HINTS ON SELECTION, CARE AND MANAGEMENT OF CATTLE. 22Q 



old, then feed well. I think that makes better milkers. It has, however, a tendency to 

 dwarf the heifer she never gets so large when so treated. My cattle are all 'muleys.' 

 I can feed twelve head in a i2-foot trough and not crowd them. I use young bulls a little 

 at one year old say ten cows that year. I keep my bull up in day-time with calves all 

 the spring, and turn him out at night ; it makes him much gentler and more docile. I 

 keep a ring in each bull's nose after one year old. I dehorn when calves, if they have 

 horns at birth. I feed milk cows the year round it pays. I use salt, sulphur and lime 

 for my cattle; don't allow the ticks to accumulate on them. I have my cows milked at 

 6 A. M. and 6 P. M., as near as I can. I keep about 20 to 25 head of cattle, which are 

 penned where the rain carries the washings from the pen on to the farm, hence the liquid 

 manure is saved on the land without much work. 



"Yours truly, W.A.CLARK." 



Mr. Clark is a Texas farmer who has found money in the dairy busi- 

 ness. He believes in dehorning, but thinks they should always be re- 

 moved when the animal is very young. 



American Holder-ness. 



In answer to our request for statement as to methods practiced by 

 him, Mr. T. A. Cole, of Solsville, Madison county, N. Y. , originator of 

 the American Holderness breed, sends a very interesting "write up," 

 clipped from the New York ( Weekly) Sun. We make the following ex- 

 tract: 



"REARING CALVES. As may be inferred, nearly all the calves are raised, and this 

 is done in addition to the average annual yield per cow of 300 pounds of butter. At first 

 they are fed exclusively on new milk, but gradually skimmed milk is added and the new 

 milk is diminished, until, at the end of three or four weeks, nothing but skimmed milk is 

 fed. To make up for the loss of cream, a little dry oil-meal is given them daily to lick. 

 They are all shut up together on a floor 24x36 feet, which has been littered with the cobs 

 from 500 or 600 bushels of corn. On these they caper and lie, the cobs absorbing all 

 droppings, and the action of the calves keeping the cobs stirred up and clean. On these 

 they are kept out of storm and sun until the room is wanted for storing hay. Then they 

 are turned out to grass, but are given their sour milk rations until about the ist of Octo- 

 ber. After this the sour milk, not wanted for the few pigs intended for the family pork, is 

 given to the cows. The horses, all summer long, receive regularly a ration of buttermilk, 

 which they appear to relish exceedingly. Care is taken that young animals shall continue 

 in a healthy, thriving condition, but they are not permitted to become excessively fat, 

 lest they acquire a tendency to put on fat rather than expend their energies in filling the 

 milk pail. By in-breeding and this care, the cows are all remarkably uniform in their 

 milk-producing qualities, both as to quantity and richness. Mr. Cole says this uniformity 

 extends to the raising of the cream, and the time required to churn it one cow's milk 

 being as like another's as one-half a mess is like the other half. So completely does all 

 the butter come at the same time, that he has tried in vain to get an additional yield of 

 butter by churning the buttermilk. The separation appears to be complete at the end 

 of the first churning. " 



The main point which we wish to mention in the practice of Mr. 

 Cole, is the one of allowing the calves to bed on corn cobs. The idea 

 is a good one, and if put in general practice among Western farmers 

 would soon do away with the unhealthy odors too frequently found in 

 the calf-pen. His practice of feeding back to the cows the surplus 

 skim product from the dairy is rapidly growing in favor, and is giving 

 excellent results. 



