EDUCATING THE COW.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 984, 26 November 1910, Page 15

EDUCATING THE COW.

■■•';-' ' ■--'» . '"'.'V .■ ■-■-'■;■"■' MR. HARKNESS ON .THE SUBJECT.' In the. course of an article on breeding a dairy herd, Mr.- J. G. Harkne-ss says: "It is really' amusing t'b se'6 ; some •»i. .... . .„, ■ , .-■ ■■, ..iff. farmers in the public press that for December milk! their cows yielded £1 125.; ot-;£1 los. per'head. TVhat" did they get per head in tho month's of March, and April?' That'is tho true test of capacity..' Has itkopt-up? -Frequently we find cmys giving phenomenal

yields in the early period of lactation, and then, • in the course of. a month or two, falling, away, so much that ■ they! are hardly worth' milking. , This is not the profitable cow to keep-or perpetuate. In many instances, it is the outcome of 'faulty' education. Cows in their wild or natural state supply only sufficient nourishment to • raiso their offspring, [ their milk probably lasting

four or five , months. The present abnormal . production is .'duo to tho .culti- ■ vation and' development <of this , special function. • There is always' to rever.trback to original conditions. Now, our object; should be to fix this' faculty permanently as to .duration in each individual. Then, you must begin with th 6 heifer. Now, tho common practice let the heifer drop her first calf in itlio flush of the season, when food is plentiful; milk through the summer, and then-allow her to dry up with tho rest of the herd in April.or May. This is 'indifferent' education.-: Sho has been taught to-■milk for. six months, and next year will do the same, and no jdairyniai! can keep her going , loilßer. To mako a first-class dairy bow,' let tho hoifer caivo.jii tho autumn, milk through I the winter,' giving plenty of nutritious [food, thon, wheu the oaxly crass.bo-