Tensas gazette., 1916-11-10
RAISING DAIRY CATTLE
Relative Importance of Heredi-.
ty and Environment.
Ration During Growing Period Will
Influence Size When Mature, and
Type to Some Extent, Says
Missouri Expert.

(By c. II. ECKLES. Missouri Agricultural
Experiment StationD
Many of the most thoughtful breed
ers are asking agricultural expert
ment stations if it is possible to fol-
low any method Of feeding and man.
agement of dairy heifers that will
make it more certain that thesheifers
will be good producers. 1t is another
application Of the question as to the
relative importance of heredity ana
environment. Does a good dairy COW
or an inferior one derive her special
dairy characteristics by inheritance.
or is it q result of her treatment from
birth to maturity? Is good dairy
COW born that way, or made what she
is by her owner?
1t is a well-known fact that there is
considerable difference in practice
among cattlemen in regard to the feed
ing and handling of dairy heifers. We
find radically different views on some
points. Some hold that a COW should
be fresh at very early age to insure
the best development OF the milking
functions. Others take directly OPP
pOsite view and prefer COW to be
quite well-matured and state that only
i'm such animals are the milk-prOduc-
ing functions the most highly devel-
oped. Some who raise dairy cattle
feed their calves only bulky feed and
in rather scant quantities. Others
feed largely with grain and grow
them as rapidly as possible. Some
hold that If a heifer of dairy breed
Is allowed to get fat when young she
develops a tendency to use her food
for body fat all her life rather than
to produce milk. Others hold that the
dairy qualities of a cow are not in
/ fluenced in any way by the method of
feeding when young and that no harm
comes from heifer being fat. Some
desire to develop the largest animals
possible for the breed. Others prefer
| cows medium-sized or small for the
breed.
There must be some general law or
laws in regard to these points that
can be found by experimental work.
Apparently there are a number OF
questions along this line which cannot
be answered definitely as result OF
common observations or there would
not be this wide difference Of opinion
Having these facts in mind, the Mis-.
souri, agricultural experiment station
in 1906 undertook an investigation fol-
the purpose of determining, If pOssi'
BILE. some of the principles upon which
practical methods of raising dairy
cows should be based. 1t was thought
that by raising dairy heifers in the
University of Missouri herd under diff
ferent conditions and keeping full rec
Ords from birth until the COW haC
been In milk two years it would bt
possible to come to some more definite
conclusion regarding the possible In
fluence of the treatment when yOunf
upon the future usefulness of the ami
NAL for dairy purposes.
The general conclusion from th'
work of the Missouri agricultural ex
pertinent station investigations Is tina
ut is possible to influence the rate o.
growth, size when mature, and typ
to some extent. by the liberality of th'
ration during the growing period. ant
the age at first calving. Within linn
its of variation, even far beyond tn
normal. the character of the ratioI
with reference to amount of nutrient
supplied does not exert any appreci
able effect uDOn the milking function
of the COW when mature"