74 ^ EXPERIMENTAL FARMS 



9-10 EDWARD VII., A. 1910 



lighten your labour since your interest will be increased in your work and ' interest 

 lightens labour.' It will show you the unprofitable cow, the ' boarder.' You cannot 

 get rid of her too quickly. 



4. For weighing the milk a simple spring balance may be secured for from one 

 !and a half to four dollars. If your local dealer cannot supply you, write the under- 

 signed for particulars. A small platform scale is fairly convenient, but we find the 

 spring balance preferable. 



5. Many farmers keep records of the amount of food fed to individual cows. If 

 you would like to do so, sample forms would be sent free on writing to J. H. 

 Grisdale, Agriculturist, Central Experimental Farm, Ottawa, Ont. " 



THE DAIEY HERDS AT THE CENTRAL EXPERIMENTAL FARM. 



THEIR ORIGIN, GROWTH AND USE. 



At the Central Experimental Farm, Ottawa, are to be found at present four herds 

 of pure-bred dairy cattle. They are Ayrshire, Guernsey, Canadian and Dairy Short- 

 horn. In addition a number of grades or cross-breds find room, bringing the total 

 of dairy cattle up to 130 to 140 head. The present herds date back about eight years. 



PREVIOUS HERDS. 



For four or five years previous to the founding of the present herds, only grade 

 cattle had been kept. These had been preceded by small herds of a few individuals 

 each of several breeds, chiefly of a beef-producing character, as Aberdeen, Angus, 

 Galloways, and Scotch Shorthorns, with a representative or two of Ayrshire, Jersey 

 and Holstein breeds. Tuberculosis was responsible for the utter destruction of these 

 various small herds. This insidious disease did, in fact, twice completely or almost 

 completely, clean out the cattle barns. It is only since the stables were remodelled 

 and improved as to lighting and ventilation in 1907, that it has been possible to com- 

 pletely eradicate all traces of this, the worst and almost unique disease against which 

 the Canadian live stock man has to contend. 



FOUNDATION STOCK. , 



The foundation stock of the Ayrshire, Guernsey and Dairy Shorthorn herds were 

 purchased in Scotland, Guernsey and England, respectively, and no additions, save 

 an occasional bull, have been made since the original importation in 1901. The 

 French-Canadian herd foundation-stock was secured in the province of Quebec. 



SELECTING THE BREEDS. 



Since conditions were such as to preclude the possibility of keeping herds of all 

 the more important classes of cattle, it was thought advisable to select one of the 

 heavy milking breeds, Ayrshire or Holstein, one of the Channel Island breeds, Jersey 

 or Guernsey, and one of the various so-called dual-purpose breeds. Dairy Shorthorn, 

 Red Poll, Lincoln Red, &c. In addition, since we have in Canada a breed peculiar 

 to this country, the French-Canadian, it was only fitting that a herd of this breed 

 should find room on the Central Experimental Farm. 



The alternative or choice of one from each of the groups of breeds mentioned, 

 was made after a careful study of the various considerations which might be supjKDsed 

 to influence the choice of a farmer as to the breed he should fix upon under such 

 peculiarities as to soil and climatic conditiona as maintain upon this farm. 



