The citizen. [volume] (Berea, Ky.) 1899-1958, 1913-05-15


Some dairy cattle are noted Cor the
quantity Of milk they produce, others
for the high quality or richness Of their
milk. which means they are good but
ter producers. Some combine quantity
and quality.
There are cows OF active habits
which forage well on wide range OF
scanty pasture and will prontably
work up the coarscr kinds OF food In
winter. There are others which have
proved their capacity Tor making good
returns when more closely confined
aud subjected e. high feeding. Some
cows give great dow OF milk for a
comparatively short season. and others
are noted for an even, steady yield Of
milk the year through. As rule. the
Different dairy characteristics named
pertain 10 different breeds. so that
every dairymnn Is likely to find some
one breed Of dairy cattle better suited
TO his wants than any other There
Is no special chcesemaking COW. The
best butter COW Is also the best for
cheese This fact has been demon
stratcd beyond dispute.
There nre two very different ways OF
forming n dairy herd and of maintain
Ing its size and quality. II may be
done by buying or by breeding. and
these two methods may be combined.
The purchasing plan is practiced to
a coSsiderublc extent by those who
produce milk for town and city supply.
In few cases IL has been known to
be successful where the work of the
herd was 10 make butter Applied in
Its extreme form cows are bought
when matured and at their prime.
judged almost exclusively by their
milk yield. are highly fed. so as to
keep steadily gaining in flesh, and are
sold usually to the butcher. as soon
as they cease to he profitable rs milk
ers The bull may be of any kind so
long as he gets the cows In calf. as
the calves are Of value only as caus
Ing fresh cows aud are disposed OF
as soon Ms possible The first moditi
cation Of this system Is TO keep extra
good cows for several seasons and the
next 10 raise heifers from some OF the
best mixers to replenish the herd
This way Of making up a herd and
keeping good It's numbers requires
abundant capital and rare judgment In
buying and in selling II cannot be
recommended 10 one lacking expert
ence. and even the shrew1 buyer runs
great risk of introducing disease.
The other extreme Is to begin with
a few well selected animals as foun-
dauon and gradually build up the herd
to the size desired by judlcious breed
ing aud natural increase. This method
takes time. and time which may be
money. but II is by far the safer and
more satisfactory In its results.
A desirable combination In starting
f. To buy the number OF cows desired
and good animals u the sort determin-
ed I'm advance II ones means will
permit include few superior cows
and first class bull at any rate. Let
the cows selected Ice such as have had
two calves and perhaps three. so that
they may be judged by their own de-
velopmcnt aud yet be young enough to
improve and he In full profit for some
years. With a herd thus formed be-
gin at once the work OF Improvement
by breeding and selection. Sell prompt
ly any COW which proves unsatisfac-
tory aud replace her by the best In
crease Of the herd. or purchase occa-
sionally an animal which will raise the
average quality.
A dairyman can hardly be advised
10 buy at once full stock OF pure
bred cattle of any breed II his sole OBJ
feet and dependence for profit is TO be
the dairy product Of the herd. Such
venture will necessitate large invest
ment aud should include the breeding
OF registered animals, for sale at re-
muneratiye prices, as a part OF the
business. Well bred and well selected
grade cows OF the line OF blood de
sired seem to be the most profitable
animals for the practical dairyman or
at least the best To begin with. IL en-
terprising and progressive the owner
will hardly he content with grades
only. He may begin with only his bull
pure bred Presently he will want a
registered COW to, match. then one OF
two more.
The bull is constantly referred to as
1.-THE head" OF the herd and that trite
saying. The bull is half the herd,
should never be forgotten. The grade
dam may be selected and largely re-
lied upon 10 give size. form. constitu'
ton and capacity Of production to her
heifer calf Its dairy quality, the In
/ bred power TO increase the richness OF
milk, Is derived from the pure bred sire.
One COW may prove poor dam or fail
| 10 breed and still give profit In milk.
Such loss is comparatively trivial
and the fault easily corrected. But II
the bull fails or proves a poor sire the
entire Increase OF year may be lost
In getting a bull get the best, OF at
least approach that standard as nearly
as possible A common error among
dairymen Is 20 use immature bulls and
10 dispose OF good ones before their
merit as sires has been fairly proved
Bull calves are cheap, and young bulls
are considered much easier TO handle
| But Il Is good advice 10 the buyer u
purchase a bull OF some age, whose
progeny proves his value as breeder
Al