St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1885-09-09

recommendation. The question of breeds
is a mooted one and one that cannot be de-
cided on short notice. for the reason that it
is not always known what is wanted. For
instance, the queStioner may desire to have
q breed from which he wishes to make but
ter alone; while another may want cheese,
and yet another may want to supply milk
to q city. So what would be satisfactory to
one would not be to another; one may want
to combine beef and milk In one and the
same animal, and this is commonly denomi-
mated 1.-THE general purpose cow" Which is
greatly ridiculed by dairymen in the older
sections. where breeding for specific pur-
pose has been carried on for some years.
The question, it will be seen, is one that is
difficult to answer satisfactorily TO all.
An average cow for dairy purposes should
give not less than 5, 1000 pounds OF milk in a
milking season, and there should be not less
than eight pounds of cream from every 100
pounds of milk, and ten pounds OF cheese
from each 100 pounds of milk. Bulk,
volume or per cent of cream is no safe
criterion of the quantity of butter in that
cream; weight alone is the proper mode Of
| judging. Breed as much, if not more than
food, affects the quantity and quality of
milk, cream, butter and cheese.
AN OPINION.
An Eastern gentleman occupying prom
| lnent position at one of the experimental
farms made careful test of several breeds,
and gave his opinion as follows: 1.-The Short
horn is an average milker, short in duration
per season, low in specific gravity, high in
per cent. OF cream, propOrtionately high in
butter, and also high in cheese production" "
In England and in many portions of the
| United States ShorthornS have been bred
almost exclusively for beef and many herds
of remarkably fine cattle could make no
record for milk, cream or butter. There
are occasionally individuals and even
families of this breed that are quite noted
| in the dairy.
The Shorthon grade approaches the near
est of any to what is called general pur-
pose cow" The sire, we suppose in this
case, is full blood Shorthorn; we know of
several good dairymen in the state who
have COWS of this kind, who report them to
be good mixers, rich in cream and yielding
large quantities of butter.
A day or two ago lady was met from
the southern part of the state who has q
dairy herd of tWenty-three cows, and
among them nine grade Shorthorns; the
| butter average for the year was 246155
pounds per COW; the butter sold at twenty
six cents per pound, making $65.72 per
cow; deducting the cost of feed, which she
says was $8.0S per cow, these grades netted
$57.64 per cow. This of course may be an
exceptional case.
''The Aberdeen Poll" the gentleman
continued, lis low in quantity of milk, and
the second highest of any in specific grav-
! ity. The grade of this breed is much i'm
proved in milking properties, giving q
greater weight of cream, though a lower
| e fo1 . u.
cattle in the West, that but little is known
of them. They are exceedingly hardy and
are said to be good beefers.
''The Hereford is not more prominent
than the Shorthorn and Aberdeen Poll in
regard to milk, except in proportion of
butter from cream, in which it is highest.
The grade is very prominently in advance,
particularly in proportion of cream, but one
of the lowest in cheese" The Herefords in
this country have been bred for beef, and
have not been developed for milk.
''The Devon is most distinct in highest
specific gravity of milk, and the weight of
cheese from milk" The Devons, in Eng
land have been bred for oxen, and they
have well and patiently filled the place al
lotted them. There are two fine herds on
the grounds that have been bred with a
view of developing their milking qualities.
OTHER BRF2DS,
''The Galloway milk appears to be of a
peculiar texture-rich, or so small in butter
globules, as to rise very slowly and very
indistinct in the test tube" This breed is
but little known in the West
''The Ayrshire is a particularly heavy,
| long mixer, giving five times her own
weight per season. The milk is somewhat
low in specific gravity and per cent of
cream, but is over the average in cheese
production. The Ayrshire grade is not
| improved in any respect except in duration
of milking season." There are compare
! lively few herds Of this breed in this
country, and but little more can be said of
them, except that in the cheese making
districts of Scotland and England they are
noted for the large quantity and excellent
cheese they produce.
| '"The Jersey is remarkable for proportion
Of cream, averaging 35 per cent, and CIV
| ing value of dairy products Incompatible
to any other breed in our experience" The
| little Jersey is indeed the butter cow of all
others, and there are several very noted
herds on the ground. When dairying..is car
ried on ON the associated plan, that is, the
milk or cream from many herds is gathered
at one point for butter or cheese making,
but few Jerseys will be found; farmers
|
largely to Jersey blood. The Jersey has
long been denominated the gentleman's
COW, because her cream is so rich in butter
fats but the skim milk has little value as
all the cream rises, nor is the Jersey good
| for cheese or beef, and the farmer who
wants a general cow lets her severely
| alone.
! THERE ARE MANY OTHER BREEDS
Of cattle used in the dairy, but it appears
there were no others at the experimental
| farm where these tests were made. We
might enumerate the Kerry, the Gurnsey,
the Swiss, of which there is one herd on the
grounds; the Holderness, all of which are
but little known in this country. Then,
there are the HolSteins, of which there are
many herds on the grounds. These cattle
come largely from North Holland, where
they have been bred for milk with the ut
most care for generations. This breed is
becoming exceedingly popular in all the
dairy states, and especially SO in the West.
Minnesota can make very credltabie show
| ing of this stock and it is not without merit
About ten years ago few OF these cattle
were brought to Illinois, and they seemed
| to ''till long-felt WANT in the minds of
the farmers, who recognized their milking
| qualities; in short time there grew up a
decided demand for them, and importations
at once became numerous and large, and
thousands of head are now owned in the
United States.
In color they are black and white, the
black predominating, large frame, hardy,
and deep, heavy, long mixers. Individuals
Of this breed are reported as having given
ten times their own weight in milk. There
are a large number OF COWS of this breed
that have given from 10000 to $4,000
pounds of milk in a milking season. The