SEr,ECTiON OF Cows. 65 



breed for fancy points for tlie good of tliose who have so 

 bred their cuttle. 



My advice is, strive to improve what yon have, and rather 

 than purchase liigh priced, fancy aninitUs of any breed for 

 cows, raise your own, grading up by the use ot good thor- 

 ough-bred males from a butter producing herd, the Jersey 

 being my choice. 



A good cow may cost too much, a poor one always 

 does. Sometimes you can buy cows or heifers that have 

 been bred with care for the butter dairy, at moderate cost, 

 and thereby save j'^ears of time which would be required to 

 raise your own to the same standard of excellence. 



T do want to again urge tlie dairymen of Vermont to use 

 thorough-brod bulls, and select them with great care, as the 

 inflncnce of tlie sire is almost always greater on the prog- 

 eny than that of the dam. The same care is also necessary 

 in selecting the cow to breed from. 



The question "• How may I know a good butter cow every 

 time V is the one which interests us most of all, perhaps, 

 and it is one not easily answered to the satisfaction of all, 

 or even most of us. I can only give my own method of 

 selecting and testing, and that of some others. 



There are certain marks or points good cows usually 

 exhibit, that do not often lead a good selector astray, if 

 selecting for the production of milk. Prominent among 

 these is a soft, velvety skin, and good feed helps to make a 

 good skin. 



Mr. C. A. Crampton of Swanton, who is as good a judge 

 as I know, and almost a model dairyman, says : " I had 

 3 



