Improving the Dairy Herds.

Feilding Star, Volume XIX, Issue 108, 3 November 1897, Page 2

Improving the Dairy Herds.

"Ib the western districts oi Victoria winter feeding of dairy caws is almost general; and before the dairymen of New Zealand can obtain the best returns from dairying they will bave to pay more attention to tbe proper feeding amd sheltering oftbeir cows. Thore is no doubt that New SeaJand possesses all tbe possibilities of becoming one of tbe most important dairy conntrics of the world ; and the time is certainly not far distant when tbe industry will be jost as important here as it is at tbe present time in Scandinavia. At the name time, however, tbe farmer, as be gives more attention to dairying, will rind it necessary not only to 'eed and care for his cows well, but to improve their quality by careful coiling and by obtaining good balls of the best milking strains, either in tbe colony or from abroad. In Sweden the AyrshireShorthorn in tbe best commonly nsed, tbe richer milking qualities of the one blending with tbe size and more robust constitution of the other and miking tbe most profitable cow. In Australia the Fame cross is also very popular, The South Coast cows in New South Wales, which are among the finest milker* to be obtained anywhere, bavo been specially bred for about fifty years ; md they are principally Shorthorn with i dash of Aysbire in them. The spread of tubercalosig in tbe colonies is large y owing to neglect of tbe cattle in winter time, allowing them to pet into low condition and thus preparing in their systems suitable breeding grounds for the germs of the disease. If cows are looked after iv tbe wiuter time they come into fall profit in the spring as soon as the grass becomes abundant ; but if they are allowed to get low in condition it takes them a month or two to reccver and give their full yield of milk.