A DAIRY HERD. 2 9 



difficult to procure a sire that will produce dairy 

 heifers. It is to be regretted that the dairy qualities 

 of this excellent breed have been neglected by most 

 breeders. 



ESTABLISHING AND MAINTAINING A DAIRY 

 HERD. 



If the dairyman can do so, he may use pure-bred 

 cows for his herd, although many grades are good 

 milkers. The average dairyman should secure the 

 best possible grade cows, and breed these to a pure- 

 bred sire of a milking breed and strain. It is best to 

 select the breed which he considers will most nearly 

 fill his requirements, then stick to that breed, as much 

 time and effort are lost by changing from one breed 

 to another. 



When selecting a dairy sire, get a good representa- 

 tive of the breed, and one from a milking family. He 

 should have good constitution, a masculine character 

 indicating prepotency and power to get heifer calves 

 which will prove to be good milkers. His breeding, 

 as indicated by pedigree and performance of dam and 

 grand-dam, and the development and placing of the 

 rudimentary tests, are the best indications of this 

 latter quality. 



As far as possible, the heifer calves from all the 

 best animals should be reared. These calves should 

 be given their dam's milk for the first three or four 

 days, except in the case of very rich milk, when it 

 should be diluted for the young calf. New, warm 

 milk in small quantities should be given to the calf 

 until it is three or four weeks old, at which time it 



