Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1886-07-20
3ailu Kfuret,s. journal.
The Need of Better Cows.

all lines IS done on narrow margins, and
when the difference between profitable and
Improbable ventures is often very slight.
That is, the slightest reduction in the cost
of product of mill or farm often en-
ables it to live and prosper. while rival
is forced to the wall because it cannot or
does not effect a similar saving. When
cotton cloth was 20. 80 or 40 cents per
yard and some factories were clearing 20
or 80 per cent IN making it. fractions did
not count so much. The mill that made
three cents yard of course earned better
dividends than the one of the same capaci-
ty that made only two. but the latter could
run and show a surplus, and so could one
that cleared bat half as much. But now
when the selling price is 6 or 8 cents, sue
cess or failure is balanced on as sharp d
pivot as 10Th or 32nd 70 cent yard.
and this fraction depends usually upon
close calculation, upon keeping up with
the times and making he mill produce
the last possible yard at the lowest posi-
bic cost. It is the same on the farm, ex-
cept that there the fact is not so clearly
shown because few farmers do anything
more at bookkeeping than to bunch results
and cannot tell exactly what a product
costs or whether it is profitable or not.
In the dairy, after every other fac
tor has been considered. there re-
mains one more important than any
other-the cow We NAV have cream
cries, cooperative or otherwise; they
may be managed with the greatest skill
and honesty and may give patrons the
very largest returns which human lngenu-
ity can secure under the conditions in
which they work, but the whole business
reaches back to the character of the cow,
and upon that depends success or failure.
This fact is better appreciated than it
used TO be, but by no means as it should
be. If it was, Just about half the cows in
this country would have gone to the
but cher before now. As Micawber would
have said if he had been a granger, ":Siy
quarts day,-result independence; five
quarts and pint day,-result. sheriff7s
sale" There is no such thing as stand
ard COW, but if it were possible to deter
mine the facts we could find cows that
will Just pay expenses, those that when
managed in the best manner make their
owners neither richer nor poorer, and we
fear that it would appear that fully half of
the twelve millions in this country are not
as good as this. A few are better, and
these are all that save the dairy business
from ruin. A milkman said to us recent
ly: II have COW that will make seven
quarts of milk daily the year round, and
another quite as large, and for aught can
see as hearty and expensive to keep, that
will not average five quarts. With milk
at three cents quart one cow returns
1866 year and the other S54,75,
a difference of about S22. AS
Stunning that it costs $55 year to
keep a COW, it is plain enough that no
farmer can afford to take the gilt OF a barn
full of these second rate animals and keep
them, while he can richly afford to pay
hundred dollars apiece or more for those
of the best quality, and that when it
comes to those that will give but three or
four quarts day, of which there are
too many, it needs but Il small herd to
ruin him"
Every farmer will admit the force and
justice of this style of argument and
and yet there are plenty of
farmers who keep year after year, cows
that they know or might know, do not pay
expenses, simply because they lack the
10 fat and XII them and invest
what looks like large sum in good ones
to tade their places. In too many barns
Il cow is cow without much regard to
her qualities. OF course any man prizes
a good cow more than poor one. but
the point we make is that very few re-
gard good one cheap and poor one
good at almost any price, which is the
fact, and that most get along with what
they hapden to have, If they buy or raise
one and she proves to be an extra they are
very glad but if she is only fair they
keep her year after year and allow her not
only to eat her head off every season, but
to rob her betters of the cash credits that
belong to them and because they do this
they make no money dairying, when
if they would reduce their herds
one half by getting rid of the poor
er animals, they would have no
cause to complain of the balance
sheet. In saying this we do not forget
that much depends on a cows feed and
care. but this does not weaken our prop0-
sition for it does not need to be argued
that there is an immense difference in
cows that are treated alike, and before we
weary our brains trying to discover the
best way to feed and care for them, we
should see to it that we have animals
upon whom generous and careful treat
ment will not be lost. What we need to
rescue the dairy business from unprofta-
bleness is better cows.
But it will be said that when all appre.
ciate the value of good cow and the
worthlessness of a poor one there will be
no good ones for sale. and this is true. 1t
being true. there is no other way open to
the common farmer but to raise his hefer
calves and keep them till he can tell to a
certainty whether they belong in the beef
barrel or somewhere else And here is
one OF the good features of the creamery,
especially of the cream gathering cream
cry, which leaves the skinned milk upon
the farm as sweet and palatable and al
most rs valuable for feeding to calves as
whole milk. The patron of one of these
creameries can raise a calf at very small
cost and he has no business to send a
promising heiter calf to the butcher or
dispose of it in any other way, if he in
tends to continue in the dairy business