Vol. XIX. Part 2. FEBRUARY 3, 1908 



rv 



Agricultural Gazette of New South Wales. 



Dairy Cattle. 



NEW vo 

 BOTr 



C 



M. A. O'CALLAGHAN. 



The Guernsey. 



As complete success in dairy farming depends in the first instance on the 

 cattle used therein, it goes without saying that the dairying industry of 

 any country is not on a sound basis unless the class of cattle n-iel therefor 

 a-re of the required character, and it might also ba added that improvement 

 in financial results must depend very greatly on the improvement which 

 is capable of being brought about in cows which any dairy farmer keeps. 

 The price of butter may be a coujile of shillings per cwt. dearer one year 

 than another, but that means only a very little all round. If, for instance, 

 we say that butter is worth a farthing nett more one year than another, 

 this only means 3s. 4cl. per cow on a returned basis of 160 pounds of butter 

 per cow per year, whereas if, by selection, we improve our cows from 400 

 to 500 gallons per head per year, it means an improvement in money value 

 of 33s. id. per head on the very low valuation of 4d. per gallon for whole 

 new milk. It is thus .seen that it is in the increased production from our 

 herds we should devote our greatest energies, until the standard reached is 

 so high that we cannot expect, without great expense, to materially increase 

 it. The yielding of milk in large (juantities is really a question of development 

 through selection, and proper handling of the young female, both before and 

 after calving; and there seems no reason why, if sufficient intelligence and 

 energy be devoted to the question, the standard of all dairy cattle could not 

 be raised to, say, 700 gallons of milk or 300 pomids of butter per milking 

 period. Any number of individual cows yield considerably more than this, 

 and the standard mentioned should be within the reach of many. Before, 

 of course, this could be acquired, concentrated efforts sustained over a number 

 of years should be made, and considerable sums of money spent in the selection 

 of animals. If we look back and .see to what perfection the modern thorough- 

 bred has been brought for purposes of horse-racing, we will have some idea 

 of what is possible for man to do with regard to the improvement of animals 

 ^ for special purposes. Large sums of money are to be won and great notoriety 

 H? obtained by the owners of race-horses of the highest class, and hence wonderful 

 CTi improvement has been effected in this animal. If similar efforts were made 

 throughout the world with regard to the development of the dairy cow, there 

 is no doubt but that the averages stated would be obtained before a great 

 many years in those districts throughout the world where dairy farming is 



