8 June, 1908.] Price ami Profit in Cows. 369 



season to make them thoroughly realize its significance. Right through 

 this State there are hundreds of cows being fed at a loss year after year, 

 and if this present scarcity of fodder has the result of bringing their 

 owners to the point of culling these out, keeping only the best, and thus 

 permanently raising the grade of their herds, it will eventually prove the 

 most profitable vear thev ever knew. There are many small dairymen 

 in the suburbs of Melbourne who keep from four to six cows the year 

 through, principally by hand feeding, making a living solely from the 

 sale of their milk, and the total dailv yield from their cows throughout 

 the greater part of the year will not equal that obtained from the one 

 whose photograph is shown on the front cover of this month's Journal. 



This cow was sold by Mr. C. F. Hegarty, of Bacchus Marsh, at the 

 Dairv Cattle Market, Elizabeth-street, Melbourne, on 15th May, for 

 ^20 IDS. ; and the purchaser was Mr. Curley, dairyman, Callantina-road, 

 Hawthorn. She was sold as a Shorthorn — Ayrshire cross, on her third calf, 

 and solely on her milking qualities — which were represented by her having 

 given 26 quarts per dav in the flush of her last milking period, and being 

 equal to not less than 16 quarts daily, even with the present scarcity of 

 green fodder. This latter she has already shown herself to be quite 

 above ; for the day after she was purchased she gave 18 quarts, and four 

 days later she had reached 21 quarts; and, being then only 11 days 

 calved, she might reasonably be expected to improve considerabl\- on this. 

 On appearance her breeding would be more aptly described as " grade 

 shorthorn"; and she is said to have been bred by Mr. R. T,idgett, of 

 Myrniong, who makes the milking shorthorn his speciality. 



She is a big framed cow, showing none of the Ayrshire characteristics ; 

 and her color is almost the dark red of the Hereford wath white under- 

 neath the body. She is very evenly proportioned, so that standing alone 

 she does not appear as large as she is ; and it is not till another cow 

 is seen beside her that her size is noted. Frnm a dairy stand-point she 

 handles well, with nice soft skin and a free well balanced udder. She 

 shows well developed milk veins and good escutcheon ; is fairly well 

 ribbed and broad over hips; fair on shoulder; rather full in brisket; 

 clean looking head and neck, but both eye and nostril rather small ; has 

 kind temper ; is apparently a good doer ; and altogether has the general 

 appearance of being a good all round dairy cow. She has, moreover, 

 proved herself superior even to her looks ; for on her yield of 52 lbs. 

 of milk in 24 hours, as weighed on the 20th May, she tested out 4 per 

 cent, of butter fat ; which would make her cash return equal to 19s. 4d. 

 per week if her cream was sold at the present factory price, ^2 2s. 5d. 

 per week if the milk is sold at present wholesale price of i4d. per gallon; 

 or ^3 per week if the milk is sold retail at the 5d. per quart at present 

 obtaining in Melbourne. According to this she must be a cheap cow, even 

 at the price paid, ^20 los. 



Mr. Curlev has also several other very well bred and highly profitable 

 stock in his herd, but thev are mostlv of Jersev blood. His bull, too, 

 is of this breed, and a bit above the average quality in breeding ; being 

 a purchase from Mr. Chirnside's Werribee Park herd at a price rather 

 higher than that of the big cow. On every well-managed farm the paying 

 of a good price for a correspondinglv good animal means so- much work- 

 ing capita] re-invested where it stands every chance of returning an 

 increased dividend to the owner. 



