The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1893-02-21
THE JERSEY cow A REFoRMER
Prize Essay, By George Jackson


The Jersey COW is dairy reformer.
| Her influences in this direction are ap
parent in the fact that since her intro
| duction, and the recognition of her
I claims for butter making, the quality
of that article has improved beyond
comparison, it's value has advanced
and the demand has increased in a far
greater ratio than the facility to fur
nish it. In almost every community
indeed, it is pretty generally so every
where-the product of the Jersey dairy
sells to eager buyers at % to 33 per
cent. more than that from other breeds
of cattle, and it Is not uncommon, near
large cities and centers of wealth, that
the entire yield Of butter from Jersey
herds is engaged the year through at
40, SO and even rs cents per pound.
She has introduced another import
ant measure of reform into the system
of management of the dairy herd. 1t
has been the custom of milk and butter
dairymen to buy fresh COWS and milk
them through the season, Or until their
supply has decreased to an Improbable
point, when they were turned off, and
others, freshly calved, substituted, in
order % keep up the required quantity
of milk. Many COWS procured in this
way dry eff after very brief milking
period, and, as there is q wide differ
ence in the selling value between fresh
COWS and dry ones, the plan is expen
sive and improbable to the dairymen
The fresh COW of few months before,
bought at the high price dairy animals
in full Tow of milk always command,
must go at any sum Obtainable, gener-
ally a very low one, for deals in dry
01r fov IL 10 lO1
The constitutional habitOf the Jersey
COW to milk in profitable quantities the
year round, together with her increased
value as dairy animal, abolishes the
necessity Of this extravagant course,
and will Justify the dairyman in keep
ing her from year to year, combining
with his dairy interests that Of
breeder. The offspring of his COWS are
readily sold at paying prices if he does
not care to raise them. the new supply
Of milk can be utilized in his business
and, by judiciOus direction Of his breed
ing operations, he may secure an even
and continuous supply from his herd
during the entire year
Jerseys as a rule are not large milk
ers, though the breeding tendency of
recent yea g is to increase the amount,
and there are now many heavy milk
ing cows Of the breed, but they are
nearly always persistent in their yields
and rarely dry off for more than few
weeks before calving, and by far the
greater number never dry at ali. This
is a most valuable feature to the dairy
man; and in connection with it, when
the increased richness Of milk is con
sidered, the balance of profit in favor
Of the Jersey as a yearly producer of
butter over the short term thin mixers
is very apparent, and convincing to the
mind of the practical dairyman.
Among the more popular and valued
reforms brought about by the Jersey
is the mission she fills as the family
COW, the one animal kept to furnish
milk, cream and butter for the house
hold This article of household econ.
omy is about as indispensable to every
well regulated home as the well Of
water at the door, and the kind Of COW
employed in ninety nine cases in a
hundred, all over the land, in town,
village and country, is a Jersey COW;
and where she has not yet made her
appearance she is being looked for,
and it is safe to predict that when once
established she will stay, Even men
who give special attention to raising
beef cattle, and can see nothing of
value in the Jersey except her adapta
ton as family COW, seek her eagerly
for this purpose.