The evening times., 1897-06-07

The department OF Agriculture has IssIed
a bulletin on "The Dairy Herd; It's Forma-
tiou and Management" II is the work u
Henry E. AIyord, chief Of the dairy division
Of the Bureau of Animal Industry.
Mr.. AIyord maintains that the pursuit %
DAIRY farming depends for its success upon
certain fundamental cOnditIonE First.
the owner or manager, who has The imHie-
date control and direction Of the work. must
have anatuI sIfondneSs for animals. .prUmpt-
ing 70 generous ana kind treatment, as
well as good Judgment in selection, breed
ing and care. 10 is not sHfficien nj that be
should be a hOrseInan. or that he be fond or
cattle in general Second. the cattle inuss
be good OF their kind, and Of vaTiet . suited
to their work They must be truly dairy
cattle. Third, the farm should be spe-
cially adapted 70 the branch OF husbandry
in view. Fourth, it is well 10 study the
character OF the accessible markets, and
the means OF communication.
Like almost all other occupations Of the
present day, dairying has become divitred
into several distinct and special lines.
These differ mainly in the form OF product
ana the manner OF disposing Of iU. Dairy
men are divided in opinion as TO the kind
or COW which Is most profitable Some
prefer q general purpose" COW, being u
member OF the speciaIIy-deyelOped, meat
producing family from one Of the beef
breeds or grades OF such stock An anE
NAL is thus sect ured which has a largeframe,
Is easily keptin good flesh and fattens soon
when not milking heavily Such a COW
also has large calves profitable FOR veal
OF for growing as steers. Even II such AMI
mails are not so productive in the dairy
proper, their matchmaking prOclivities may
Compensate f0r it. There are two OF three
breeds Of cattle which claiIH TO possess
Combined qualities FOR meat aud milk.
On the other hand, there are many dairy
men who prefer cattle OF the distinct type
especially adapted for dairy purposes alone.
Owners Of such cows expect them 20 be 50
profitable as mixers that their beef-prD-
duCing quality and the final disposition II
their ca1casses may be ignored, and their
calves, except so far as wanted to raise
for the dairy. are given little considerJ-
ton. There are cows Uf active habits which
forage well on a wide range Of scanty
pasture and p1ofItably work up the coarser
kinds Of food in winter. There are others
that produce better when confined aad sub
1eCted t. higher feeding. Some COWS give
d great flow OF milk for a comparatively
short season. and others are noted for an
even. steady Yield Of milk the year through.
Hr AlvOTd believes that there is no point
OF greater importance in selecting aui-
mails for the foundation Of the herd. or IN
making purchases IS Of additions. than 70 get
should be critically examined by "a veterna-
Tian II possible and should afford evidence
OF being constitutiouaHy strong Besides
the robust ChaTacter Of the Individuals, the
breedIug stock from which they are descend
ed and the herd. stables and farm from
which they come should be closely examiaed
on the score Of health
Strange animals should not be allowed
on the farm, one Of the best safeguards
against the Introduction OF disease. ~
purchases must be made, the new stock
should be strictly quaTantined for al least
one month before mingling with the hert
on every farm Uf any size there should BE-
a secluded building to be used as a stock
hospital or quarantine
Close confinement, with impure air AMI
lack of exercise is as pTejudiCial to tho
health Of milch cows as IL is 70 human be
ings Some recently promulgated tueO ies
If dark, warm stables and no exercise for
profitable milk production are, Mr AivJrd
thinks, without rational basis and CeT:ain
to lead 70 disastrous results. Exposure 10
storms and cold is also injurious 10 the
health of cows.
Every member OF the herd should pass
under The eye of the owner daily, DT ore
ferably twice a day. The least symptoms
of disorder, like dUllDess, loss Of appe tie.
rough coat. irregUlarity OF milk, should
tie noted and promptly attended to. Mr.
Alvord believes In letting COWS have piefty
Of grass As soon as the spring grass gets
high enough for the cows 20 eat1 hey shJuld
be permitted To have it. At first the tiIEe
daily on pasture should be very short fer
The good of both pasture and COW. Tne
latter Should be gradually changed nom
stablt feeding 70 raSturage, especially n
tie feeding has been of dry material or
mostly 50.
The stable feeding should continue IN
changed until the cow indicates that she
is getting enough grass TO replace TaIt
Of the stable ration. If the pasture. fur
nisneS an abundance and variety Cf grasses
there can be no better food fOUnI for the
mich COW. The nutritive ratio for fixed
pasturage is about / 20 ., which cannot be
improved for succuIent food The best
pasture grasses contain So to 20 Ter cent
water, and she must procure about one
pound 81 so daily to- get the food material
necessary to her support. Shade aEd srater
should he carefully looked after in COEnecs
tion with the pasturage.