Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1904-01-19
Large versus Small Dairy Cow.

| er Importance than that done IN the in
terest of the dairy farmer. 1t is less
! costly to learn at another's expense thar
at ones own, and by giving heed to tn,
disintereSted, nOn-partisan work dom
by the stations, the dairy farmer ma,
save himself much bitter Disappointment
and not be misled by following the fals'
teachings of certain dairy writers anC
breed partisans. As its most valuabl,
work in this line, the Wis. Exp. Station
has recently issued Bulletin No. 102
entitled Studies in Milk Production
The present Wis. Exp. Station herd wa'
established in 1898, and the Bulletir
covers the work of this herd for period
of II years.
In order to make comparison of re
suits on basis of type, the herd wa:
divided into three classes, the small
dairy, and the dua-purpose type. Tn,
men making this division were MessrS
IF. III. Scribner, breeder of Jerseys
Charles L. Hill, breeder of Guernseys
Geo. McKerrow, breeder of Shorthorns
and W. b. Richards, Asst. in Dairy Hus
bandry at the station.
Pasture was figured at Sl.50 pei
month, and other feeds at average Wis
consin market prices; while the butter
was figured at zoe. per pound, and tht
skim milk at l5c. per 100 pounds. The
butter was computed ON the basis OF
Sj.7 per cent. of one pound of butter-fat
in the milk equivalent to one pound OF
finished butter; usually known as add,
ing one-sixth to the butter-fat, and the
standard now used by the HolStein-
FrieSian and Guernsey Association in
their official records made under the
supervision of the Exp. Stations.
The conclusion reached, as result OF
the most painStaking work through Il
period of almost five years, in which
all the food given each animal was
weighed, and each treated as though she
alone were on test, confirm my teach
ings of 20 years past that the larger
type of dairy COW is the more profitable
for the dairy farmer. Space will not
permit me to give as much as | would
like; but, as concluSively in favor of the
large dairy type, of which the Holstein-
Friesian is the best exponent, quote
the following:
Cows of the large dairy type prefer
able. From the data presented it will
be seen that, everything considered,
cows in group b, representing the large
dairy type, are clearly in the lead for
economic production of milk and butter
fat. The results of over four years
work with cows of the extreme dairy
type, represented in group A, not only
failed To establish the claims for the
superiority of cows of this type over a
much larger and apparently stronger
dairy type, but clearly showed that they
are not as large producers, nor as profit
able dairy animals, as the latter.
That the extreme dairy type has been
popular. at least in this state is evinced,
among other reasons, by the fact that
three of the cows selected for the Uni
yersity herd at our solicitation by promi-
nent dairymen in our state were fair
representatives of this type of cows, and
are included in group A. Our investi-
cations have been conducted under the
most favorable conditions possible foI
this type of COWS; the stable in which
they have been kept is considered a
model one, as regards cleanliness, light,
ventilation and general comfort of the
animals, and water is provided for them
in the stalls so that they are not exposed
to inclement weather at any time. They
are given the best of care and attention
at all times; being fed literally; kept
during the hot summer months in the
cool, darkened barn, protected from sun
and flies; and are fed various green feeds
and grain in summer, as we'll as protect
ed from cold in winter.
In view of the ever-increasing demands
ON the part of dairymen for cows that
will have endurance and ability to with
stand diseases, as well as great produc.
tive capacities, we do not hesitate to
state that in our opinion it is not the
part of wisdom for our dairymen to
select the small refined cows with a
spare habit of body in an extreme degree
as the most desirable type of dairy cows.
The Farmers or Dual-PurpoSe Type.
Neither is it the part of wisdom for the
dairyman, as such, TO select cows of Il
type similar to those in group Z, repre-
senting the dual-purpOSe type, and to
expect the greatest profit from them in
the production of milk and butter fat.
For the dairy farmer, the large type OF
dairy COW will, We believe, everything
considered, be found the most profitable.
In view of the results obtained with the
different groups, it is apparent that
cows with the greatest capacity for con
suming rough feed are generally the
most economical producers. This may
be accepted as fundamental character
istic of all cows capable of large and
economical production in the dairy.
m MS hv hran1l
are very striking, and, as usual, the
HolStein-F -Friesian breed is found TO ex-
eel. Indeed, it seems that with fair
representatives this great breed will al
ways win in any net profit comparison,
where both the butter fat and skim milk
have values assigned. The average re-
suits of the breed comparison as follows:
Holstein-Annual yield of milk, o.
9S7 3; annual yield of fat, S5l.6, annual
value products, S94.0S; annual cost of
food, S45. .46; annual net profit, S4S.f.
Guernsey-Aunual yield of milk, s.
53O.7; annual yield of fat, 3l9.4; annual
value products, SS2.3l; annual cost OF
food. S37.37; annual net profit, S44.94.
.Jersey-Annual yield of milk 5,7OO.2;
annual Weld of fat, Soil; annual value
products, S77.l0; annual cost of food,
s.. .22; annual net profit, S4l.SS.
Shorthorn-Annual yield of milk, T.
l2i.4: annual yield of fat, PSI; annual
value products, s74.26; annual cost OF
food, SIS. II; annual net profit, 5000.
A careful study of this table will show
the dairy farmer that il is not the COW
that gives the richest milk, but the COW
which produces the largest amount OF
butter fat that wins out. During all
those years, and for all their milk taken
in bulk, the average for the Holstein'
Friesian milk was 3.52 per cent fat,
while the Jersey average was much
higher; yet we see that the Holstein.
Friesians averaged annually over &c
pounds more of butter fat for each COW
than did the Jerseys.
But this table does not tell the whole
story: the Wis. station bad even better
grounds for deciding in favor of the
larger, harder, more vigorous cows. II
farmer went into the dairy business
4 n 4 II