The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1894-09-12
Advantages of Winter Dairying.

1t is astonishing that so few people
have vet discovered the profit ard other
advantages of having most of the cows
on the farm fresh during the autumn
months. Many object to milking and
TO the care of so much milk in the win
ter time, and others think having cows
in full flow of milk during the winter
requires expensive feeding. These OBJ
iections are not unnatural, and If but
lightly considered may be made to fur
nish some seemingly reasonable argu-
ments against autumn fresh cows. But
if one carefully studies the subject, the
great advantages of winter dairying
soon become apparent. Even if COWS
are dry during part of the winter, it
is certainly poor policy to lessen the
care and food at this season. If not
giving milk, the cows are performing
the equally important work OF maturing
the unborn calves, and need generous
treatment. Indeed, good dairy COW
deserves, and should receive, to insure
the greatest profit, liberal feeding and
good care all the year round. For some
years / have had charge of large
butter-making herd, and the engage
ment made it desirable 10 have some
COWS calving in every month of the
year. On looking over the records, l
find that, with cows of like age and
breeding, those which calved in Sep
TENDER and October gave on the aver
age from 800 to 1000 pounds, or about
100 gallons, more milk in the year thai
those which were fresh in spring. and
this was Just so much profit, because all
were treated alike, at all seasons,
whether fresh or dry. Additional profit
resulted from the fact that the milk
produced in December and January
was much richer than that from the
pasturage of early summer. Taking
the herd through, it required one quart,
and sometimes two quarts, less milk in
winter than in summer to make pound
of butter. Cows fresh on autumn pas
turage make up fine udders, and get a
good start, perhaps not 80 extremely
" flush" but more substantial, because
on more nutritious food. With reason
ably good care, the flow of milk is kept
up through the winter, and, when the
animal has a tendency from various
causes to dry off, the fresh pastures of
spring are ready, and new start given,
which carries the COW along well with
profitable flow. 1t is noticeable that,
in cows apparently alike, those calving
in the autumn are dry shorter time
than those fresh in the spring. More
over, there seems to be no better time
for cows to be dry on their own account,
and on that of their owners, than from
the middle of July to the middle of
September. That is the period when
cows have to contend 30 often with heat
and flies, and dry, short pastures. The
three points men ioned-a long milking
period, more milk in the year, and of
greater average richness-makea strong
argument in favor of autumn fresh
COWS for profit. But there is still fur
ther margin for profit in winter dairy
ing-not only can one get more butter
in a year from herd thus managed, and
of higher average quality, but the but.
ter is worth much more when made, and
can be kept for weeks if necessary with
less liability of injury and loss. AS q
general rule, two pounds of butter in
winter are worth more than three
pounds in summer. Yet most people
continue to make and sell at this loss Of
one dollar in every three.-Farm ana
HOnle