Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1879-01-29

rushed off and bought her at once thinking IN
had dairy of Durham cows could easily make
n fortune, But in the course Of n week made
up my mind that II that was fair spec-
men OF n Durham COW, did not want any
more OF them. But not willing to give II up,
came across another man who had fine Durham
COW for sale, and bought her by paying large
price. She came in In few days, and was the
finest COW | had ever owned. remember one re-
mark her former owner made when drove her
away lie said he gave her little barley three
times day. 1t impressed me that 1t was foolish
to be fussing that way with cows. However,
was again doomed 10 disappointment; that COW
run down. down, down, till she was worthless. |
thought perhaps hilly pastures were not good for
Durham cows, even though the feed was good
never for n moment thinking what the real trou-
BILE was that TO speak plain did not knoW
enough 10 feed good co,o property.
" But an experience or two like this began TO
open my eyes ! used to have two-year-od
hefers do splendidly, bnt never improve after
ward Have had other dairymen tell me they
also had had such heifers and at that time neither
they nor knew the reason Why, 1t was simply
this: heV ,oere not properly fed.
"l have learned that a COW giving ten or twelve
thousand pounds of good milk a year must have
something more than good hay; she must have
grain, and should have roots. She should have
rdrietv of kinds of food.
Some sixteen or eighteen years ago ! pur-
chased n small French or Native COW that would
give nearly fifty pounds of milk per day. had
one or two very good cows, and | commenced
not to raise n calf from any COW that would not
give forty pounds Of milk per day in the best of
the season. and the sire OF the calf should have
mother equally as good. Some time after pur-
chased n yearling heifer Of a Frenchman for three
dollars, which would not weigh over one hun
dred and fifty pounds, live weight. She made a
COW that has given forty mine and one-half pounds
OF milk in day. have nine Of this cows de-
scendants Those that have given milk are extra
cows. BY raising four calves from COW equally
Us good, got only one extra COW; but by follow
ing the above rule for good many years nearly
all the cows now raised are desirable mixers.
"Were compelled to give advice to the aver
age dairyman, should say Do not 90 home and
rush off to purchase an extra cow or n thorough
bred animal; but rather rush to the cow stable
aud see what Is being done there. Learn first
the art Of feeding by practical experiment, and
by so doing you will learn the animals you now
have. You may be surprised TO find what great
mixers You have. You may be surprised to
learn how some of your cows will take ON flesh,
while giving little poor milk Test every cows
milk; you may he surprised to learn how much
butter some cows will make from a small guam
tity OF milk Should you find you had no good
mixers, buy thoroughbred bull, II the pedigree
is right. II you make butter exclusively, have
ledigree for butter; IL cheese, a pedigree for
cheese; II beef is your object, beef pedigree.
But II the pedigree is for blood only, don't buy,
unless you have use for high-toned blood.
" Now am not quite sure about this matter Of
pedigrees. What should constitute pedigrec for
dairy purposes? Should not dairy stock have
pedigree of five generations where the cows have
Welded not less than three hundred and fifty
pounds Of butter or nine hundred pounds Of
cheese have made two attempts to purchase
Il thoroughbred Jersey bull. lasked their owners
If they could give me pedigree for milk quail
ties. They told me they could give me a pedigree
for blood-for pure blood. | did not buy.
Now the question would like to knoic Is; Did
| do right or wrong? Is the breeding Of thorough
bred stock complete in all its branches? For in
stance the Durham as beef animal, is perfect :
attained marvellous
some strains have been bred for milk qualities
with great success. But is there pedigree to be
offered for these milk qualities Should not our
thoroughbred breeders establish a new departure
expressly for dairy purposes?
% In 1877 MIXED twenty cows and heifers, all
tOld-two two-year-olds, three three-y year-ods,
and fifteen cows. The milk sent to the factory
five months and twenty-five days or one hundred
and seventy-two days and weighed seventy-six
thousand five hundred and nnety-four pounds
making an average per day of twenty-five and
quarter pounds per COW. This milk made seven
thousand eight hundred and thirty-three pounds
Of cheese. ! made four hundred and ninety pounds
Of cheese ut home, and one thousand nine hun
dred and forty pounds of butter-making an
average per COW of four hundred and sixteen
pounds OF cheese and niDety-seven pounds OF but
ter II the butter IL reduced to cheese by calling
two and u half pounds of butter pound of
cheese, the yield per cow for the year would be
six hundred and fifty-eght pounds of cheese; and
by reducing the cheese To butter by the same
ratio, would make the yield of butter per COW for
the year. two hundred and sixty-three pounds
received for the butter and cheese 81 Sl,2S6-mal-
ing an average per COW in money of S6i 80
''For the year 1878 have MIXED twenty-four
cows-an addition of four new hefers One came
in the 9th of January, one the 18th of February,
one the 7th OF March; these heifers were not two
years old till the May after they came in. One
came in the 9Th of February and she was two
years old ON the last day Of February.
"The yield for the year was only four hundred
and ten pounds of cheese and seventy-fye pounds
Of butter-elual to five hundred and ninety-seven
pounds Of cheese or two hundred and thrty-nine
pounds of butter. one reason why they did not do
better was that did not give the dry cows in mid
| winter any meal, which ! usually do. Another
| reason was, made beef Of one of my old cows,
| and bought one that had been MIXED part Of
the season. which, with the addition of the four
very young heifers, made the difference. do
| not feed any grain in the summer or sow corn or
| other grain for green food.
"My cows that have the best pedigree for milk
| are the most sure to have hefers that are good
| mixers, though never owned a thoroughbred
| animal. According to the general accepation OF
| the term, my experience is in favor of thorough
breeding for the purposes yon desire.
81 would like TO have my haying all done
| from the ith to the 10th of July. The field cut
| the last of June can be cut again in August, and
| my experience is that grass will not run out as
| quick with two cuttings as with one My expe-
rience is that hay cut the last of June will make
one-thrd more milk than hay cut in the middle of
| July My last experience in this matter was the
present month. My cows, up to the 10th OF this
month, had been fed on hay cut the last of June.
| On the 10th commenced feeding hay cut the
| middle of July 1t was very bright and market
| able, but the cows shrunk from two hundred
| pounds down to one hundred in few days.
| "lf should feed hay only, and that cut the
| last Of July, could make as much from moor or
| ordinary cows as from good thoroughbred cows,
because the ordinary cows could stand this feed,
| and make a little above their keep, when the
| really good cows would run down and either lose
| their bags abort, or become poverty stricken, or,
as some would call it, have the horn-ail.
| " Breed from the best cows, and as you increase
| the milk qualities of your dairy, Increase your
care and feed also increase the udrietN or kinds
Of feed. BY giving q variety of food, the animal
| which has now become largely a manufactured
creature will be more sure to get all the elements
necessary TO build up the animal economy in her
new condition, and thereby prevent the many con-
stitutonal weaknesses that will be quite sure to
| attack our dairies sooner or later"
Afternoon Session.
The attendance during the afternoon was some
| what smaller than II had previously been, num-
ber having left on the noon trains
| MIR W. NJ. SnoNps of RoXbury read very
interesting and profitable paper on 6 The Econ.
| omy of Farming" lie said the Governor OF
Massachusetts, had called attention to this subject
in his late message, During the war economy
| had been lost sight Of Luxures had been in
dulged in and debts incurred. lie discussed
briefly what constituted good and poor economy.
| The paper particularly well received and
| was one Of the best OF the series.
Colonel Baker of New York city submitted the
| following suggestions
First Batter should not be worked after salt.
ing, before the salt is dissolved because it break.
the grain 10 come in contact with the undissolved
salt.
the salt is dissolved, because its exposure to the
| atmosphere is deletcrious and should be avoided
as soon as possible Working removes the water
or huttermilk which dissolves the salt II is nee
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