost occurs.
Later, the grain feed is increased to two
or three quarts of n mixture of equal
parts of meal and wheat bran. Cows
that come in in fall and winter have Il
larger ration of the same while in full
milk I'a1,lJ--pi1t hoN- cd 1,,t,n
considered good winter feed; but Mr.
Wood says straw cannot be made equal to
good hay for milk by any addition of
meal. Dry COWS are kept on coarse fod.
der until near calving, when they have
good hay and two quarts of oats daily.
After Giving. for few days they have
light feed, with warm water to drink. The
stables are kept warm and dry. Mr..
Wood does not mention feeding roots at
all, but | believe he raises few, though
not enough to make Il regular ration for
all of his cows. In lS77-the last report
| have-Mr. Wood made 1888 pounds of
butter from thirteen COWS, or an average
of 29l pounds to the COW. This butter sold
for 5 ,34l.3j, or an average of 5000 per
COW.
dairymen confined to Pomfret. Mr.. Ma
than Skinner, of Plainlield, Washington
county, made in 1877, from herd of
eighteen, 4,Si2 pounds of butter, sold at
in average of thirty-three cents-2G9
pounds of butter, or $sS77 in money, to
the COW. E. Il. Skinner, of Tunbridge,
Orange county. from herd of five cows.
sold, in 1S7j-76, 1,G77 II pounds, and in
lS1G-7I 2,0G5 pounds. the average per
cow being So IL and ll3 pounds, re-
spcctively.
Perhaps the largest jersey herd in Yer
mont is that of +. a. Peuks of Passump-
sic, Caledonia county, who in 1878 made,
from twenty-lour COWS and heiIers, 5000
pounds of butter, or 2o7 II pounds per
head
These reports are none of them from
breeders of Jerseys for sale or from fancy
stock. | think few if any of them are
registered, and many are only high grades,
though there are more or less pure-bred
cows among them. The parties are plain
farmers, who keep the Jerseys for their
value simply rs large producers of fine
butter that always sells above the market
in Boston, when properly manufactured
AMI neatly pu! up for sale. Our good
farmers perceive plainly that the day Of
"middIins-good " dairy products is over,
and that Il small yield per COW will not
pay for the keeping. Therefore they are
seeking earnestly for the right cows, and
the best method of manufacture and prep
faratjon for market. believe that the de-
feline of price for dairy products is Il
scarcely disguised blessing, the prompt
result OF which is to be such IN improve
mcnt in cur stock and methods of feeding,
care and manufacture, rs in five years
will increase the average product of our
dairies fully fifty per cent in quantity, and
absolutely eliminate the lower grades Of
butter and cheese from among the prod
ucts of Our state. 1t is root hog, OF
die" among our dairymen at this time,
and by roofing" OF dying by i'm.
proving their method or abandoning the
busness-our darymen will soon reach a
level far above the highest aspirations Of 4
few years ago. And the Jerseys are a
great help in the work.-Dr. H0SbiaS, IN
| pJ,y,I Nm, Ta.T.o.