The Big Sandy news. [volume] (Louisa, Ky.) 1885-1929, 1913-10-24
STARTING THE DAIRY HERD.

replacing beef cattle with dairy cat
tie on the farm. To such inquiries
we answer that where good mark
cts for milk, butter, or cheese are
available, and where one will go
into the business with the determ-
ination to stick TO it and master
the many details, the farm income
will be materially increased by the
change.
To those who are just embarking
in the business we would offer the
following suggestions in the light
Of more than 20 years personal ex-
perience in practical dairy farming
and from observations OF the sue
cesses and failures OF scoers of
da:rymen in this and other states
First, look well to your market.
Your location viii determine wheth-
Ter the product shall be milk, cream,
butter or cheese, or whether re-
tailed in local market or shipped
to a city dealer If the farm is To-
Gated several miles from a market
or shipping point, butter, cream or
cheese should prove most profitable,
because of the lower cost of haul
ing the reduced bulk. Butter OF a
high quality is being produced on
many farms in the state at pres
ent and such butter is in good de-
mand at prices equal to or great
er than creamery butter. Sweet milk
and sweet cream usually afford bet
ter returns than butter and cheese,
provided the dairy is close TO a
good retail market or to railroad
where quick shipment can be made
to good market.
Second, use care in selecting cows,
The beginner should start with
good common or grade cows which
can usually be picked up in the
at prices ranging from
$50 to $65.
Mate these cows to pure bred
bull of one of the dairy breeds.
The value of this bull depends up
on whether his mother and his
sire's mother were large milk and
butter COWS, also upon the dairy
merit of the daughters of his sire
and grand sire, and OF his dam
and grand dam; also of his sisters.
bull calves OF this de-
scription can be bought from breed
ers and dairymen at very reasonable
figures
The heller calves obtained by
mating such bull on good heavy
cows of common breeding
are almost certain to develop into !
high producing dairy cows By con
tinuing the use of good bulls from
selected cows, improvement will be !
continuous and sure. A herd can (
thus be developed on the farm at
a small cost.
Third, we wish to emphasize that
for the beginner, pure-bred fe-
males are not necessary. Such high |
priced stock should not be used un-
Ill one first learns to handle grade ,
cows successfully, and is convinced |
hat he has the capacity and apti-
Jude to attain results in breeding,
md has the ability OF salesman
ship, and a good demand for his
,ure-bred stock Few men have the
lbility to make financial success
If breeding. One should not go in
% the business. One should grow
nto it,
While for the beginner pure-bred
'emales are not necessary the use
IF the pure-bred and well bred bull
s absolutely necessary to attain
best results.
Starting in the business with I
grade cows, a registered COW may
be added from time to time as cir
cumstances permit. These should be
heavy producers and from good
strains, otherwise they will
give no better results than scrubs,
in fact there are great many
scrubs and misfits among register
I'D cattle. Avoid the use of such
COWS.
BY pursuing the method outlin-
ed above, herd OF high produc-
Ing registered dairy cattle may be
at very moderate cost.
Such is the method sanctioned by /
common sense and good business
judgement Hundreds of dairymen
al over the country have followed
Il and have attained marked sue
less.
w. D. NICHOLS, Asst. Profess
,or Of Dairying.
nreaa telegram from Mayayillo