The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1883-03-09
MANKATo FREE Press.
FRIDAY, MARCH o. 1858.
Agricultural Notes.


Agricultural Notes. i
The Cow VI the Future
An interesting session of the Dutch.
Friesian Cattle. Breeders Association
WAS held at Hamilton, n. Y. the
proceedings Of which are reported IN
The Utica Herald. Among the papers
read was one OH "The Cow Of the
Future" which. OF course, In the COW
these breeders are interested in, by
DR.. r. w. Patterson, of LOcliearn.
Md. He opened by speaking Of the
present fashion Of breeding for
special purpose. Some breed for milk,
some for butter, some for beef. and
these special breeders believe TINT |
this Is the only way to accomplish |
valuable results. The specialist is n
wise man In one direction, and plays |
an important part in human affairs.
But 1t Is the man OF general knOwl. |
edge, posted we'll, but not so thor
oughly perhaps on all points as the
specialist, that applies these discover
les and makes the solid man Ut sU.
ciety. However. there 10 room for
the general purpose man ana the |
specialist also. From what I have
said you will see that do not believe |
In any one kind OF cow any more than
in one kind OF uian. At the same
time, az | have most faith In the
general utility man, ut the highest
type. III being the strongest element
Of society, so may be pardoncd for
claiming TOR the Dutch. + riesians that
position in the society Of imported
cattle which will be solid. safe and
permanent. Possessing as they do
beef qualities surpassed 10y few,
cheese production exceeded by none,
butter qualities equal III class To
any. and AS milk producers surms-
sing all others good feeders. healthy,
strong, docile, readily adapting them.
selves to circumstances and climates;
bred for u longer period rs a class
than any other breed. thereby fixing
type and characters not easily broken
down, 80 prepOtent that their crosses
or grades will partake largely Of their
qualities all these qualifications 90
to make up an animal that must he
in demand by the largo mass Of dairy.
men. when they are thoroughly
| known.
Taking for our standard the quail.
ties Just enumerated, are the systems
Of breeding now in vogue adapted to
our wants? The short.hOrn breeders
commenced with a few animals, and
with no herds to draw from of equal
merits to their own. They were,
therefore forced to q system Of in.
;,nd.in breeding. to arrive at and fix
the type of their ideal standard. At
that time beef production WAS Of the
most consequence. They commenced
with a breed the lest known for that
purpose, and ut the same time as good
for milk as any In England, and the
breeders made an effort to keep up
this milk production, instead OF sac.
ri6cing this important feature. the
shOrt.hOrn would stand to-day very
nearly at the head of the dairy breeds.
But u system Of in.and.in breeding is
dangerous to . far greater degree
among large milk and butter prOduc.
ing animals than it Is among flesh
producing. In the one case, you are
checking out your deposits daily IN
the other, you are letting them &C
cumulate. The points gained Ivy
close breeding In dairy cattle are
special, not general, and they have
usually been attained at the expense
Of other important qualities.
We have threefold object in view,
milk, butter and flesh, and we should
aim at rs near perfection in each and
all these points us 10 consistent with
Il harmonious whole. would sacri.
lice u little in each direction rather
than spoil the harmonious whole.
We can not compete with the Jer.
seys for quality Of butter to q given
quantity Of milk, nor can we come
quite up to the standard Of the short.
horns for beef, without sacrificing
one or the other point. But we can
breed for the largest quantity Of
milk and butter per COW. and still
have good beef. doubt II we can
secure this threefold proportion 10y
much in.and-in breeding. F0r by
such close breeding we are as sure Ia
fix the imperfectiOns and weaknesses
| 90 otS ChC PCatOSSsouS.
We, rs IN association. should take
a higher aim in this matter. and sc
establish our breed upon solid foun.
dalton. that it may last for all time
To this end the greatest care should
he exercised in the selection Of bulls,
and never breed from interior ami
mails under any circumstances. When
it Is possible, ! would breed the same
bull To the same COW for successive
years without change, particularly il
the bull predOminates In the excel
lencies we wish to secure. The bull
fixes his mark upon the calf. II i.
one-halt his blood; while in ufsro it i.
nOurished through the blood Of the
mother. The blood Of the fetus il
kept in condition by constantly pass
ing through the placenta, and thence
through the circulatory system Of thu
mother. In consequence Of this, thu
| mothers blood is for life impregnateC
with the blood of the fetus, an(
therefore with the characteristics o.
the bull. II this be true 1t will .
course he seen that the changing o.
bulls every year will produce mix
ture of blood such as cannot be relied
upon for breeding to particular point,
in the future. After enlarging upOr
this subject, the speaker closed by
saying: " II we. rs individuals anC
rs associations, do all in our power t.
advance our breed to the highes
point OF perfection, see no reason
} why the Dutch. FriesaE should no
hold the most important position