The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1902-05-31
TO BUILD UP A DAIRY HERD.

York farmers institutes by o. c.
Gregg, superintendent Of the Mime
sofa farmers institute. 1t is we'll
known fact that dairy farming is a
much less profitable business than it
would be if better cows were kept.
There is good evidence that at least
one-half the cows in New York are
not paying their board, because they
have not been bred for the econom-
ical production of dairy products.
There are too many cows that are
of the beef type, and much of the
food they consume is wasted because
they are not able to convert it into
the maximum amount of milk or but
ter fat. Some of the valuable points
which Mr.. Gregg gave on the breed
ing of dairy cows and the selection of
sires are as fo1lows-he discussed the
subject from dairyman' S and from the
breeders standpoint:
From the dairyman's standpoint,
he said: The dairyman had better
begin with grades and breed them up.
First get true conception of what
the profitable business COW should
be. Many of the old ideas that have
been held must be given up. l want
a COW that has what is called large
"niddle piece" i. e., large capacity
between the forward and hind legs.
She must be great consumer of food,
and so must have room for large di-
gestive organs. Many cows that are
perfect from the breeders standpoint
have not this form. The breeder
should know what the dairyman
wants for economical milk produc-
ton, and breed those cows 1 want
COW that is directly opposite from
the beef type; a COW with large alb
dominal capacity and scant develop
ment in the back and hips, where the
beef COW lays on meat. Next 1 want
large capacity. l pay little attention
to the milk veins, but want large
milk holes. These entrances in the
..LI~.--:-.ss1 wu11o, ila t1.~ L~at ee---s,
are nearer the fore legs than the cen
tire of the abdomen. Another indica-
ton of a good COW is an eye that
stands out full, as showing nerve
power. Cows which do not have
these characteristics, are not worth
your labor of caring for and feed
ing, and can never pay satisfactory
profits. Study to make nature serve
you, and breed cows which have the
largest capacity for milk production.
Dairymen should also make study
of sires-sires that can get cows that
are valuable from the dairyman's,
and not from the breeders, standpoint
of fancy points ! Improve your dairy
by breeding your grade cows to thor
oughbred sires having the dairy form
and from COWS that have a record of
large milk production. You cannot
take the advice of a breeder of thor
oughbred cattle when you want a
sire. While they may be honest and
conscientious men, yet they may not
have the right conception of what the
dairymen want.
When the only purpose is the large
production of dairy products, the
points which should govern in the Sc
lection of the sire are open ribbed
large space between the ribs and the
hips-which indicates large abdomi-
nal capacity; small and thin horns,
showing that nature is reducing the
combative side Of the animal and in
creasing the maternal side; also thin
hips and back, or lack of development
in those parts where the beef animal
lays on meat dish face, full large
eye, large nostrils, full and large
chest, showing vitality. Sires should
posses the points which are found in
the best dairy COWS. Breed dairy
form to dairy form, and you get the
best results. Do not buy sire be-
cause he is handsome, according to
the breeders scale of points. In this
connection I will give my own ex-
perience when engaged in the cream
cry patrons investigation for Hoard S
DaiYynlan. 1t was the custom of
the patrons of most of the creameries
1 visited to raise heifer calves from
their best cows, and I found they
were often disappointed in the cows
they bred. These dairymen thought
they were doing about all they could
to build up a good herd of cows, if
they only raised the calves from their
best COWS. Sometimes large prices
were paid for a heifer calf from the
best COW in a good herd, and the calf
made very ordinary COW.
1 could see how a knowledge of the
laws of breeding would be of great
value to dairymen in helping them
to avoid mistakes that would require
years to rectify; that would teach
them-while it is all right to raise
heifer calves from the best cows-to
keep up the herd, the COW cannot be
depended upon to transmit her best
qualities to her heifers; but she more
often transmits them to male off
spring. It is the sire that will trans
nit desirable qualities, inherited from
a mother possessing them, to his heif-
er calves, according to law which
can be observed in both the animal
and human races, i. e., the male
transmits its characteristics to the fe.
male and the female to the male.
My observation has shown me that
because this law of heredity is not
we'll understood or appreciated, very
many dairymen have not succeeded
we'll in breeding a good herd. Near.
ly all the losses in dairy business have