BREEDING DAIRY COWS. S7L 



mon sense, build up the most profitable, useful and beautiful machine on the 

 farm — the ideal dairy cow. 



GOOD FEEDING ALONE INSUFFICIENT. 



As an evidence of the uncertainty of depending upon high feeding for a 

 large production, I will compare two cows in the Lakeside herd, of the same 

 age, of about equal size, and each of which had been the winner of high honors, 

 awarded by competent judges at some of the largest exhibitions in this coun- 

 try. These cows commenced their records at about the same season of the 

 year, were kept in the same stable, fed alike, were milked and cared for by 

 the same men, and one gave for the year over 12,000 pounds of milk, show- 

 ing that she was very superior, but the other gave over 30,000 pounds, a dif- 

 ference of 8,000 pounds in one year. One machine, manufactured from the 

 same material, at the same cost, 8,000 pounds more milk than the other. The 

 quality of the milk of the two was proven by tests to be about equal. 

 These were careful and accurate tests. I could mention a score of similar 

 comparisons, showing equally astonishing results. You will thus see that 

 you must have something more than feed and care to obtain the largest pro- 

 duct. 



APPEAKANCES UNCEllTAIN, 



Selections made from outward appearance are equally uncertain. At one of 

 the leading fairs of our State two heifers were entered for the same prize ; 

 breeding was ignored and two expert judges were chosen to decide upon the 

 merits of these two beautiful animals, with others. Both were fine, and so 

 similar in appearance that the casual observer would hardly distinguish one 

 from the other. They were subjected to all the scrutiny which usually char- 

 acterizes such inspections, the softness of coat, mellowness and Color of skin, 

 development of udder, size, length, direction and branches of mammary 

 veins, the size and number of orifices at termination of veins, the construc- 

 tion of the vertebra, length of tail, the class and order of escutcheon, the 

 head, neck, horns, eyes, limbs, etc., etc., all received due and careful consider- 

 ation — and what was the result? The one which her owner knew to be the 

 poorest in breeding, and which they valued far below her mate, was pro- 

 nounced MOEE MILKY and she left the ring clothed with honor. The 

 other quietly joined the large circle of the vanquished. The following sea- 

 son both heifers were put to the only true test, that of actual performance, 

 and the discarded heifer produced about double the amount of both milk 

 and butter. A few years since one of the most noted expert judges of Hol- 

 stein-Friesian cattle in America visited the stables at Lakeside, and was asked 

 to select the best butter cows. After a careful inspection he selected sev- 

 eral which he pronounced the best. Accurate tests have proven that he did 

 not select any one of a dozen of the best butter cows in the herd, nor did he 

 choose one out of the family that has excelled all others in the herd. I could 

 mention any number of tests by experts which show similar results. Do not 

 understand me to pronounce these judges incompetent. Not so. They were 

 all honorable, experienced, competent, well-informed gentlemen, and did as 

 well as any parties could do by the same method. I merely mention these 

 facts to illustrate the uncertainty of any judge who does not depend upon the 

 breeding or performance of the individual or her ancestors. 



