THE "ROBBER" COW.

Shannon News, 17 April 1925, Page 4

THE "ROBBER" COW.

A northern writer emphasises the need for the elimination of the "robber" cow. At present, he says, many cows are sold in the yards as dairy animals, which are only fit for the boneyard, while others are sent to the butcher, which, if put on proper pasture, would give a good yield of butter-fat and would add to the national wealth. To brand only cull cows is regarded as a mistake, for the reason that some such culls, whilethey may not have put up much of a record in one man's hands, might do quite well in another's and on a change of pasture. By branding the whole, therefore, and by attaching the production figures to the record as well as the district to which the animal belongs, the purchaser would know exactly what he was getting. Then there is the case of the farmer whose herd might have reached an average standard of 3001 b. He has some splendid young stuff coming into profit and finds, that he will have to thin down his herd. If he sends culls to the yards they might be bought as beef, and their yield would thereCore be a direct loss to the country. With, however, a brand and test record attached they would probably be bought by some other dairyman and kept for butter producing. As matters stand, however, buyers are very chary of purchasing dairy stock on chance from the saleyards.