The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1897-10-14

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and with brewers grains; and that in
about three years these COWS were
burnt out for milk purposes. When
this point was reached, the proprietors
sold the COW to the butcher for enough
to buy another mich COW. The COWS,
I have since learned, were what is call
ed the Simmenthaler COW, and they
have been introduced into the United
States. In this way there was no loss
Of capital, while with the poor breed
of mich COWS when burnt out, the ami
mails would sell for but a trife. In
the latter case, there would be total
loss of capital in four years.
It seemed to me that the Germans
possessed great deal of financial wis
dom.
At the Agricultural Station, st. An
thony Park, the professors at one time
exhibited to the scholars two COWS up
on a stage; one Shorthorn weighing
about 140O, the other a Jersey weigh
ing CTS. The former made 800 pounds
of butter yearly, at an expense for feed
of five cents per pound; the latter
made 475 pounds of butter year at
an expense for feed of three cents per
pound.
I presume the lectures 60 no further
than to show that the general purpose
COW requires FIVE cents worth of feed
to make pound of butter, and the
pure milking COW, only three cents. I
suppose the inference drawn by the
students, is that the two statements
are fair representative of the respect
i've values to the farmer, of the differ
ent kinds of animals.
The conclusion is entirely fallacious.
It may be stated, as general rule,
that about thirty per cent. of the milk
ing breed of heifers and about the
same per cent. of the general purpose
COWS fail to make good profitable COWS.
In the former case, the farmer has de-
voted three years to raising heifer
that proves worthless as a mixer; and
he is repaid by being compelled to
throw her away; while in the latter
case, the farmer can sell the animal to
butcher, and be repaid for all it's
costs.
Again, the pure milking breed of
COWS have been inbred so much that
their constitution is weak, and they
cannot stand the high pressure of con-
verting SO much food into milk. There
fore, at the end of three or four years,
these animals are used up, and then
practically thrown away.
While the general purpose COW is
good as mixer for about seven years;
at the end of which period the owner
can sell it to the butcher for enough
to buy young COW, his capital is thus
forever perpetuating itself.
Another feature which is fallacious
is that there are not one thousand
COWS in the United States, each yield
ing AS pounds of butter yearly, and a
dairy of such cattle, could it be got
ten together at ally would cost very
large sum of money, while a herd of
general purpose COWS can be gotten
very readily for moderate amount.
| am told that the instructors of the
college frequently point out the Jersey
COW, and say to the auditors: "A
heifer calf from that COW would bring
seventy-fve dollars"
| do not dispute that men could he
found who would pay such price for
few heifers. A man who took-a fancy
to peacocks would not hesitate to pay
five dollars for a pair. Among cpl
cures it is claimed that the flesh of a
peacock is far more delicate than that
of the turkey and it was especially
priced by the Romans; yet it would be
folly for the agricultural instructor to
advise tue boys and girls of the rural
districts to begin raising peacocks in
stead of turkeys.
i The instruction to which have just
referred, if given for any length Of
time, will bring incalculable loss up.
on the farmers of our State. If the
people go into butter COWS exclusively
!; it is not at all improbable that the
butter business will be over-done, the
price of butter reduced below a pay
, ing basis; and at the same time, the
: price of beef cattle will be very high