The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1896-03-31
No. 8


and Jersey COW is ener4lly a mongrel,
or mixed in an utter confusion of col
ors and Wooley to a great extent. The
eyes and deer like head OF the jersey
can be detected at times, while their
form is smoother, more plump and less
b0I4y than either the H1lstein or Jersey
and their size is between the two.
Tne first cross between the Holstein
and common stock is uniformly black
and white, while about one sixth of
the second crosses goes back in color to
the dam of the first cross, and the
crosses thereafter prove true TO the
Holsteins IN color.
Our present grade of Holsteins givs
about twice as much milk as the grade
Jerseys did ten years ago, while their
milk stands on an average at about
four per cent. butter fat by the Bah.
cock test, which is about the same as
for the Jersey grades.
Our herd numbers on an. average
about 800 head, and our two milking
barns hold about 500 head, which num-
Der we aim to keep good, in good mil
kers.
The present herd of stock shows
large animals with more vigor and pro-
ductlveness than at any time hereto
fore, and we feel that there will be q
constant Improvement through our
m9Chod of breeding and selection, that
will in time bring up our herd to q
standard in which we may take pride
and profit, and yet remain a public
benetaction.
We have some 1000 out of 5000
acres seeded to rye and orchard grass
now in fine condition, although some
of it has been seeded for % years.
Besides this feed, we purchase an
nually about 1000 tons of mill and
other feed, about /, 500 tons of hay.
We feed mostly barley and bran. but
for economical reasons we have fed
large quantities of wheat, corn, beans,
peas, beets, carrots, squash, oil cake,
etc. We grind our grain on the farm
| that we may be sure that it is sound
and wholesome.
all our fields have springs of pure
water running by gravitation into
large trougbs, and not a well or pump
on the place. The land is rolling and
we'll sodded, and cattle are never in
the mud in the worst weather. We
only stable ou animals about six hours
daily, during feeding and milking, as
our winters are mild and the grass is
then at its best. Each mixer milks
and cares for a string Of 80 COWS and
does little else at $50 per month and
board.
We have had to purchase many COWS
every year to keep the milking barns
full, because we have not the land to
raise enough calves and herein has
been our greatest difficulty.
Mos5 of our milk dairymon raise but
few calves; the remainder goes to the
hogs at an early date. They cannot
sell them to the ct OK raIsers because
they are not suitable for beef, while
the stock ra5s3r is Interested in beef
alone and cannot furnish good COWS to
the dairymen, and thus the two are
widely separated and Of no use to each
other, for econcm Il reasons, they
think.
There is opportunity for both Some
of the largest stock raisers here have
been of late follow the course we
have pursued, and now there is in the
market quite an increased number of
COWS OF the first and c1nd Holstein
cross. These COWS bring from $40 to
$50 each, while the com non COW brings
from $50 to $35.
Some of our largest stock raisers now
keep dairies more for the purpose of
breaking in heifers and raising better
bulls than for dairy products, as they
can sell q good three year old COW for
twice as much as steer Of the same
age and weight, and good young bulls
for much more. They find that young
stock must be well cared for in their
youth in order to secure weight and
vitality in their maturity.
The Holstein seems to be the only
breed, at present, that will produce,
through crossing with other breeds, q
general purpose COW that will be prof
table for both meat and milk. Such is
the experience on this coast 80 far az l
know, and it is a great satisfaction to
think and believe that the appalling
waste in the destruction of young ami
mails, because there was no place for
them through the methods of men,