380 



EXPERIMEXTAL FARMS 



5 GEORGE v., A. 1915 



EXPERIMENTAL FARM, BRANDON, MAN. 



EEFOET OF THE SUPERINTENDENT, W. C. McKILLICAN, B.S.A. 



DUAL-PUEPOSE AND DAIRY CATTLE. 



The breeding herd consists of thirty-one head of cattle as follows : — Shorthorn : 2 

 bulls, 16 milch cows, and 8 heifers and calves. Ayrshire: 1 milch cow. Grade: 2 milch 

 cows, and 2 calves. 



The Shorthorns are mostly of the dual-purpose type and are being bred for capa- 

 city of milk production as well as for suitability for beef. There is a great demand 

 in "Western Canada for cattle of this type, and large numbers of both sexes could be 

 sold to farmers in all parts of the country if there were more obtainable. It has 

 been foimd impossible to sell females this year as the herd is small and all heifer 

 calves were retained to increase the herd. Nine bull calves were sold during the year. 



MILK RECX)EDS. 



The following milk records are for the last complete lactation period of the cows 

 now on hand. In addition to the cows recorded there are six young cows which have 

 not yet completed their first lactation period. 



Name of Cow. 



Ottawa Marchioness 5th. . 



Illuniinata 3rd 



Duchess 3rd 



Ottawa Janet 4th 



Buttercup 



Ottawa Janet 3rd 



Jane of Brandon 



Rose of Brandon 



Daisy of Brandon 



lUuminata 4th 



Poppy of Brandon 



Brandon Beauty 



Ottawa Marchioness 2nd. 



Breed. 



Shorthorn 



Grade.. . . 

 Shorthorn 



Age at 

 beginning of 

 lactation 

 period. 



4 

 7 

 5 

 3 

 6 

 4 

 7 

 9 

 8 

 6 

 6 

 5 

 8 



Date of 

 dropping calf. 



Number 



of days in 



lactation 



period. 



Dec. 



Nov. 



Dec. 



Mar. 



July 



Oct. 



Mar. 



April 



April 



Feb. 



May 



jMay 



April 



21, 1912. 

 25, 1911. 



4, 1912. 



18, 1913. 



3, 1912. 



2, 1912. 



28, 1913. 

 16, 1912, 



1, 1912, 



22, 1912 



29. 1913, 

 28, 1913 



9, 1913 



387 

 443 

 285 

 401 

 443 

 334 

 365 

 305 

 271 

 306 

 200 

 126 

 164 



Total 

 pounds of 

 Milk 

 for period. 



11,334 

 10-287 

 9.621 

 8,462§ 

 7,578 

 6,598^ 

 6,042 

 5, 8321 

 5,530^ 

 5,410 

 3, 2841 

 2,287 

 580i 



iDue to attack of inflammation of udder. 



A Babcock test outfit was purchased during the season and a commencement made 

 at testing the percentage of butter fat in the milk produced by each cow. A test is 

 made on the 5th and 20th of each month. As the test was started in the latter part of 

 the year, there are, as yet, no complete reports ready for publication. 



WINTER RATIONS FOR DAIRY COWS. 



The daily winter ration fed the dairy cows is on the average about as follows • — 



Hay (clover and grasses mixed or alfalfa) lb. 6 



Straw " 8 



Corn silage " 32 



Roots •' 6 



Grain ' chiefly oats and bran) " 5 to 14 



The meal ration varies with the flow of the milk and is usually 1 pound to about 

 3 or 3^ pounds of milk. 



