lo May. 1909.] Profi-tabU' Dairying on Small Farms. 297- 



persistencv and consistency of milking; for cows that will give a regular 

 supplv of milk over a long period are particularly valuable for this work. 

 If the supply of milk is to be sustained with a regularity that will be satis- 

 factorv to both buyer and seller, it is further necessary that the cultivation 

 methods of the farm be systematic ; while the area cultivated must be suffi- 

 cientlv extensive to insure a supply of succulent fodder for the milkers 

 throughout the whole year. With these items provided for, and in a suit- 

 able locality, the wholesale milk supply business can be made much the 

 more profitalDle of the two branches of dairying. 



In the Shire of Lilydale one of those who have changed from butter- 

 making to tills wholesale milk supply business is Mr. G. L. Fiedler, of 

 Dorset-road, Croydon. This farm of 120 acres has been rented by Mr. 

 Fifdler for several )ears past, and on it he now keeps 29 head of milking, 

 cows and a few young stock. Twenty-three acres are cultivated for oats, 

 maize, peas, rye, and a little market garden produce. A fairly regular 

 supply of green feed is obtained throughout the year by monthly sowings 

 of such of the alx>ve crops as are suitable to the season. Having pre- 

 viously been more extensively engaged in market garden work on this place 

 before his dairying operations developed to their present extent, Mr. 

 Fiedler has a good knowledge of the cultivation necessary to sustain the 

 requisite fodder supply. This, in some measure, counterbalances the draw- 

 hack which must necessarily arise from the absence of a silo on the farm. 



When the first inspection of dairy farms in the Lilydale Shire under 

 the Dairv Supervision Act was made in 1906 this dairyman's name was 

 mentioned among those whose stock were giving the best returns in cream 

 or butter. At the close of that vear the seventeen cows on this farm 

 were making 114 lbs. of butter per week. Since then, progressive methods 

 have been suggested and adopted, the herd has been increased to 29 head 

 as stated, and during the year just past the herd has given an approximate- 

 average of 540 gallons of milk per cow. In February of the present year 

 27) cows (including heifers) were giving 50 gallons daily. A recent test 

 of the herd over 24 hours showed 5 per cent, butter fat on the total milk 

 yield, which works out at about 8| lbs. of butter per cow, or a good ad- 

 vancement on the 1906 production. However, the sale of the produce from 

 this herd, even at the high butter- fat average stated, is as a direct re- 

 turn, far more profitable when disposed of as fresh milk than it would be 

 if separated for the manufacture of butter. 



The heifer calves from the best cows are raised each year ; and any 

 surplus stock find a ready local sale. Two photographs of the cows 

 are shown herewith. From these it may be seen that they are a fair 

 grade of Jerseys. All the cows are well cared for, being rugged in 

 cold weather, and stall fed at each milking. At the date of inspection 

 they w-ere being given chaffed hav and maize with about 4 lbs. of bran 

 each daily. They are a useful looking lot of cattle, with extra good 

 udder and milk-vein development, fairly low^ set, w^ell bodied, bright 

 looking, and very quiet — typical dairy stock throughout. The old cow^ 

 at the right of the group of six is "Beautv." a 15-vear old " dain.' 

 queen." She calved in Xovember last, and is now, four months after 

 calving, giving 15 quarts daily. The one in front of her is '•' Daisy," 

 now calved ten weeks and giving 18 quarts dailv. This cow milks well 

 right up to her calving. These two cow's and " Dollv," the springer in 

 the front of the group, are three of the six cows that composed Mr. 

 Fiedler's herd in 1903. In January and Februarv of that vear, his six 

 cows made 75 lbs. of butter per week between ^hem. Bv breeding these 

 COW'S to pure Jersey bulls, his present profitable herd was built up. 



