CHAPTER IV 



HOW TO BUILD A HERD OF DAIRY COWS 



THE Dairy Industry is based on the cow, and she 

 is the first step towards true dairy progress. For, 

 although in recent years we have had wonderful 

 progress in the dairy world, through improved 

 facilities and methods in our creameries, the cow is 

 the source upon which the raw material depends. 

 It is therefore necessary to see that our cows are 

 good, for on reckoning his profit and loss the 

 farmer has to deal with them first and always. 

 This is of far greater importance in these days of 

 keen competition than ever before, because farms 

 are increasing in value and are being so subdivided 

 that a great number of cows cannot be maintained 

 on one farm. Rents are also rising, and good veld 

 is scarce. The farmer is beginning to realise that, 

 through the advent of the creamery and the huge 

 demand for dairy produce, his cows are becoming 

 machines for converting cheap foods raised on the 

 farm, and perhaps other foods, into ready cash. 

 The greater is the necessity, therefore, to see that 

 his cows are of good breed. 



There are some two million cows in South 



