THE DAIRY COW AND SOME OF HER POINTS OF USEFULNESS.

Waikato Times, Volume XXXVI, Issue 2919, 31 March 1891, Page 2

THE DAIRY COW AND SOME OF HER POINTS OF USEFULNESS.

This following paper on tho above subject was read before the members of tho Cambridge Branch ot tlio Waikatu FarnitnV Club at their late iiieetiii!.', held in the Club-room, Cambridge, on Monday eveuiug, March Cord : —

Many of you will think it presumption on uiy part for attempt,iiiir to say anything couucctod with tho dairy cow or her usefulness. Oue of our settlei'd inn.'ht aak " iVhat do°s lie know about dairy-

iu'.r. ' But vuu nni.it fullv understand it i=, not dairying that 1 briuinn:: bcfoio your not ice tor a lew minutes ; 1 iravo that to my brother (Mr Jl'?nry Reynolds, of Reynolds & \ who 1 bone will bo ablo to rc.td a paper to thi.s f;lnb on tho dairy iudu.Try of N<'\v /'/Jilland and its future prospects. Ihe q'i'j.-lii.m is —What is a cow: We oft'Jii lima 1 wliat should li? a horse <• 1 1I<'<1 a row, much to the ui-.idvan'.iifO o; the latter; and il, naturally - to u j '.bat a cow is souiothiuur ti f, & v * r V -'iN <»i" to be »Uuiiii'»l altogether-in f.ic", a pariMlo oil lb I.' farm. With ..oin c\v> 11,j ; . ijjiiniou will bold .'.'ood, but ir.t. with Uiu animal wc propose to speak of to ni.jh:. We aro indebted very niU'jli to a iirt'iit many who hav« wriMoii and >aid • U' h a irrcat deal lately with toward to tin' dairy cow and her Uses; and al-o the \--ii inns newspapers for admirable

ni't various ciiaMcli i:u tii • vnv aiel dairviujr t-'cULWulIy ; and tliii piper will contain opinions nut my uwu, bul with wbiuh I hcailily airri.e. J'r Koi'iitou deserves our bo-t tbuukfc for bnn;:iiu' tho ufefulusss of null; a-a food before us, and tho aWlulo necessity of keopiu;.' everything connected with :uil!; and milkinL' clean —iu f ; :t. j:i:ll: ins brjuita sueh an nrticli* ef food as to i>. s:d" by fide with tin; tocoffiiiseii -tind r.\l lood of tho dar- Tbe r nii-titu»'ijf.> ot mill; will show iis tliaf. it dnpprvofl sii"b a piano. I shall qunto largely fr'>m n splondid ti.fl-, kind!?- hut C. i-'av,

if T.I m' 1< le, and v. ti I' <_■ n by A. il. t;"I I 11, r.ll " Milk." Wo 110 sup. - iri wh. I, -.y '. : ,lv 111" ti'li" of •,i■ ii,ilk i■ ' .:i-1(111■ ■ 1 I'V "in- p.' i]'l" that lljV V, |„. ( f,„ I 1,,. | lull: <.j I ll" :l tfll- 111. - ebvi'i'ls I'i evn v i'i ' I ft; lull :V 'i, in i! n* • -i, uii - ii: 111:11 •• i, and I 1 "!>' i 'v- : ■ i milk, I n !'i :n ' h"ii: 'iv ■ ■ tl no .1 e .:,dii ion. f'l'/'iil-"l I'V -U-I: ■ 'I'll 1■ I ll ■'■ 1 V :•». I I'l'l'iti- •!> ■. n i'-if, IM pi .1" i i'i"; ! I I . i . ,l. : I i -I- ' '. iv v .-v :■ .1! f i v;il! .1 • i!ii■■ ' Win i: -v. «.r hi' •! .• d ■!: ill , nii:;., ■ , ,r I ! a;:d ■ , an. I -in.,!; >'.iili'i- .11 i l-a. i" he b"-t i ;eii>i:i ii i- a and "i. :r '"i '•> • 11;! ,■ a I in- iirJ Ml r, -v-i. in. .1 I iull^'H • 1. -i'i i L' i I ti I )• *:.i■ rl,.- >! •"I . 11' [ ■ , I'M 1 ;il .: v.- !, :v. , I .' ' ; i; ]lil iI s i'. v. .'i, li.- :.ul <■' ini. r -I'. l ', •out line as inii' h nti'.ritii'-iil .is ll' l '•! j< ef, wlix'i csis, '.ii p'"p'ir; im, ' I 'l. I 11.■ n• ij i I"-- hi ' 1 ■' mid-. -H ;,c,in rook ill'.' 'll'' lie l". nil 1 I ll' ri: H iu boil': i'i ii. 11l II I: mil'/ i a' ■ II ; it is • ir'.iil". pil il:il-l.', imtrili ii-. and ln ihliiil -none s > < i.in]>it; 1 1- \»nli iiir to in I!vm-, t!ii' i' li' i>'■' v -.In' -"f ami uilk as humm f "id 'ii' l ' a- 3\!m of be- 1 i 1 .U>-< ol' "ill':, or in r..inJ nil-ulum I lo If milk i- M i 'I'i ni, ll.'-u it ii •ilts I '111 ll i'l lo IIV i i ''I 'll I 1,, U"!l"l) I;." r i- I • llyl I puim '; i!i'. u mill; -ll '111 i be I,J .upiart, j il.'ii! iied o:i i'- l" ' l v.ilii". W'i tiiu-> .' ~ | iial, ,jt any • iiiii.tr j.: ti iii'tilc i< ,!"H..iiulv <>:io of tilL ' he ;p: :.l--i■' I)"t liio :!.' ;i!><.!■ i —fuo 1 tint rtu ' furnished I u lite J"tit.ilv. whist all I ■.|J I'l'Ui;r i- in fivuiii of il- ht'iiii !■ y :tii tliti-.t. Wc alho il:i 1 that t'r? pi'-du'iiiDii it' milk in !«; i; ii■i jll c, 'iiuaiy i-oii'i of tin! ni'"t iii - l' it,':-'in/ ami In .uilifui of thu ni iiiy I'i 11n•'i■"f-Milv :i''li ii .t'.U'al ln-loiy |,1 "V 1 ii'.*.. Til ll Ibf l'f thu , li,a 111 :ita . I'l '1. ill!'! 1':'" ivo it - 111---vi; | -1j a li,n'• »iiri• i:■ iiuin i'- iji•«* t.► 1•* h '.lv j. ■ ; ii:'ol,niy i-it- !• .-tinir, :»n*l mill; is [ii'i !• a;i -1 lio iiio-t b. auliful of ii itiivi-'i [.r .I'.i.i''ii~ fw" ill" Mi|']'oit, i»1 liff. it is tl l.rf: ri'violt' l lliil in I'm Ijl'v'Jiiim of Mime f.i'iiili'- of [i '.'ii/ri'i; .Sliorl lioni anil Hi- ( f.nilH milkiiii; | I'oj'i'rl ios lia\ '' l»; i/ii -..iu:ilii'i'il to i.iiily inalurily aii'l api i I mi'.' to fit'tfii, nlll tin; rcputati'.n ol l!m bn.-ud as milk. !u't):iuiv i - iia.-i .-nlii'li"! fOiiK'H'liat in i|'ii ii''t'. io s irli a I"i:l'I li thi - Icii'l'-ncy bt'-n ran ir i, tlril it i- ivril Ituoivu t-' iii! a f n:t, in iiKiuva":-, liiat Other cov.shavo had lo bo i mo!"y ; i to help til' pi'di-rroii ino'.ln-'t> to ii ir t!n ir c ilvls, and in s oil' 1 (: tsi!> to I'. ;'rl Ik in N'ow a i'ihv that ninot Mipp-'i'', bvr os u calf fm fcits, in the ir i'.i:i>y of nitniv, lu-r claim lo exiMfimo, aii.l t-h >n'..i go to !ho butcln'i', though licr form ami -ymiiv !rv niiiv be p'.-rfi'Ct ami h-.-r jieilife'rce us us no:'; arm. Tn o'.'dv rto ri'storu tu brei-'ls :hu Ui-t portion of th.-'il' reputation as d< ep tiii'.k"i.s, it is iiim'i'.sH'lry that l.rci'ilurs should ri-irauo their si. pa with regard to milk, and uriko this chief use of a cow on? of tin ir first consid'jtations in bivodinz. Vol it t.anv that is a p'or tnilkm'fails to fjivc to her owner that l irger portion of piolit wliieh, under proper coil litions, sho np-.-cially de~iutied t" yield. I soi. l . no reason why the Shorthorn and lluruford (touid not 1)0 mad'"! profitable lis (fivtzierH and milkers combined, if tho past lire is good enough to support both, lint this I am convii.ced cannot, be achieved without inmdi cave in the selections of c iws and bulls. Phr main obie-'tions to Shortrnirns and !!■ tefoids .11" that mmy of them lend lo ooiiveit the I'-a'd th"V eat into fat ami i.l h rather than into milk, and that they are ii"t so v.'i ll nd ipted as th'. 1 .-mailer breeds -the Ayr-hires f., r i■ x,>: 11; 1" - for billv di-tricls, cnUi elimales, and p.ail' lan I. I'iieir siz-: and jrrMor.-i'ly t'lider nature tin lit th'"n for v. i".!i*i r- linn the hat d.--iiip" itieidi'iit al to 1 t -'fii rat ureH aii'l eM'os. d vitu eioti- : t),"if n. suita'nl'! li' ine i- itt u .ii'in, i i'.v Iviii.-' di ! riots ri! i-tie'd too lltn 'il i: il • flltll 't 1-f i-Xl-r----ri. d in si-1 ■'•:fiur ■ui'a'i l" ' ins t''-r ihu da'i'v. 11i■ iv 1 h'd '-.an ■ I imi.; s that would btai ve 111" i e ralv.-s, «lr! t 1 l-.'ive olli' Vs agtiin of t!i " s inn' hired that wen 1 driar tv» rtdv.'" '■ i-ily. ! aiu now r f.'iaiu'.r lo Sh"i t'l.eais and !•: r, f.a :l-. Till- Avo'iiri' ."i'v is hi ;h'y -I'.'o; n ,4 as ■. -itilk and cii e 'V. ''-it it has :,i ,i ; ,v. .I I'i ;t 1 lie '" ' in, ' ::! ■■ aril nuini'!'.:!- hi.: v !:s '' his |f"et r-'iu i 'wt: - il i-nt't-r ito I'lr ■ i', i"' ■ <T •.M •»> not • i-" w-ll v.'V tl tif :."i ■ ■' 11 ' lu.'il •n -ii.,', Th e\ii,■!'•"< ■■ 1 ': 'V had with vyr.-lsir— i' i- ii-i ' ••• n . iiroiiraar:1le' ; <111'.■ r- I h: V" I bad 'h" " ! ":s 1 ' hin'r "nr 111" v are ll 't the ni», f..r I ii ii T thrtti troid •••• I .'\-v. ni.lv s•.i<i• i'; 11 and ;111-r11:i'• i and thry .tlwavs s.'-'in it!.-)i'ie:l t.o tiv 'i; ' 1' 'i:;!:: "f their ion 1 1"-. i; _'.tiu-t I. : i" : " VI-II ; tir teals il.-e a hive In'.'it \a iy -m.iii. bat it is a • I',! >•,)!;.. tl! ih'il'i tie V V.'id |..it fatten, i lie .Ifi'soy aii'l I. ma n-ry e ;i lie have been •{ii'iwn f"r :t l»»ii*r time t>-«-! «•> " Alder-

■ mill 'is " t' l l:i-::i'-i I 1 iti'!■ i 'I lie fanner of 1 !i.--o tern,- i- en r 'v advuifiiiou.s, on' 1 t>ot Htitli"i"»illy i:i'-,-ri|iiive. Happening to on til" .-.hippiiiur p.iinn for all the i-l:ui<ls el' ill" trrivip, V:/... .1 irey, Guernsey, Alll,-1 !i" >.* :111' 1 S irk, :ri'i i.nly >o beoiiu-e it. is inMn r tlrin t.ln' ui in i.-; t > tho coa-t of lyml in I. A'daamy i/an., i!s name a loll:.: time to all '."lti!.; (oaiiro that ■vav, whet lea' from til:; eth"i' i-hiluln ur frimi tie; ill'l ill l.nn lof !''iain:e. Tin; latter teem is tii'it'e correct as we'll a- won: descriptive. But tho term " .lei.-'-yn " is now t ikiuu" the lead of the others, partly bee'iusc the ishiiid of Jersey is tie; Unrest of tin: e.ronp. and parllv 'veanbU its eat! 1'• aiv tile Hi ■ 't. fashionable. There is, iii-lfJ, -o JittV |.r ttcil distinction b.'tveeii till. eal'le of tile different islands that the c meial-: intiie of "Jersey'' •my well, for simplicity Rake, take possession of all of liiem. 1 heie is, it is true, some diU"reu<'e iti s',,w between the Guernseys and the .Icif-y cattle, tlio former being so-new hat the lareer and coar-er, but, as the la'tir are the more tlf-arly exact enilio iiment of what the breed is claimed to be in its various are already the typo towards which the o'hers are more or loss tending. There is aNo a slight difference i'i colour, the Guernseys being usually a 'isrht fawu colour, but the most fashionable colour is a silver grey. Bo their origin what it jnny, however, t.hc.-e Channel Inlands cattle are, and lung have been, famous for the quantity and richness of their milk, and for their surpassing excellence as " butter cown, : ' •ad hive ripened iuto what they are — urn ill, gentle and exceedingly useful animals, famous alike for meekness and for null-, for butter and for beauty ! The uucoiumou riihin-ss of the milk she yives, and the quantity and quality of the batter it will yield, are char.ictcri-lirs at-quired by careful breedintr tlnoUL'h a l"ii;r period of time, ljut-trr made from her miik is a higher ejluur tlini that from tlio milk of perhaps any other breed, and it hjs the advantage) uf more easily worked, and of beituf linncr and mure wax like in texture. The sil'ibuies aie larger in ei/'.;, and IMi aei 'i'juts for the er.airi risiutr so viadiiy aud ihorousrhlv ou the milk ; the covelope of c is'..'iii Si'L-'ins thinner and weaker, ui 1 to tin- may be a-oribed the ease with which the batter cotii'.s out of the n un '-ii iti if, while tin. 1 unusual lirruri' riclni'ss and 11 ivoar of the butter ain line ! o qualities not. y: f dotenuiued. The en am u'lid'til s of niiilf are in all itiii':i'ta nially taedl. but thoy di(i•_ ri

.-i,:e in tli : uiillc of ditiereut breed*. Tim "l.ilnilos in Avr-hiru mil!; ate ii-turiui-u-itu b.twavn those of Dutch au'l Jersey*, :ii«l i.li" follow inyr i'uuros illustrate tin- dif.

UO" bvl woeu tboso in dorsey»' and in A/r«lnr.*' milk Jersey, awruiro -i/u 1 -i-o-'ud ol'uu iuji, ; Ayn iiit", l-TOSOiii. 11l Kuiiliiui, JurftoVh Ul'e not ;."Ueraily u-ed :is oriliniLiy dairy rm»<, beef In iiil' t>o >alunblu ttiul'o, but tliev aro in irn-:»V demand few family list-, where only one u" Iwd are kept. In A nerica many !:■ r;v:; herds ut them ui*«s k";>L fir pi.tiry purposes, where cloitoil cream and lineM. quality butter is in demand, an 1 il is no tiiici'iniuori thing in the latter countrv, wli.tu ivsul'* aro i-aivi'u.ly noted for cow- of this brood to prod n a>i nt-i-raw of oiiOlbf, and iu some ui-cs -lUOlbs, of luiu-r in tLv j-tar. lusUu'..a are uu

rerord where in;'!, r.av have vielde even upw.ud- if 'U'l!.- in lie- sin.period. A" the (i. tin -i J. r-. y mill; produe s moi'" Imtfe;' p"i' (.'illoa than that I'ro-n tie' c! tier s Ms of eittle. tie- ad\"i:.l i:V in ho 11 .r - rir:!;in„- i-•-1 i 1 im '. i'. ■ in favour of the ,|e|>,.ys. I have 11'11. iiiie li to >;y to sa|iph:;en' tln'~e i-hut wlii.t I hav le'ird and II liitle I hav.' ... en pei .oti .ily, .[uile r.ei'.'ili es iie> ot its etri-ei;.. . a butt'-.- pi-.dne. r. I.o;I -,i )ii;rll in \";.'lori i I 1 .I- l■ v, and ;.o i ■:h put. -I. i.m _v', or ..ii I hot h.. ... n. I ii i■; it as he iao ..lloid to pnv ■ 11;n ■■ a p 111 e .le .. y I-..W 1.-.w «l.ie>, 1..0 „ lied l'r.-i; ' i!.. ~ 1 i-. niidy fm- l!. .-i:.th sinee 1.t.-t f.alvini/, a!--, t Irol'-bi. 1 heif'-v which ii noiv^vii rim.' "le r si yI !i .-a! f f.-r the Kiine period. The butter fivm ;i .by y cow needs no colouring, and i ~n he made in hot weather mne.h easier than fioni any other bre. d. I"(.i- '.va.- fully I. —• if. d to by a ladv I el(.«elv ijiiestion. d in Wautriinui,—nho Biiid: "Only for tie-e 1 could not, ninlie my butter in hot weather." Of course I wantid to buy the l ows, hut I could not make h. r l.t-lieve they were not much L'ood, i;ne",v too much nhont them. Now, the ijue-ti'm is. which is tho most protit.ihli; row for this district 1 cannot solve this ipiestion, but will place befoie you a few of my ideas. If I had a h.-rd of (joiid ordinary Shorthorn cows, I should secure the best milking otrain of Shorthorn blood that I eonhi get in a bull, provid''i I had luom on my farm to eairv tho yom.jr i-toek or wanted them elsewheie, thee.ih. s lhen would pay for rearing on the skimmed milk, or put two or three on one cow, with the exception of heifer calves from inferior cows. In a sin ill herd, v. hieh is u-i d mainly for rich milk, I should certainly nay, yet a good dii-h of the Jersey in them, the heifer ealvet'roin the be.t of them, would be as valuable its the ti'-.-t steer e:dves from Ihe Shorthorns, and the sinplu-. milk would pay bettor if given to the pigs than rearing inferior calves either hi it'ei., or otherwise. Pigs are easier fed, and would show a better rrtt. profit, than tie- same amount of milk L'ir.n to calves of anything but fir-l -elass m. l it, c-J < ciall V as we have a "nod bacon eurin;.' establishment in the di-tric! (1 mi an Mr C. Day's, of Tamahere) when Weil foi pinion lie sold in almost any quantity in the prop.-r season ('provided thoy do no! exceed a certain weight) at .'id per lb and sometimes more, this I have found much better than curing aud selling as bacon. It is the same in biiUci-makim.', many makers, manv finalities, win reus wh.-n cured under the Fame treatment, ;iu article can bfs turned out (.ha* can hold its own ag'ainst. allcnmcrs, ami must pre.,- to he a great benefit to the district, especially in eon junction with the dairy industry, niul providing- a profitable outlet for the product of t.ho returned milk. We all know too much attention cannot be civen to the shapo of the udder—the following is a description of what good judges esteem the best shapo and appearancc—"lt should in form bci lon;.' from front to back, stretching- well forward on tho belly, broad behin-l, filling up well the space between the legs, but it. should not be too deep vertically - that is—hang too far down, space being obtained in it rather tluough length thau depth." I may add to this description that some cows even with larye wellnil aped bags are not nearly so good ns thoy look, ou account, of their Irig-s bein.!' fle.-hy, and it. is sometimes hard to till from their appearance whether they have la-en milked or not A (a-w having a far less udder, but which can be emptied or " miike-1 d-m-ii " lis it. is i: s1 i• d, is of more value, and will probably keep on milking fairly well lor a much loi:'„'i r tiny than the fornr r will do. It is always .-:;lisfictory to s ; e the largo veins on the 1 -11 y, full and promi nent, with a. ;-:ood !ar;.-e eavitv at the upper »-1.1 i f ouch, that i-, v.'le re the milk veins e::' -r the body of the cow. Anotle iiep-e '-• :jt. (jue-tion is, Will

dairy < j'ivr There mc souu: here bettor ;:l>]■. 1 t i dii-i'V( r tii.if than 1 am. Oiii: tliiiiir f .V• knoiv is, i t : u Jury cow does IK'I j:ir, iI lIIH-f k' ii bad lih k nut fur tin)-' 1 tlnif let tin is- cu'vr:) run with the !int'ii« "."% ii'i i in t<iu' tnobi only uvei fifro ab. ii" S.) [j r eon;-. of calves. A:i■ 1 many of liicin die I , ioro tliu io'lowim: ' Illume:' tlr'''!i;:li re.j'ii: ih'_ r sj much extra al'.uiit.ivM than hnel-oil oi.u J . It, uti the other iiand, ivaritrj caiv '—one o i a rn-v —(lus.-; 10 or -0 per c ii'.) jay-', t:;«-« tliero r.iu-t In. u U-it.-r inuiriu of p l ' l lit f»r thorn whu icir ;li('ir c-ilv; ■ or feed mi tin; skim milk, :«»;! viiii-o mi the buttur or chee;c as well, but. as milk for tliu f;t<-11>M"S will event irilly be p.nd l"i' accordiiiij to its butter f.il, it behoves uiill to priictm: tliu beat ; tbis I know will tike time. A really g'«vl dairy c. *w should turn nil she nets into milk ami not to fat ; in oilier words, it fibould be impossib'e to falt'll a cow in milk. I would ask, are the fattest cows iti your herds the best and riehc-t milkers. J think not. A .soft, nice yellow Hkin is a sure iuilientiou of a

truod constitution and rich mil!;. J maintain that, first - class fatten, inlt qualities and first-class mill; and bu'.fi r-prodticiiig quali 'ic s, cannot; l-e found in ibe same cow, but. I do think a

»C(id average .piality of both, with our beautiful climate and very grateful, if not rich, S"il, could, by careful brt cdiiiir, be produced. Why has our district fallen in repule 7 Simply because heme of the people in it. have been crying " fish." Let tliem so to Australia or many otlier p.tr:s, and they Would be molu

satisfied on their rel'irn, Tlii Aiis-friiii-u:.' tbiuk irV'l-o <''■ our oerJry «••• iK>, I,imply beeau-o t le-y recognise our advauhljieji ill climate and i.,anv ciliT point.-. I con-ider wo have no'liim* t<i fear for (jul- district in the future. I'nwpec l " are all iiiomul n--. and wo should bo thankful we live in a land of cows and milk.

Several uue-li.ms were asked, and v.er;: replied to by Mr UeynnM'. I'm further discussion was th.n adjourned till next meeting*, w'Rii it i< hoped tli.w will be :t lavist} attendance of iliojo interested ill this important siihj< et.

I'a.>.s IT liv, if you like, but it is ncvertlwless tine, that you get the finest teas tliat the world iirnduces, iiTcspeui i ve of prices, in Arthur Nathan's lltl ablo Tea. It is always -s and L's lid per penrn). 18

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