126 agriculture; of maine. 



Another step toward success in building up your dairy herd, 

 do not breed any heifer until she is nearly or quite two years 

 old. Let the heifer grow and make her body as large and her 

 constitution as strong as she can before the demands of mother- 

 hood and of a milk producer are placed upon her. 



I realize that there are those who will tell us that the dairy 

 qualities will be lost or injured by this delay. Nonsense! You 

 have only to see the injury that has been done by breeding too 

 young. You have only to notice the weak, frail, undersized 

 creatures, in the average farmyard, that they call cows, and 

 realize how easily these are subject to tuberculosis, and every 

 other ill that bovine flesh is heir to, when the full importance of 

 my claim will appear. 



The leading cause of all this trouble is breeding the heifers 

 too young, and the balance can be charged to in-breeding. We 

 need not make either mistake. Whichever dairy breed you 

 select, do not in-breed, and do not breed any heifer under two 

 years of age. 



If a farmer will follow my suggestions, in a very few years 

 he can transform his mongrel mixture of cows into a respectable 

 looking, and profitable dairy herd. 



If he started with a pair or trio of pure breds, he will soon 

 be able to sell his grade cows, and own an entire herd of regis- 

 tered cattle, with only the cost of his first purchase. This is no 

 dream, but a possibility within the reach of every intelligent, 

 industrious farmer in our State. 



I do not overlook the fact that many other things must of 

 necessity enter into this worthy task of building up a dairy herd. 

 The food and care bestowed upon a herd forms an important 

 part. And I can not help feeling certain that if we can persuade 

 our farmers to keep better cattle, they will take better care of 

 them. The moment they begin to look with pride upon their 

 herd, that moment they will plan for a better barn, subscribe 

 for a farm paper and learn how to feed so as to obtain the best 

 results, in a word take better care of every creature they own. 



Kindness as well as cottonseed meal will count in the care of 

 your cow. A good brush is better than a milking stool or a 

 pitchfork to start the dust, and make the cow comfortable. 

 Cruelty and profanity may largely counteract the effect of a 

 proper amount of protein. An unbalanced temper may spoil the 

 result of a well balanced ration. 



