The Lafayette gazette. [volume] (Lafayette, La.) 1893-1921, 1899-07-29
Where to Begin and How to
Build up the Dairy Industry
ON Our Farms.


by Mr.. O. b. jenkins. of Lafayette.l
Al the institute held here last year
read paper on the subject OF
..dairying in Southwest Louisiana
in which l endeavored to show that
dairying may be made = profitable
branch of our agriculture. shall
now attempt to outline some prac.
,ical way of establishing this i'm
portant industry on our farms.
In many sections OF our country
it is an easy matter for a farmer to-
change from some other branch Ct
agriculture to that dairying. He
perhaps has good pasture it not a
few bushels of grass, and clover seed
sown with his grain will insure fine
grazing.
All around him are good COWS
and heifers that can be had for a
reasonable consideration. There
may he butter or cheese factory
within lis reach; if not the good
housewife knows how to handle
milk and make good butter, and
with work on modern dairying,
and a few improved utensils, they
begin nperat'nns with assured sue
CESS Not so in Louisiana. Few
have good pastures and they are
generally small. Orr COWS are
poor mixers; only one here and
there that would be profitable in a
dairy. But few of our people have
had experience in the work, and
there are no factories to take the
milk and manufacture butter or
cheese. Where then shall we be-
gin, and how7
First prepare a good pasture.
Bermuda and lespedeza are perhaps
the best grass and clover for sum
mer pasture. Have shade in sum-
mer and good water at all times.
With such a pasture and good stock,
if the COWS do not "laugh and grow
fat" they will chew the cud of con-
tentment and give an abundance OF
milk. In winter they must be
housed and we'll fed either with
green oats and clover in the field or
dry feed and roots at the stable.
If one has not the COWS he must
purchase or raise them. If to be
purchased get them in the South; to
bring them from the North would
be too risky. There are places in
our latitude where Jerseys and per-
haps other dairy breeds are raIs.
Select breed and stick to it.
There is nothing better for the
South than Jerseys. They are old
and tried, handsome and profita Bile.
If you cannot get good blooded
cows to start with, get the best ma
tives you can and a good bull of the
desired breed and keep no scrubs
around. Raise the heifer calves |
and raise the M we'll.
The bull! should be kept III good
condition else his calves will be
few and weakly. Never let him
run with COWS in heat. One service |
is enough and more will only
weaken him. In selecting a bull
be sure his dam is good mixer;
the milking qualities of his heifers
will depend more upon her (th-
dam) milking qualities than upon
any other individual animal. If
heifers for the dairy are to be raised |
from native or common COWS it
III ght be best not to begin dairy |
operations until the heifers have
calves. If this plain is adopted lie.
the calves suck and take all the
milk. They will grow fast and
come into milking young. If one
has the means it would be more |
profitable to start with registered |
animals. Then the bull would |
bring good price for breeders and |
the heifeTs would pay we'll as milk
ers. Learn the heifers to be MIXED |
without their calves. A butting,
SOLDERING calf is not needed tor a
partner in the milking business.
Cows are much kinder and ca sier |
to handle if their calves are taken |
from them when young. Let the
heifers have their second calves in |
from eighteen to twenty four months |