The comet. (Johnson City, Tenn.) 1884-1916, 1893-10-19
THE JERSEY COW AID HER PRO.
DUCT.
PRIZE ESSAY, BY GEORGE JACKSON


miration for other milking breeds shut
her out from employmentin the dairy
that the Jersey COW, rs superior but
ter-maker aud great producer of rich
cream, stands without peer, and a,
honest confession from any practical
source, with full knowledge OF facts
will accord her this distinction, nc
matter what objections the breed may
possess in disqualiiying it for other
purposes.
AS family COW, whose milk, Gow
never ceases from the beginning 30
the end of-the year, always heavily
laden with cream. a royal favorite, and
an ornament to the barnyard, mild in
disposition, continually eyincing die.
position to doth right thing-these
points her bitterest opponents wi$p
freely admit. She is not notet speci'
ally as large yielder OF milk although
scores and hundreds of instances are
recorded attesting great capacity in
this direction.
Five to seven gallons per day is an.
admirable showing for any cow, Of any
breed, to make, and is fully equal to'
the amount given by many goo
animals ofthe heavier milking Breeds
whose best claim is for great yield OF
milk Jerseys without number have
records, we'll authenticated, in excess
of the highest amount named, and the
lowest is but little above q good aver
age for high-class animals OF the breed
when in full flow OF milk, and when
circumstances are most favorable. :
A large quantity of milk from the
Jersey COW is not, in itself, esteemed
the most valuable consideration, as
this feature is almost certain to de-
tract from its richness; a heavy milk
ing COW, of any breed, can not very
well, in the natural order of things
produce very rich milk, and in pro-
portion to increase of flow there is
lessening of the oily parts of which
butter is composed.
Experience teaches that compare
lively small mixers are often the
heaviest butter-makers; very few OF
the large butter-producers Of the race
have given an unusually great flow OF
milk, and it will be noted invariably
that pound OF butter is produced
from less milk from COW giviAg a
small amount than from one with a
heavy flow of milk.
Ihave before me list OF over thirty
Jersey COWS, none of them remarkable
for great milk'giving capacity, that
have produced apsund OF butter each
from an amount of milk varying from
81 to 10 pounds. The average OF
Jersey milk requires from Is to 16
pounds tor a pound OF butter. This
is the average quantity OF milk from
fresh COWS; as the making period 3D.
vances, the milk becomes richer In
cream aud yields proportionately
more butter.
The list alluded to contains the
names OF many of the most noted cows
of the breed, with butter-records vary
ing from 80 pounds to 46 pounds 1215
ounces per week. One OF them pro-
duced 936 pounds AK ounces within
year, which was all sold at an aver
age of 80 cents per pound several OF
them have official records of90 pounds
per week and more all are great con-
sumers of concentrated food, with I'M
mense digestive powers, and none are
inclined to accumulate flesh when in
full f1ow of milk. A dairy yield of
more than 80 pounds of milk from any
COW in the list is exceptional, and dur
ing the greater period of their milking
term it runs down below one.half that
quantity.
These COWS and their characteristics
are typical of their race, and the wise
breeder will not seek to divert the
course OF usefulness into other chan.
nels than legitimate ones. The gain
in quantity Of milk will be at the
sacrifice Of butter and cream, and ia
consequently retrograde movement