The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1893-03-13
Care and Treatment OF Jersey Cattle.
Prize Essay, by Mrs. Ella Rockwood.

Prize Essay, by Mrs. Ella RockDood
| Perhaps no breed Of cattle possesses In O
greater degree susceptibility to treatment
kind or unkind, than the Jersey. The Pc
culiar nervous temperament SO essential il
perfect dairy COW is one Of her strongest
characteristics.
| true specimen of this breed, and note the
large fawnliRe Seyes, bright and
| glistening. Look at the thin, dilat.
| ing rostrils, with their orange lining,
which seem to scent danger like a deer, and
seeing, know that this queen among COWS
demands and we'll deserves the most careful
handling aud klndest treatment to bring
out her good qualities and keep them al
their best.
No COW, from tho scrub to the thorough
bred can do her best unless under circum-
stances conducive to quiet and content; and
although cows of more sluggish tempera-
ment may bear lll-usage with little appar-
ent regard it is not 30 with the sensitive
Jersey, and she soon depreciates in value.
From ca flood she b uld have reas IN to
regard her master as her friend. No blows
or harsh words should teach her TO feGr
him; but she should expect and receive only
caresses and kind words. Under such treat
ment she will develop gentle, kind dispo-
sItion.
She should be taught to lead by halter,
to stand quietly as for milking, and to bear
handling of the udder long before she
reaches maternity; so that she may be quiet
and easily handled, instead of being wild
and manageable, as heifers often are at
that time. No breaking-in will be neces-
sary, and if it is desira le to dispose of her
she will bring better price than one that
has never been trained.
Do not make the mistake Of thinking that
when she drops her first calf is time enough
to begin feeding her; she should have been
fed from her birth with this in view.
No supplemental food is better than
ground oats as help in developing the
heiFer calf. AS soon as she begins to eat
hay she should have a little, night and
morning, fed dry. Begin with half pint
or feed, or even less. and gradually increa SO
the quantity until bessie will take pint at
a feeding Keep her thrifty and growing.
A calf once stunted by insufficient or i'm
proper food will never make so good COW
as she would otherwise have been.
The grain ratIops should be increased as
the heifer grows, and at the arrival of the
milking period she should, after the first few
days, be given generous quantity OF such
food as is best suited to assist her in produc-
ing milk.
While there are various grain foods
recommended by dairymerl as excellent for
mich COWS, for the general feeder and the
average COW nothing is better than a mix
ture Of one part cornmeal, one part oat.
meal and two OF wheat bran. or this, feed
as much as after experimenting with your
COW you find gives best results in milk and
butter.
Each COW is a law unto herself as to the
amount Of foo she can proftably consume.
1t takes more to produce like result with
one than another. 10 TO the extent Of her
CAPACITY the greater the amount consumed
the greater the returns at the pail and
churn but when cow Is fed beyond her
capacity to convert the food into milk and
butter she is fed at a loss; the extra food
gees to make Fat.
liberal allowance Of coarse fodder
should also be fed. Clover hay, corn fod-
der, ensilsge-all are good. Roots are val
liable as food for milch COWS. Carrots
are, perhaps, best, with sugar beets next.
Turnips and rutabagas will flavor the
butter.
Pure water should always be within reach
Of the cows No other domestic animal
requires SO large quantity. and a shrink
age Of the milk will follow IL she is deprived
Of it in abundance.
While Jerseys, as breed, are unsurpassed
as buttermakers, there is a wide range in
their value in this respect. Each COW should
be tested and the best only kept. In re-
gard to testing. it Is not always that the
COW showing the highest test Of butter-fat Is
really the best COW. Other things should
be taken into consideration-Quautit of
milk and length of milk period during the
year. These should be considered before
deciding, as a cow showing a medium
amount Of butter fat may make up in