ON AGRICULTURE TO CANADA 87 



Dairy Cattle 



Some lines of work were conducted with dairy cattle and the 

 results are as follows : — 



1. Breeding 



Work in breeding for milk production seems to show that : — 

 {a) Superior dairy cows may be found in all breeds. 

 (6) Pure-bred females are not essential to success in dairy farm- 

 ing, but a pure-bred bull should always be used. 



2. Economy of Production of Milk 



Cheap milk production is assured by the use of succulent or 

 juicy feeds, such as mangels, sugar beet, and silage, nitrogenous or 

 flesh and milk forming feeds such as clover and Lucerne hay, bran, 

 oats and oil-meal on well-bred stock in well-lighted, well-ventilated, 

 comfortably bedded stables. 



3. Values of different Feeds, both Rough and Concentrated 



Sugar beets probably rank first as a succulent feed, mangels and 

 silage however, being excellent. Bran, oil-meal, ground oats, shorts, 

 and gluten are the best concentrates. 



4. Influence of Feeds on Quality and Quantity of Milk 



Feeds do not affect the quality of the milk produced so far as 

 percentage of fat is concerned, but may affect the flavour of the 

 milk or the character of the butter. They will also affect the total 

 quantity of fat produced in a given time as well as the quantity of 

 milk produced in the same given time. 



5. Individual Records 



Individual records have been found to be very valuable as a 

 guide in breeding and feeding. Weighing the milk night and 

 morning from each cow served not only to show what a cow is at the 

 end of the year, but is sure to make each cow do better on the 

 average, for the milker cannot help taking an interest in her record 

 and so do his best by her as to feed and care. 



6. Influence of Hours of Milking on Quantity and Quality of 



Milk 



Whether milking be performed at equal or unequal intervals 

 does not seem to affect the quantities of either the milk or butter 

 fat yielded by a cow, but does affect the character of the milk after 

 each milking. The smaller quantity and the higher percentage of 

 fat has been obtained after the shorter interval. Regularity in 

 hours of milking is essential. 



