242 AGRICULTURE OF MAINE. 



The heifer No. i has been bred to the bull No. O, to produce 

 an F2 calf. The other Fi heifers will be bred as soon as they are 

 old enough. 



Question : Did I understand that in the latter part of the 

 heat the off-spring is more likely to be female ? 



Dr. Pearl : Some people think so. My general opinion is 

 the other way. 



Question: Did you mean to say that heifers with a second 

 calf produce more milk than with the first? 



Dr. Pearl : That is probable. We have examined upwards 

 of one thousand cows, and in all cases there is a rising from 

 the first up to the sixth, and then it varies a little, some breeds 

 reaching the maximum later than others. It might not be true 

 in every herd ; there might be a difiference in the herd, according 

 to the age at which they were brought to freshen the first time. 



Question : It has been my experience in a herd of 20 cows, 

 that in many cases, at the second lactation, the quantity is less 

 than the first. I breed at about two years of age. 



Dr. Pearl: The average age at which heifers are bred the 

 first time is an average of one year and seven months old. 

 There are quite a considerable number, however, who do not 

 breed until they are three years old. 



Question : You spoke of another thing, about cows run- 

 ning very regularly as to the amount of milk they give. I have 

 found some would hardly pay for their keeping, and then other 

 years, would give more than double as much. 



Dr. Pearl : I meant to say that on the average they will 

 give more the second year. 



