SELECTING A GOOD MILKER.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1050, 13 February 1911, Page 8

SELECTING A GOOD MILKER.

!s£!■ Tin: ESCUTCHEON THEORY. the escutcheon- theory, C. ,{ \3l:J)avies writes-ail article in the "lave ;a':Stoek'Journal" (Lonaon); from which a $ dtal-'of interest to all dairy-larmers ctn be • extractal. ?v_ |llr. 'Davics holds in tho first placo that ViUiSfVeryvimportantthat everything posv, Bible, should be known by the la'rmer his cows. Ho procrods: "Tho man a large scale is more or pit-pared to tako his cbanco ot hav- % ins : M* and again to fatten .off. an uncow, but such a procedure '.'.means • a dead loss to tho small holder

. who i has neither the accommodation nor j!Vthe>nia(crial available whorewith to adopt 'i.': this course. As he. is, furtheruiore, .usu-' ?" ally'icompelled to buy -uutriod ' toilers ■j at the comparatively low prico they neces- ' eirilji' 'Command iu comparison with cows ; of ;kpown.quality, a study ,of any theory vhioh holds out Jioce of providing a guide \ to -thu ultimate milk-producing qualities afcalf or heifer is-certainly worthy.;of. ;iV:nore''than' superficial; study." ,'■■-■■ 'v-;'; "To taany, men'," he says elsewhere, "a. j;,'/sowtiis; a cow-ran animal which unl'ail'So'glyi yields a profitable return on the out*l''?Ji expanded u^on..it. '■' As a matter of *v4a«s however, judging by, tho statistics JLV.ef vthe! subject,' tho majority of the cows :':,in'this country (England) are an actual ■ /lqfcs ;to; their unfortunate and: unsuspect- ' ing owners." - ■■'::, ' ', . •?-v".xhe> following is a portion of tho writer's i; process : of reasoning, but the figures do ;■:-not'apply to New- : , . ?;Nv'Ttrniers ■ say' that : a cow ■ must yield vr SQO', gallijns;of ymilk-< - annually, ; tpv mnke ■ii.eiids'jheot;'6oo'gallons to make a : profit. J'-.As'the: average annual yield of all the : ; enimal3'in" the United Kingdom is said ft : td;be;oiily.i3o gallons, it.stands to.reason '; that ;a great number of dnimals must.be •A kept.which are not only doubtfully pro- : jfitame, I .but'are probably on actual sonrce P of,loss tp their owners;./.-.. In view of all T- these*things,*arid inany other unnecessary ; ".>tij 'mention,.it;is.obvious ; -that tho owner to;beconie>prosperous"if he ■' Vcan as > his stock- cows which, at fi their Jbost, 4 yield him' a'.'rctiirn 'of, over «: 600'Rallons;of'milk per annum. '■'.'".■'. r ■ , at the best only bo' ,;: expected; to .be', in profit for ten months tj'ottt" of: tho twelve,- -though -sho cats' all .- time. . Qrio frequent sopreo of. loss is :^ through cows which; although very heavy jvyielders at' the; start, "dry up quickly.-. 11 ti lsalwayscbn'sidered'-that tho most profitviable'animal is'.the one ,which remains:in

•'•milk a long time'rather than tho abnor;i 'mallyV;heavy yiejder,,.'wh|sh-' dries -np c\qiiiciuy:; ; -In this" country,- -as , "in many ,1 tho large blood y.vessel :whioh"riins from tho fore part of [r : thesuddar'to a point not Very fartbebind £■; tho .forelegs, , .commonly called the "milk jj "vein,"/is regarded as-ono of tho surest y:-f indications of milk-prodncing capacity. It K' is:"ebnsidered that great' volume of this. F/andHhe; other,'irregularly-arranged veins t'^hich^run'over,tho udder:prove activity." & of 'thojf unctioh: of j the N part andVa 'corre-: fvlated abundant lactaliitf. \Truo as this

ii; may''te,| and it'is , eaiil never to. mislead, £:the disatlvantagoVof- depending- upon ; this fi"c)ass of ihdicaHonialonois that the blood tl; ; Tissels*vary. - .in-si»e with the.ternroriry i','state.ofithe cow,"hence,they afford but k β^light'guide, to; the pro.lvib!o.,i-nj•...<»«, i;iyield-of*, a dry cow or one which , has |.npeen"ebnio months in milk.• French, who number among their

t';; thjjfty:, popnlatibn v a' largo 'proportion' of »£etqall-holders,; : have paid; great attention fcr'tb'this'jnatter of. indications: of milk;-pro--si:/4ucitlg) qtialiti^s,- , ; arid if is tothepi- that" jv.wo owe the idea'that the escutcheon affords (a ,sure 'guide?, both.vin ':■' go&ts,"to the quality of 'tho''animal;'r-Tlib'. ;•• theory, has'alwayC-perhojis, becjn re<;nr''«"i i as'>.a more or less fantastio ono by the i; majority' of British farmors, if, .-indeed; V-'thcybave paid'apy heed to the matter: Ki at'all." It-can truthfully bo statedfttfat; tv.ftjw. baveeven gone es far as to'tafce the' f>! to;.test the by their ext periences.in their own' herds, vln "the. -few incases,' however, in which prejudice has k/.been overcome- sufficiently to secure attenEvtion. being paid to the matter by practical t the. opinion, arrived at has- been [X that tho,idea, that gives «;-,:indications of milk-producing.' capacity, is li nc-t-'mere'theory* but is to I>e classified I'-, In 1 the category of hard, practical fact."