704 Journal of Agriculture . [10 Nov., 1910. 



universally considered as serious faults in any dairy animal. The question 

 then arises as to what qualifications in a pure-bred cow should entitle her 

 to be considered as good " dairy value," when sold by public auction at a 

 pure-stock sale. 



Some people — and breeders at that — would say that if a cow was 

 apparently sound, and of a recognised milking breed, she should be 

 qualified to be sold as dairy slock. A better recommendation than this 

 should, however, be required ; for, as already stated, every pure-bred female 

 of a dairy breed is, unquestionably, not a good yielder. It may possibly 

 be every breeder's ideal to have them so; but there are very few men, even 

 amongst the high class breeders, who take the trouble to demonstrate effec- 

 tively that heavy or consistent milk production is given more than a passing 

 thought in their herd management. 



Every cattle-owner knows that, outside the question of the escutcheon, 

 there is no way of estimating the possible bulk or continuity of the milk 

 yield of a cow from her appearance. Even if it were accorded its full 

 weight at the hands of the judges, the escutcheon with its variations, is still 

 almost an unknown problem among dairymen. In the show ring it is safe 

 \r say that the escutcheon of a cow or bull is seldom valued as highly as 

 the .set of the animal's horns ; so we may leave this key to production out 

 of present consideration. 



The one infallible guide to a dairy-cow's quality that is understood alike 

 by all — if obtainable — is that represented in her combined milk and butter- 

 fat yield, as determined by records and tests taken during her full season's 

 lactation period. The breeder possessing a knowledge of his cattle to this 

 extent has somethiiig definite to place before an inquirer who is out to buy 

 dairy stock ; and such a guarantee of quality is the only one that is really 

 worth considering by the dairy farmer. Yet how seldom is, this obtain- 

 able? Nine out of every ten dairymen, before buying a cow, will make 

 some endeavour to learn what her milk yield has been ; yet ninety-nine out 

 of every hundred of those selling cows cannot truthfully supply this 

 information. The animal under offer may have been bred by them; or 

 may perhaps have been in their possession for two or three seasons ; yet 

 they are ignorant of the actual quantity of milk or butter she has yielded. 

 Tl can easily be understood that, where an inferior animal is being disposed 

 of, the seller would not be willing to proclaim her deficiencies; and the 

 absence of a record in such a case needs no further comment. 



With the established breeder of pure stock, however, the case is alto- 

 gether different. Where he has to make or maintain a reputation for good 

 milking stock, nothing will assist him to this end so surely as the furnishing 

 t.) the buyer, with every cow sold from his farm, of a guaranteed record 

 of her yield in milk and butter-fat. Each year room must be found for 

 his growing heifers. If he is breeding on right lines, his herd will be 

 improving in quality annually ; and, if he were to sell his young untried 

 stock, he might be parting with some of his best ; so whatever he sells will 

 come from among the older cattle. And here he will find the utility of 

 inDking records ; for an aged cow, if a good yielder, will have a special 

 value for breeding purposes ; and will find ready sale accordingly. Young 

 stock also, bred from cows with recorded milk yields, would command the 

 competition of buyers at much higher prices than now have to be often- 

 times taken by the breeder, solely becau.se he cannot, in other than general 

 terms, guarantee the milk-yielding capacity of the parent stock. 



