Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1911-07-25

Cow Comfort and Efficiency.
When the returns from the dairy bust
ness are not satisfactory it is not at al
unusual for the owner to complain tha
his cows are poor, and for his friends tc
advise him to obtain better ones. The
explanation is plausible, and the remedy
is easy to suggest. But it often occurs
that the explanation is incorrect and the
remedy is impracticable.
1t is easier to blame the cows than II
is TO carefully investigate the cause OF
their shortcomings, and il is pleasanter
to do this than il Is. to admit that the
owner may be more deserving Of blame
than are his cows. But easy and pleas
ant ways are not always the right ways.
They sometimes lead those who follow
them far astray. Comparatively few
cows have ever reached the limit Of their
possible productiveness. The great ma
jority have an actual and potential
accomplishment-what they do and
what they have the capacity for doing.
The quantity of milk which they yield is
below, and in many cases it is far below,
what it might and ought to be. If
judged by their present productiveness,
they must be ranked as poor cows. But
10 possible yield is made the basis OF
judgment, many of them will 60 into
higher class.
1t is perfectly natural that the owner
Of cow that never yields more than
very moderate quantity of milk should
be- dissatisfied But in q great many,
probably in the majority of cases, much
can be said in behalf of the COW. She has
never had any special care or attention
She has never been placed under condi-
tons which would enable her capacity for
milk production to be determined. No
intelligent and persistent effort to find
" whether she can do better than she has
lone has ever been made. 1t Is true
hat she may not be valuable, but 1t Is
not fair TO the cow or profitable for her
owner to condemn her as inferior until
the has had a fair and adequate test.
She should not be put into the class of
poor cows until well-directed efforts for
,er improvement have been made.
Whenever conditions are at fault they
should be corrected and the COW should
hen be given fair period Of probation.
4 this is done ii is not at all improbable
hat a good part of the blame for the
of which he has complained
ihould be placed on the owner rather
han on the COW.
There are various ways in which con-
litions may fall below proper stand
Ird. There are farms on which the
,ows should be better protected against
udden changes of temperature, from
Extremes OF heat and cold, and from ex-
,osure to storms. There should be
protection from flies, and all other
auses of discomfort should be removed
IS fully as possible. IL is useless to ex-
,ect that cow will do her best 1t she is
lot satisfied and contented.
On many farms the principal efforts
or improving the condition and thus
Increasing the productiveness OF the
ows should be directed toward the
eeding. Changes along this line may
,e made with great advantage. They
nav involve the giving of largerquan-
titles of food, or the use of more ex-
,epsive materials in the ration. Or
hey may require the use OF the same
materials in different proportions, or
ome change of food-stuffs which will
lot increase the cost of keeping. On
ome farms where the convenience OF
he owners is regarded as of greater i'm
,ortarce than the welfare OF the cows,
,reater regularity in the times of feeding
would be of marked benefit. The wa
er-supply, too, is sometimes at fault.
Where this is deficient, or the quality
II the water il poor, the yield OF milk
sill be only moderate and the character
If what is produced will probably be
BAD. In cases like these all adverse
should be withheld from the
ws and be bestowed upon the owners.
The only profitable course to take
where the dairy does not yield fair
profit 10 to find out whether the COWS
ire inherently, and consequently hope
essly, inferior, or whether their low rate
II production is due to the conditions
inder which they are kept. IL the CON
iitions are not favorable, the first thing
o do is to improve them. Then, If the
COWS seem TO be well and are contented
With their surroundings, but still fail to
% productive, careful experiments In
Hanging their feed should be made.
The present rations may keep them in
rood health, yet may not enable them 10
produce large quantities of milk. Or
he kind of feed may be right, but the
quantity may not be sufficient to main
ain the COW and leave surplus from
v yhich milk can be made. 1t is from
LIBERAL feeding that a large part OF the
profit of the dairy comes.
II one has cows that are only paying
heir way, or perhaps not quite doing
hat, it will be well to try all reasonable
ueans to increase their production. III
his is done, 1t will be found that IN
,ome cases the capacity for production
8 much greater than has been supposed
COWS that have been regarded as hardly
10 to the average may develop into
superior animals, aud the apparently
poorest one may prove To be well worth
seeping. But this will not be the uni
,ersal experience. Some cows cannot
.espond to even the best directed efforts
% make them more productive. They
.re lacking in capacity to such an extent
hat they are hopeless subjects for a
profitable dairy. The sooner they are
made ready for the butcher the better
he interests Of their owners will be
,ei we'd Elliot in Country Gentleman.
A Short Apple Crop.