Morris tribune., 1883-08-11
The Family Cow

4 very common notion obtains, out
side Of breeding circles, that the cross
bred cow is the best for family purposes.
have frequently heard the suggestion
from those who have no special knowl-
edge of the merits Of the Jersey, other
than that based on her former reputa-
ton of being small but rich mixer,
than a cross on a shOrt-horn or Ayrshire
would give us a splendid family COW.
Now is this idea sound? The family cow
is needed for milk, cream, and butter.
Can we not find such an animal among
the pure breeds withot resorting to
cross?
By common consent the Jersey is rec
ognized as the better breed; but she is
more than that. Under the fashioning
of the American breeder she has been
greatly improved, both as butter yield
er and milk giver. Years ago the DER
sey was sery small mixer. ] find my
two.year-0Id Jerseys as they come in,
are giving twelve to fifteen quarts daily.
While am not aiming at
large milking capacity in butter animals,
yet have no objections to Nave helfers
Of superior butter strains give large
milk yield, since know the blood will
tell in e. riching the milk with growth
Of years. With COWS of such capacity
for milk it would not seem necessary
to cross with other breeds to establish
the model family COW. One habit is SO
marked as to be almost peculiar to the
jersey. and that is her disposition to
carry her flow of milk for a long pc
Rod. Thi-.. is a very important consider
atiOn IN tbs. cow for family nse. A large
flow for two or three months, and then
a rapid decline of yield, is very aggra-
waiting to The village honsekeeper. The
great tronble ] have in breeding is in
restraining the flow Of milk at the
proper time preceding calving. Butter
f1y of Hill Top, $685., has been milking
more than twelve months; gives; when
when fresh, upward of eighteen quarts,
and is now, within seven weeks of her
next calying, giving ten quarts day.
Telka, S,037, in milk over
nine months, gives seventeen
TO eighteen quarts when fresh, and is
now giving sixteen quarts a day. In
fact, her udder gets SO full by midday,
she should properly he MIXED three
times a day. Take even the ordinary
Jersey of small yield, and she will
probably give as much milk between
two calVings as the ordinary cow of the
country. What may be the object in
crossing a typical Jersey VITA some
pure bred ami nal of another breed l
cannot imagine. In the cross for
instance, OF the Jersey with the Ayr
shire, many think We increase the flow
and reduce the quality of the milk in
the offspring. This may happen; but l
think experience will prove that this
cross, presuming the Jersey smaller
mixer than the Ayrshire, will give you
COW that will take after the more po-
tent animal of the two.
Rearing of grades, however, by the
use of thoroughbred bulls on native
cows, is to be commended. In such
cases the thoroughbred bull is almost
certain to show the impress OF his supe-
rior blood. The farmer who does not
feel justified in investing in thorough
breds should never use anything but
Thoroughbred bulls. speak advisedly
on thus subject. as | have seen the adj
vantage of the farmers in my
neighbofheod in using my Jersey
bulls on ordinary cows. In
fact, the Jersey bull is coming into very
General favor and " utter diaries
for crossing on common COWS. Une Oh
Ivy uclSllUOlS Alhh
the city of Trenton with choice
milk He is what call strong feeder,
but he insists it is necessary in order to
produce good milk. He feeds daily four
quarts of corn-meal in summer and six
quarts in winter, per head. besides an
equal bulk OF bran. His cows he' picks
up mainly in the country as he can find
them. although he is now breeding some.
He is very partial to some Jersey grades
he owns, and inclines to increase his
breeding of them.
The milk from the good Jersey grades
is almost as rich as that of the thorough
bred, and, with his grades highly fed, |
rather fear, in the chnrning process 1t
would undergo in carrying it by Wagon
over the pavement, some butter globu
les would be developed. and it nigh!
not be quite SO homogeneous or attract
i've to the eye, and so have advised
him to get q Holstein bull. The Holstein
are large mixers, have big frames, and
their grades highly fed, ought to be large
producers of good milk.-Corr. Breeders
Gazette.