MOTHER OF THE WORLD.

Putaruru Press, Volume III, Issue 114, 24 December 1925, Page 5

MOTHER OF THE WORLD.

AN AMERICAN VISION. The dairy cow may he said to be the mother of the world, and its influence is certainly far-reaching and effective. In America the dairy industry 'become the leading branch of agriculture. Animal husbandry is essential to successful agriculture. The dairy cow as a cash crop producer leads the field in agricultural production, and because of the cash the dairy cow furnishes she has become an outstanding factor in largely advancing the interest of all other agricultural production on the farm where she is part of the works. The dairy cow converts into the most vital fqod for man the cheaper products of the farm, and, if she is of proper quality, returns a profit for labour and feed expended and furnishes a home market for; grain and hay and continues with hen work year in and year out.

Colossal figures show that the ducts of the American dairy cow now exceed 2,500,000,000 dollars farm value. She employs an army of men to produce and distribute her product, and in factories, plants, machinery; wagons, and horses necessary to conduct the business she creates fabulous wealth is invested. Her welfare and the interest of her owner, therefore, constitute a paramount issue in the industry of dairy agriculture. Upon her depends the successful operation, of all business directly related thereto. The man who owns- a factory and equips it with modern machinery has little value to show for his investment should the cow go out of business. Yet our progress with her is not in keeping with the usual sagacity of America’s big business interests, and it is possible that we have been kept sc busy building for and keeping up with the requirements of our individual interests that the dairy cow has built for us that we have lost sight of the fundamental upon which our business rests.

Unfortunately, the census figures of average cow production' have not shown a very heavy advance with the years. This has had a deterrent effect on the building of a real stabilised method of conducting such a huge enterprise in all departments of the work connected with her business. ■Stabilisation is becoming more and more necessary to keep the dairy business from being unwieldy, and to prevent the continuing pf a harmful interest that must hold back the progress of the whole, .the principal factor being the scrub caw. We must all work together to establish the profit-able-producing cow upon every dairy farm, so that the industry can be stabilised in the same manner with Other big industries, and thus make investment in ail dairy business safe. The Milk Reporter.