The Bulletin. 75 



The cream was allowed to become too old before churning, butter was churned 

 too long and gathered into large lumps, making it impossible to wash thor- 

 oughly. The butter was worked with the hands instead of paddles. The fol- 

 lowing changes were made: cream was churned oftener, churn was stopped 

 when the butter granules were the size of a kernel of wheat, butter was thor- 

 oughly washed in two or three waters, salted when in the granular state, and 

 worked on a home-made worker. This butter has steadily improved; to-day 

 it brings 30 cents per pound, the herd has been increased and still the de- 

 mand cannot be supplied. 



I might mention other cases, but it is not necessary. There is a lot of poor 

 butter made in this and all other States that by a little study and change of 

 methods could easily be changed into good butter bringing a good price. 



STARTING AND BUILDING UP A DAIRY HERD. 



By JOHN MICHELS, North Carolina College of Agriculture and Mechanic Arts. 



GRADE COWS AND PURE-BRED SIRES. 



With the average farmer the cheapest and most satisfactory way of starting 

 a dairy herd is to select as foundation stock good-grade cows and a pure-bred 

 bull of one of the strictly dairy breeds. The grading up will be most rapid 

 when the predominant blood in the grades corresponds with the blood of the 

 sire. 



A foundation of this kind, of course, does not produce stock that can be 

 registered, but by continuing the use of good, pure-bred bulls of the same 

 blood, stock is soon obtained which, so far as milk and butter production is 

 concerned, very closely approaches in value that of pure breeding. 



PURE-BRED COWS AND SIRES. 



To start with a pure-bred herd is practically beyond the means of the ma- 

 jority of farmers. Furthermore, there is an objection to placing well-cared- 

 for, pure-bred cows under average conditions as to feed, care and management, 

 because under any such change the attainment of satisfactory results would 

 be practically impossible. Where there is a gradual infusion of pure blood, as 

 in the cnse of grading up a herd with pure-bred sires, the new blood is gradu- 

 ally accustomed to the change of environment and the herdsman is given the 

 necessary time to change his methods to meet the requirements of pure-bred 

 cattle. 



Where the dairyman understands the management of pure-bred stock and 

 has the means with which to purchase the right kind, a pure-bred herd may be 

 started to good advantage. 



One of the chief dangers in starting with a pure-bred herd is the lack of 

 funds to procure the right sort of animals. Instead of purchasing a- pure-bred 

 bull and a number of pure-bred cows of common merit, it is better policy to 

 buy relatively cheap grade cows, and to add the money thus saved to that 

 originally set aside for the bull. This extra money is likely to be the means 

 of securing a bull of outstanding merit. 



IMPORTANCE OF SIRE. 



Whether the cows be grades or pure-breds, it is of the highest importance 

 in building up a dairy herd to secure a pure-bred bull of outstanding dairy 

 merit. Unless the bull is descended from good milkers it is folly to expect 

 him to produce good milkers, no matter bow fine or ideal he may be as an 

 individual. 



