The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1892-08-29
souTHERN DAIRYINa.
What a Southern Dairyman Has t
Say on the Subject.

What a Southern Dairyman Has to
Say on the Subject.
Does it pay the dairymen to replenish
their herds by selecting and raising their
best better calvesl is question often asked.
might answer differently il l lived north,
where more attention is necessary to raise
cattle, and, consequently, more handling Of
them is done, 80 that the heifer comes to
the pail educated, one might say, accus-
toned TO eat the regular food, and soon
falling into the business ways OF her COM
panOns, imagine there would be little
trouble for the dairyman living anywhere
north Of the infected region. or zone, in
supplying himself from his immediate
neighborhood or adjacent states
with the best OF COWS or heifers. But
with Us, who live so far south, it is very
different. Most OF the cattle raised are
never handled except &c mark or brand,
can only be tanned by starvation. | am
certain no dairyman has the time, inclina-
ton or patience to give to such stock.
When obliged to get in new stock we 60 to
dealers who bring COWS here from another
section, most Of them claim from South
Carolina, as that class are less liable to
southern fever, the same as Texan or
splenic fever. North Georgia, Tennessee and
North Carolina cattle are certain to have it
in fatal form in almost every instance. Sa-
vannah people are suspicious of any that
are said to come even from Macon, and
from Atlanta they would not sell at all.
Dealers ask from $40 to $50 for COW and
calf, but will not guarantee any stated
quantity of milk; of course the COWS usually
are represented as giving twelve or fifteen
quarts day at home though. They are
picked up through the country and in most
cases are doubtless sold for some fault as
people usually keep their best unless offered
fancy prices, which dealers do not usually
offer or pay. My experience and that Of
my neighbors has been very unsatisfactory
with these COWS. Last season | bought
seven head from South Carolina
dealers, four had southern fever, three died
and another proved to be the worst self
sucker l ever saw, and was given to the
butcher for one-third her cost price. The
best OF them are not profitable the first
season. Change of location, change of feed,
few being accustomed to tub food, taking
the calf away. having been allowed to raise
them heretofore, all tend to their disadvan-
tage and make it an Improbable investment
to the dairyman. With the home or hand
raised cow We have one that has cost
more than the other could be
bought for, but what a different
animal. Well. there is simply no
comparison between them. Our little
Jersey grades with their first calves give
ten or fifteen quarts of flne rich milk daily i,
while their big neighbors require more food
and give less milk. We have raised about
thirty that are mixers and would compare
favorably with any herd In the state. We
have twenty-seven Jersey grades, ranging
In age from to % months, that are as fine
set or youngsters as any one owns. All
are hand raised, aud would not know their
mothers if turned into the same field with
them. With an experience of six years,
am convinced that the dHiTymen
OF the fer south must raise
their heifers TO get the best
cows. Calves are the seed Of the diary and
all improvements in the stock must come
through them. The more docile and sffeo-
Tomato calf can be made the more quiet aud
useful the COW will be. With gentle treat
mentfrom calfhood, such a thing as breaking
acow to milk Is unknown to us. Some may
wonder how it costs so much to raise q calf
20 the time she takes her place as a mixer.
how many have ever givea the subject .
serious calculating thought was
astouuded when l FIRST made the calculation
OIL amount OF milk and other food required
and the market value of that food, with
out allowing anything for time of hired
nep either. Many people have an idea that
is only necessary to Let the calf have a
small portion OF it's mothers milk four or
ax months and then turn it out on pasture
10 take its chances; a cheap plan Of raising
a poor COW. This is our plan Of raising
'hem: Take it from the mother when 3
VI Gays old, place it in a pen where
sue can neither sea nor hear it; wait until
toe calf is hungry then take pail of milk
Iresn and warm from the mother 20 to the
pen, put one or two fingers into the Calls
mouth, which 1t will begin TO suck at once,
gradually lower the hand into the
pau OF milk let it suck a minute or two
longer, then carefully slip your fingers from
Es mouth and it will usually continue to
~ HFlhk without further trouble. Sometimes
u may require day or two, but little pa
tlehce will start it off all right. The milk
must always be given warm and fresh from
ue COW, until about 3 weeks old. Dur
ing the first month OF a calls life three
meats day OF three quarts each will be
ssuple When 4 weeks old, ground
naASeed boiled to a thin jelly is gradually
mixed with the milk until very little milk Is
gwen when the calf is months old. At
weeks OF age the youngster is taken from
s .le pen and placed in the calf pasture with
tno'e ranging In age to 6 months; here it at
o9oe learns to eat grass and the mixed feed
" snelled corn, oats and bran, that is given
~ broad shallow trough to the older ones.
le mig and fiaxseed is now given twice a
Ss!' It's great advantage to have them
paced with this gang OF older ones as they
1gou learn to eat all kinds Of food readily.
&c Try TO have three sets, those in the
Rsn, the next gang running to year
t,lhgs then the yearlings each gang
separate Enclosures, until they finally
'each what we term the dry cattle pasture.
q. months OF age the milk and fax
o9eu Is discontinued good pasture and a
SaarI OF the mixed grain daily will do for
summer and fall. During the winter
months the younger ones are allowed the
sraln ration and hay. the yearlings have
sccess to closed sheds, where they are given
10y 'uce day and a feed OF cotton seed
meal and bulls mixed, about one peck Co
a;h animal. As they usually come in just
lors years Of age. you can readily
that 10 has cost probably more
raise your COW than the South Carroll
~, INN would have cost. but you have an ami
IA 70 be proud of-one that Will give you.
-. ul 81 cases, twice the product OF the
usler the first season and ons-half more
- season for the next seven years. I'M
seIetand that am writing from a dairy
mao point a view, where milk rstalla ~