CHAPTER XXXIII 

 FARM DAIRYING 



348. Farm Dairying. The dairy cow on the farm 

 is a necessity, first and foremost, because she supplies 

 food for the family which in quality and cheapness is 

 without comparison. Milk and eggs supply the protein 

 nutrients needed by the human body cheaper than 

 meats. A pound of steak, a dozen eggs, or a quart of 

 milk supply about the same amount of protein, yet 

 the selling price of the milk, on an average, is less than 

 half the cost of the others. Milk and butter are not 

 only important foods, but valuable condiments used 

 in many ways in rendering other foods palatable. It 

 is these qualities that make a market for dairy products 

 the world over. 



349. A Natural Advantage of the South is the ease 

 with which green feeds may be grown throughout the 

 entire year. Many dairies are profitable without green 

 feeds, yet every one recognizes that fresh green feed, 

 either in pastures or in soiling crops, are great aids in 

 increasing the flow of milk. Mild winters remove the 

 necessity for expensive Barns, and reduce the quantity 

 of feed needed to keep the cow in splendid condition. 



350. The Distinctive Quality of the Dairy Cow is 

 her capacity to manufacture large quantities of milk, 

 rich in butter -fat, from common feeds. A cow that 

 does not give more than two gallons of rich milk per 

 day should be discarded. The richness of the milk is 

 always to be considered. The Babcock test (Fig. 160) 



(245) 



