68 Bureau of Farmers' Institutes. 



Question. — How long should a cow be left out of doors in zero 

 weather? 



Mr. Smith. — I doubt very much if a farmer can afford to turn 

 out a cow he is milking in zero weather. If he does, she ought 

 to be put back again as soon as possible, provided he has good 

 stables. It requires heat to maintain a cow, and it is much better 

 to provide good quarters and water in the stables than to buy food 

 to do it. But, if one's stables are so constructed that a cow is 

 as well off outside as in, she may as well be out. 



Mr. Lillie. — We have arrived at the conclusion that a cow 

 giving milk ought not to be allowed out when the temperature 

 is below the freezing point. It will be found much cheaper and 

 better in the end to put some watering device in the stables. Put 

 the cows into the stables as soon as the weather becomes cold and 

 freezing and keep them there in such weather. 



To Mr. Lillie. — Which do you consider of greater importance 

 for future breeding, the sire or dam? Why are registered ani- 

 mals to be preferred ? 



Answer. — As a rule, the farmer places too much dependence 

 on the dam. It should be on the other hand, because the sire 

 possesses one-half the value of the herd. The farmer may have 

 50 cows, all good ones, but the bull may be worthless as a getter 

 of future stock, and the trouble is that one cannot always tell 

 whether that bull is a prepotent one or not, no matter how good 

 his pedigree is. So it pays to record animals. In this way one 

 may go back and find out something about the individual excel- 

 lencies of the dam or sire he is going to use. It is a simple mat- 

 ter to test a cow, because we can use the Babcock test and scales; 

 but to test the sire one must go slow. Use him on a few of the 

 best cows of your herd and note the results. It is a great risk, 

 and one must go slowly. You may get a sire that will do much 

 good. The next one may undo all he has done for you. When 

 you do get a good one, keep him. Don't sell him because he is 

 growing old, or is becoming ugly and vicious. 



Question. — What remedy is best to keep flies off our cows? 



Mr. Smith. — I don't know which is the best. There are a 

 number of remedies. One is " Shoofly; " another is " jSTofly."" 

 Fish oil and carbolic acid will keep the flies away, but it is a 

 * nasty " stuff, and must be rubbed on. It makes the hair look 

 bad. 



Dr. Smead. — I have used every remedy known and have set- 

 tled down to a common spray pump costing 50 cents, from which 



