The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1911-05-16
CARE IN BREEDING
THE DAIRY COW.
CovS That Produce a Pound Of But
ter and Cheese the Cheapest Are
the Ones to Keep.
TSv w NJ Kelly

ter and Cheese the Cheapest Are
the Ones to Keep.
By W. NJ. Kelly.
There is no phase of the dairy busi-
NESS that needs more study or more
careful management than does the
breeding of the COW.
Upon the cow depends success or
failure and we must, after selecting
her. look to her care and her feed,
and to the handling Of her products.
The fact that dairymen have de-
voted more attention to other phases
of their dairying than to the breeding
and development of the COW is one Of
the reasons why SO many Of our dairy
herds are not capable Of returning
nrofit from their food and cost of
attendance.
We are often asked which is the
hest breed of dairy cattle to select for
the dairy? To such men I would say
that there is no best breed. Some
think because they have Jerseys they
are on the royal road to success.
Others think that the Holsteins will
bring prosperity to the farm.
This is a sad mistake. for scrubs
are very common among the pure
breeds. and a pure-bred scrub is with
out doubt the worst scrub Of all.
Select cows having individual ex-
cock test and scales in starting
herd Better and more uniform re-
suits Of breeding may be secured if
the animals are Of one type of breed
and great care should be exercised in
getting individuals which possess TO
certainty the characteristics we desire
to perpetuate in the herd.
What we dairymen want is herd
of COWS that will give profit at the
pail, whether pure-breds or grades.
The ones that will produce pound Of
butter or cheese the cheapest are the
ones that We want to keep in our
herds
We have a number of improved
breeds Of dairy COWS that represent
the skill of years in their perfection,
but in adopting any Of these breeds
We should consider the conditions and
environments under which they have
been developed in their original homes
and then plan to make our care and
feed and general management con-
form to the conditions under which
the breed had been developed.
If a man has Jerseys, give them Isle
of Jersey care and feed for they can
not succeed on scrub fare and fodder.
They were not intended for that pur-
pose.
The Jersey COW is delicate, ner-
vous machine and requires warmth,
kindness and liberal feeding to make
her profitable.
If Holsteins are selected do not ex-
pect them to thrive on closely crop,
ped scanty pastures where they are
compelled to rustic all day to gather
sufficient food
Give them the care they were de-
veloped under, large amounts Of sue
culent forage and we'll cured hay,
warm stables and kind treatment.
You may get pure-breds If you can
afford them. but all farmers are not
able to buy pure-breds. However, al
ways use a pure-bred sire.
The breeding bull always represents
half the value of the breeding power
Of the herd if it is desired to grow
calves for the dairy.
Select him from some Of the we'll
known families Of the breed and be
Which gives promise Of being good
calf-getter.
A bull of this kind will give you
excellent results in improving the
herd. Some of the best herds in the
country are high grades that have
resulted from the continued use Of
good sires
In order to oe successful as breed
erS we must learn some Of the lessons
associated with our stock: have an
ideal type in our minds and always in
Our selection and mating be seeking
to improve the type and standard in
our herd.
The best special purpose animal is
none too good. Never strive to pro-
duce general purpose animal by
mixing beef and dairy breeds. Aim
70 produce the animal whose special
characteristic is the cheap production
or pound of butter or gallon of
milk.
Always seek to have the crosses in
harmony. Do not mate extremes.