SHOWING DAIRY CATTLE.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1584, 30 October 1912, Page 10

SHOWING DAIRY CATTLE.

HINTS FROM AN AMERICAN SHOWMAN. With the show season now well under way, dairymen who intend looking for honours at the various shows may perhaps gain some information from an article on showing dairy cattle, written by Mr. ,T. E. Dodge, in. the "HolstcinFriesian Register." The main requisites you need, if you expect to show and win, are, fays Mr. Dodge. :—First, know the type that wins; in other words, know how to pick the good ones, for it is tho good ones that win. Tho ti'ino is past when a man with inferior cattle can wiiiHn largo show rings. ■ | Secondly, breed your show cows so they will freshen at the right time,' also have your calves dropped ut tho right lime.

Third, start iiltin'' ns soon as you return from the last fair, or if you expect to show next year, start tho year before, by-breeding the cows and giving tho young stock special attention. You don't need to coddlo or pamper them, but watch their feeding, so they will not become-[jot-bellied, and don't go lo tho oilier e.Ttremo and havo them with gun-barrels. The Form to Work For. Evidence of capacity counts, so get a good barrel on your young animals. Don't feod so as to develop thick necks and heavy shoulders; keep tho young animals growing, and in about the condition you like to see a good dairy cow when' doinc ! her best work*

Renio/über vou are showing: dairy cattle, and dairy cattle should, at no time, bo in Hie condition of beof cuttle. Heef does not count in tho show ring, with judges ot dairy cattle, untey it counts against Ilia nnininl.

Watch every calf dropped; it is a prospective winner. If a heifer, examine for extra teats, a» soon as born; if you find nny, cut them off; they answer no purpose, and are, to some minds, a deformity. Watch the calves grow, don't feed 100 much'or too little, just keep them coming along. Select more aninials than you expect, to show. One cow may have trouble at calving time, or others may go wrong, so start with more than you expect to show. Leading exercise is valuable, as this trains t.lie animals for the show ring. Get each animal so it will stand just the wn.v it looks best, remembering that style counts.

At the Show. Having arrived at the show-grounds, the critical time has arrived, the time when you will reap the benefit of your work, so don't get excited, or go off to see the side-shows, but tend to your cattle; feed them well, clean them' well, ■ and nbove , all lmve'the cows in ihilk showing full udder, but not a distended , one. Many brush and clean on show day. Mr. Dodge prefers cleaning the night before. Show the animal to best advantage, always know where the judge is, and have the animal posing. The judge may be at the other end of the ring, but will look your way to seo if there are any defects in your animal. The export, in handling, can cover up defects and bring out strong points, so it is wise to show the animal all the time.