16 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



is raising her calf, especially if the calf is allowed to run with her, be- 

 cause the calf nurses so frequently the udder is not allowed to fill to a 

 point of extending and developing it. 



I do not mean that the dairy type of heifer should be selected, nor 

 do I mean that the dairy type should be developed for show or prize 

 winning dairyy Short-horns; but we can select good milkers, of good beef 

 type, that will be revenue earners from the dual purpose standpoint, a 

 class of Short-horn cows that wall produce bulls such as can trans- 

 mit the milking qualities of their dams as well as having the charac- 

 teristics of a good sire to improve the beef cattle, thereby making the 

 Short-horn grade a cow most desired by the farmers and dairymen; in 

 fact, making the Short-horn grade the only class of unregistered cattle 

 the farmers can afford to keep. 



This is not a matter of theory with me, but it has been demonstrated 

 at the Walnut Hill Farm during the summer of 1904. At three days 

 of age the calves were taken from two Short-horn heifers. These two 

 calves are thick-fleshed, beefy, blocky calves to show ring merit. The 

 heifers were put in a good pacture and given a grain ration consisting of 

 corn and cob meal, wheat bran, and oil meal, were milked twice daily 

 and their milk carefully weighed and tested by a Babcock tester for a 

 period of forty-two days. No. 1 gave a total of 1,327 pounds of milk, 

 averaging 4.1 per cent of butter fat. No. 2 gave 1,681 pounds of milk, 

 averaging 3.8 per cent of butter fat. 



The mature cows of the herd, if such as should be kept for the breeo- 

 ing merits of a good herd, will raise their calves during the grass season 

 without a grain ration, but should have a good pasture with access to 

 pure, clean water, and shade if possible. It is a mistake to believe that 

 good, strong Short-horn cows will not stand the cold and hardships of our 

 northern winter just as well as any other cattle, because, having raised 

 their calves during the grass season they will, if dry in the winter, do 

 well and keep strong with the same care that the careful farmer gives 

 his grade cattle. The young mothers raising calves, especially the heavy 

 milkers, should be given a light grain ration in addition to grass during 

 the grass season, such as corn and cob meal, wheat bran, oats, or wheat 

 ground coarse. 



The young herd should be developed by good and sufficient care with 

 plenty of milk as calves and a proper grain ration as soon as they are 

 old enough to eat grain. During calfhood is the best time to develop good 

 cattle. They can then, and then only, as a general rule, be crowded with- 

 out injuring their usefulness as breeders. I find that young bulls need 

 even more care than the heifers; although they will not put flesh on so 

 rapidly when turned out during a good part of twenty-four hours, plenty 

 of exercise is necessary to develop the young sire and essential to his 

 future usefulness and vigor as a breeder. The entire herd must be 

 healthy, must receive intelligent care, and all anmials not in perfect 

 health nor free from contagious or infectious diseases should be entirely 

 excluded from the breeding herd. Under these conditions, and with this 

 care. Short-horns will improve. 



