9 March, 1908.] Breeding for the Dairy. 147 



possible should be got out of each cow in return for labour and feed. 

 If this labour had to be hired, or feed purchased for the cows, in many 

 instances the dairying could not be carried on by reason of the number 

 of useless animals each herd contains ; but where these expenses have not 

 to be met by a direct cash outlay the question of profit is not so forcibly 

 presented, and is apt to be altogether overlooked. 



Too much attention cannot be given to the fact that 6 quarts of milk 

 dailv, or 4 lbs. of butter weekly, is the lowest average return that a 

 dairy -farmer can afford to handle his cows for. Animals that do not 

 reach this average for their period of production should be disposed of, 

 and replaced as soon as possible with something more profitable. It 

 should be the aim of every dairyman to keep his cows in milk at least 

 nine months of the year ; and the sooner the above return is established 

 as the minimum basis in each herd the sooner will every herd be in a fair 

 way to become a reliable source of profit. The fact that some farmers 

 have found it possible to make even a small profit ty the haphazard 

 methods they ha\'e practised in the past may be taken as significant of 

 what may be expected by them if their work is carried on systematical] v. 



Returning to the subject of breeds, the Milking Shorthorn under 

 favorable conditions stands as being all its supporters claim for it. 

 There are many authenticated records proving its capabilities both as a 

 milk and butter producer, and its appearance is a good guarantee to its 

 fattening qualities. There is however a matter which is too often over- 

 looked in studying dairy returns ; that is, the amount of food consumed 

 by each cow. A large return of produce does not necessarily mean a 

 large profit. Profit from a dairy cow is usually considered to be the 

 amount by which the value of the produce from the animal during a 

 stated period exceeds the cost of production as represented by the food 

 it has consumed. A large cow requires as a rule more food to sustain 

 its body than does a small one ; and therefore consumes more in propor- 

 tion to the quantity of milk she gives. This is a very important item 

 where any considerable amount of food has to be bought for the cows 

 yearly ; and it must also be reckoned with more or less under all condi- 

 tions. Also, as a certain amount of labour has to be expended with 

 every dairy herd in milking and general work it is customary to eliminate 

 this matter of labour from the estimate ; but this proceeding is ques- 

 tionable. Where the work of the herd includes anv housing or hand 

 feeding, the extra room required or weight of food carried per cow, as 

 well as the amount of capital invested and annual turnover, are items 

 which must te included when determining the relative values of large 

 and small dairy cows. Where suitable food can be proA'ided at low 

 cost and the question of room does not occur, the " general purpose " 

 cow is undoubtedly worth considering ; but where housing and hand 

 feeding are necessarv big cows have little chance of successfully com- 

 peting with the smaller framed milking breeds. 



The Ayrshire occupies a somewhat intermediate position between the 

 more bulky Shorthorn and the neatlv-proportioned Jersey. Its clean 

 bright colour and alert appearance assist towards its popularity. It has 

 been bred principally for a heavv milk yield ; but its various qualities 

 are more or less pronounced according to the attention that has teen paid 

 to them by the breeders of the several strains. It is of a medium size 

 and a strong constitution, is a class of cow that readily adapts itself 

 to most situations and conditions, and its fanciers are to be found extolling 

 its qualities side bv side with both Shorthorn and Jersey breeders. 



