Fisherman & farmer. [volume] (Edenton, N.C.) 1887-19??, 1888-04-13

produce milk In our whole population,
and whose families comprise thirty mill
Ion persons, there are as many more in
the United States who consume milk,
ana estimating one quart as the daily
consumption of each family of FIVE
persons, there must be at least million
cows kept for the prediction of milk for
sale. This business is ALWAYS increasing
with the growth of cities and towns,
which require systematic supply.
The COWS most desirable for this in
dustry are large bodied animals, that
give an abundant yield of fairly good
milk, containing sufficient solid matter
to mark specific gravity of l. O3O on the
scale of the lactometer 1t will not paw
IN this business to rear calves. or to have
dry COWS feeding three months without
profit. a constant succession OF fresh
cows must be kept up by purchase, and
the failing cows must be disposed of to
the butchers. 1t would be more profit
able TO give them away than to keep
them to rear calves. Hence costly pure
bred cows cannot be kept, unless profit
can be made of the calves sufficient to
pay for the expenses of carrying the COWS
through their dry time. The cows most
desired for this business are the half
bred ShOrthorns, or grade Holstein-
F'riesians. Many breeders of fine pure
bred HOlsteins, which are large mixers,
and whose milk is excellent for this pur-
pose, devote their herds to the production
of milk for sale, finding a good demand
fer the calves, which sell at prices which
repay the cost of rearing them. Some
Ayrshire breeders do the same with equal
profit. But. as rule, it is
best to attend to one thing at a
time in business, and the milk
dairyman viii find the best COWS for his
use to be the grade Shorthorns, Hol-
stems, or Ayrshires. The first being the
best cattle for beef, fattening very easily
and rapidly when the yield of milk is
falling below profitable point, which is
from eight to ten quarts a day; the
second making fair beef, especially if
they have cross of Shorthorn in their
breeding. and the third being fairly good
beef cattle for local consumption. Each
kind is a good milking COW and pro-
duces a heavy, ell-tiavored and dense
milk which goes long way in coloring
tea and coffee, and suits the necessities
OF consumers in every way.
In the summer the cows are pastured,
but get their usual ration of corn meal,
and, when the grass begins to fail, are
fed green crops cut and carried to the
yard, or into feeding lots where they are
kept. The principal crop fed is corn
fodder grown in drills and cultivated as
we'll as if planted for grain. The main
crop on these farms is grass for pasture
and hay, and Western corn is purchased
for feeding. The reason for this is, that
corn is thus produced more cheaply and
easily than it can be grown here, and can
be purchased, while hay is not easily
transported, and cannot be bought profit
ably. Coarse feed should always be
grown in preference to grain food, and
this can be procured outside of the farm,
while the other cannot.
Partial soiling is indispensable for
feeding the cows on milk farm, for a
regular supply of milk must be had
every day, and this can only be kept up
after the grass fails by liberal feeding of
succulent green fodder. Ensilage is also
a most useful resource, as it provides
succulent food in winter. Where a salts
factory supply of brewers grains, glu-
cose meal and malt sprouts can be pro-
cured cheaply, these will take the place
of ensilage and can be preserved in the
same way With these foods, hay must
be fed as a Complementary fodder, and
the two kinds will be sufficient for all
purposes without ensilage.