Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1903-10-27
Milking Shorthorns.

Shorthorn cow owned by live New
Brunswick farmer, given in the recent
issue of the Farmer brings to attention
a class of animals still found in consider
able numbers in some parts of our state
and in the neighboring provinces. That
they are retained among US is proof
they are found to fill useful place wit b
the owners in whose herds they are
kept.
1t was natural sequence when the
attention of farmers came to be centered
on the creamery business that they
should focus their efforts on the Jersey
breed of cattle. But all farmers are not
specialists, and after long years of ex-
perience, some of them have come to
realize that there is broader useful
ness for the cow than to make cream
alone. There is, therefore, among those
not specialists, either by taste or quail
fication, something of reaction toward
class of COWS corresponding in meas
ure to their likingS and inclinations.
Hence there is a growing demand for
cows good for the double purpose of
making both milk and meat. This has
les ilted in the awakening interest in
Shorthorn cattle abroad in our state and
the adjoining provinces. This interest is
especially active at the present time in
Aroostook county, as the many recent
purchases of animals to go out on to the
farms in that section bear witness, but it
is by no means confined to the county,
as the columns of the Farmer frequently
testify to the multiplication over the
en,ire state. That Shorthorn blood has
merit in milk making there is plenty of
evidence. The time has not gone out
of the memory of the older farmers still
with us when it was the leading blood
with the most progressive men in our
state. Many of those old cows, under
the feed and care then bestowed, were
remarkable performers both at the pail
and churn. While that line of stock,
unfortunately, has been allowed to
largely drop away from us, yet there is
some of it still left, and plenty in the
country to draw from. The milking
powers of the dairy type of Shorthorn
cows have not of late been pushed to
the front, yet there is evidence that they
are there and need only to be brought
out to be appreciated by the public. In
proof note the records of cows recently
brought into the Hopkins Brothers and
the Reed herds at Presque Isle. Note
alto the fine illustration in this issue,
the COW being large producer of good
milk and persistent mixer. On the
exhibition grounds at Fredericton Short
horns cows were shown with a record of
more than $4,000 pounds of milk yearly
testing over four per cent. Not less
Jerseys and Guernseys or Ayrshires are
wanted but more of each and with this
increase more of the good old dairy
type of Shorthorn, with its naturally
rugged constitution and great power of
endurance.
In recent bulletin the Iowa station
reports milk records that would be
credit to any special dairy breed, made
by Shorthorn cows that were picked up
from common farmers herds, with no
special dairy characteristics to distin-
gush them from the beef type-the ex-
pertinent made for the express purpose
of showing that milking powers were
still left in the common ShorthornS of
the country. In the matter of profit,
that for which the stock of the common
farmer is kept, the ShorthOrn breed at
the worlds fair dairy test at Chicago
stood abreast with the best of the whole
list. At the present time Shorthorn
cows are eagerly caaght up by milkmen
keeping cows for the milk supply in all
our cities and large towns. Farmers in
our state are making no mistake in seek
ing cows of the Shorthorn breed for the
profit they may realize from them. All
over the state is plenty of pasturage and
low cost fodder on which such cattle
can be reared at profit. Aroostook
county especially may well be congratu-
lated on the enterprise that is bringing
within its reach stock of this breed and
of so high merit. More of them are
wanted all over the state.-Maine Farm
or