St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1913-05-03
A START IN DAlRYING.
A Beginner in Dairying Gives an In.
teresting Account of His
Experience.

and daughter eight took posses
sion of a 244-acre farm in Bedford
| County, Virginia We had had NJ
experience in farming since in on;
teens and at first were undecided
what line of farming to pursue, but
finally decided that dairying would
be best suited to conditions as WI
found them. The farm, though nat.
urally of good land, was run down
and we considered that stock-raisine
was the quickest and surest way al
getting it in good condition.
We first bought six scrub heifers
of breeding age that were on the
place when we came. also one fresh
cow and calf. We heard of neigh.
Dor who had fine registered Hol.
stein bull two years old to sell, also
three grade Holstcin heifers, said tt
freshen in January, 1919, all Of which
We secured. Only one of the heifer.
proved to have been bred, which was
a sore disappointment to us. and thi:
one had bull calf which was another
disappointment.
Later in the fall we bought two
more cows and put up silo 12x2O
with three extra feet in foundation)
at cost of $40, and bought corn
to fill it, and counted we saved its
cost the first winter, as hay reached
$40 per ton before spring. Our heif-
ers and cows came through the win
ter in fine shape and We received
many compliments for the care we
had given them, though We fed them
nothing but silage and wheat straw
During the winter and early spring
we made butter, but about June 20
we began shipping cream to Lynch
burg, receiving 50 cents per pound
for butter-fat. We bought a No. IL
DeLayal separator which we find very
satisfactory. AS our heifer freshen-
ed we had their milk tested at the
creamery for the percentage of but
ter-fat and found only one out o.
the scrubs that would be profitable
to keep as q cream COW, test being
So, and one out Of the grades, ties
Al. We also tested the milk of the
older cows. In the late summer Of
1919. We bought two grade Jersey
cows with tests Of So and per CEN
and consider these our best cows
We sold one Of the grade heifers tt
the butcher. also one of the scrubs.
Our cream checks from June, 1912
to January, 1913. our last report, are
as follows: $17.48. 5000, $41.98
1861. $66.33, 1876, $S2.06,
$500. Counting the skim-milk at
25 cents per hundredweight as feed
for calves, pigs and chickens, and the
value of the manure at 81 per cow
per month our cows are averaging
close to 50 each month
We feed cottonseed meal at the
rate Of two to three pounds per cow
daily, with 80 to 40 pounds of corn
silage. Corn slower is fed for rough
age. We intended to have c0wpea
hay to balance the silage, but q dry
season cut our crop short.
We have six heifer calves coming
on which We will test out IS soon as
they freshen, keeping only the profit
able ones. We have begun keeping
a record of the pounds Of milk each
COW gives daily This with the test
will enable us to tell just what our
COWS are doing. We recently bought
q Babcock tester and can now make
tests at home. 1t our registered sire
proves to have offspring Of good milk
Ing qualities, we hope to raise up E
herd of pure-bred Holsteins, other
wise we will probably turn to the
Dillon. of BEDFORD
city. Va, in Progressive Farmer.