Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1909-08-31
Future Dairy Cows.

TutuAC Oohy SoWSs
There is no need of accentuating the
fact that there is present shortage of
good dairy stock and that the very near
future shortage will be much more pro.
nounced than the present shortage. Dairy
COWS, which take two or more years to
mature, cannot be grown in day.
Planning and work must be done ahead
to meet the ever increasing demands for
dairy stock and dairy products, and 1t is
the duty, and it will be to the profit OF
every dairyman to breed as much and
as good stock as his plant will allow.
Already too many dairymen and keep
ers of milch COWS rely upon Others to
grow young stock for them. They are
giving too much attention to present
production and present profits without
providing in the best way for future
production. The man that is keeping
good cows should breed for and grow
heifers of high producing power, and
the man who has only common cows
should breed with view of bettering
his herd. 1t is necessary to breed dairy
COWS every year in order to make them
freshen. Every producer is we'll aware
of this fact. So far as the cow or her
keeping are concerned, it requires no
more work or feed to grow good calf
than it does to grow a scrub. The only
difference is in the cost of the service Of
the bull. The service of scrub bull
costs something, but the calf from such
bull as a rule is not worth keeping.
With the present high price of feeds, a
scrub heifer will not only be kept at no
net profit, but at distinct loss. Such
dairy methods are folly.
Whether one owns his own dairy bull
or hires the services of one, it will pay
big in future profits to breed to only the
very best obtainable one. Ten dollars
extra for the service of good dairy
bull will produce heifer that will more
than pay the extra ten dollars in her
first years milk, besides having bred
quality herself for producing still better
stock which in itself is worth many
times more than the extra cost of ser
vice, making the gain two-fold. With
most keepers of high grade dairy bulls,
a large charge is made for heifer calf
while a small charge is made for bull
calf, hence there is practically no loss
when a heifer calf is not born. II full
blood registered cows are bred to full
blood registered male, then the male
calves can nearly always be disposed OF
at good figures, hence there is profit In
almost every calf from pure bred stock.
Breed young heifers to the very best
obtaipable bull, and breed along some
definite line with a distinct object in
view. Many men breed their young
heifers to any kind of a bull simply to
make them producers for the first time,
holding that the first calf will not
amount to anything. This is a great
mistake, and loss of tirne and money.
The first calf from heifer that is bred
to freshen from twenty-four to thirty
months of age, with proper care and
feeding, will be just as good an animal
as her second calf, or any other calf.
The young heifer, of course, is not fully
matured with her first calf and she will
not give as much milk as at complete
maturity, but the calf will do just as
we'll as any other calf If it is fed and car
ed for as we'll. In case the heifer turns
out to be poor mixer, then her calves
need not be kept for dairy purposes, but
this risk must be run with all cows,
especially with COWS that have been pur-
chased when their records are not alb
solutely known.
All people are supposed to be honest
until they have been found to be other
wise, and dairymen as rule are men of
the highest integrity, but it is human
nature for every man to think that his
stock is a little better than his neigh
Dor. 1t is all right to buy dairy stock if
you must buy but it is far better to
grow your own cows if you can grow
them. Also 1t is better to have good
dairy cattle to sell than to be compelled
to buy, especially after you get started
in the business. Since you must breed
all your cows regularly, it is greatly to
your advantage to breed only to the very
best. In few years by this method,
you will have enough good stock to take
the place of poor producers to fill vacan-
cies and to sell-at good prices.