State Agricultural Society. • 547 



being at least of equal importance with the producing quality of tho 

 other sex. 



Nothing seems to have heen determined concerning the age at which 

 it is best to breed from a bull. So fur as dairy animals are concerned, 

 the practice in this regard differs in different countries, and there is at 

 least as much reason to suppose that the best result will be obtained 

 from the use of very young bulls as from older ones. Until something 

 more is known in this respect, bulls should be selected for their quality 

 without much reference to age. 



It is the almost universal custom in the Channel Islands to have 

 heifers come in at about two years of age, and it is under the influence 

 of this custom that the race has attained its present perfection. Aside 

 from the profit of this practice (bringing the animal into use a year 

 earlier than if she came in at three years old), it is believed that the very 

 early exercise.of the milk-producing function tends to its more complete 

 development. Greater size would be attained if the animal were allowed 

 another year for development, but this increase of size would perhaps 

 be accompanied by a tendency to fleshiness or beefiness, detrimental to 

 a concentration of the vital forces upon an active lactation. 



It is therefore recommended that heifers be led to the bulls when 

 about fifteen months old; or rather, as the full stimulation of the pro- 

 duction of milk under the influence of the succulent herbage of Spring 

 and early Summer is highly important in developing the young .animal, 

 that she be made to come in in May, when about two years of age. It is 

 a good practice to turn the bull, about the first of August, into the pas- 

 ture with all heifers not less than nine months old. This will bring 

 them to calve usually during May or June of the following year. An 

 objection has been suggested to this custom, for the reason that if the 

 bull runs with the females, the exact date of their calvings cannot be 

 foretold. This is not an important objection in the case of heifers 

 coming in with their first calves, as the enlargement of the vulva toward 

 the termination of the first pregnancy sufficiently foretells the event. 



The value of the progeny of thoroughbred animals of all races often 

 tempts breeders to work their cows too hard. We have not yet so far 

 removed our cattle from the condition of nature as to make it seem pru- 

 dent to require them to produce more than one calf in twelve months, 

 and the proper development of the milking tendency is, perhaps, better 

 effected if during the' first three months after the calving there be no 

 other demand on the vital powers. 



There is much difference of opinion as to the period during which the 

 cow should go dry before calving. It is essentially important that she 

 should at least become entirely dry, so that the udder majr be at rest 

 during the secretion of the colostrum, which precedes the flow of the 

 milk proper. Probably it will suffice if there be an absolutely dry 

 period of two or three weeks; longer than six weeks is undesirable, and 

 cows having a tendenc}^ to run dry for a much longer period, while they 

 may be very good in other respects, should have this tendency counted 

 against them when considered as the ancestors or progeny of bulls from 

 which to breed. 



the treatment of calves. 



Heifers with their first calves, unless their teats are more fully devel- 

 oped than the teats of young heifers are wont to be, should suckle their 

 calves until these are well drawn out; but while suckling they should 

 be milked dry at the regular milking times, morning and evening, the calf 



