TO PRODUCE MILK FOR CHEESE OR BUTTER. f07 



the manufacture of butter, pay less attention to the bulk of the milk 

 itself than to that of the cream they can collect from its surface. The 

 proportion of butter is increased by the use of food which contains much 

 fatty matter — of any of those kinds of food, indeed, by which an ox can 

 be made rapidly to lay on fat. Oil-cake has by some been objected to 

 as likely to give a taste to the milk, but it may be safely used in small 

 quantity, and gives an abundant and good flavoured cream. 



c. In cheese countries, again, it is the curd that is chiefly in request. 

 No doubt the value of a cheese depends much upon the proportion of 

 butter it contains diffused throughout its substance, but the weight of 

 cheese produced upon a farm depends mainly upon the quantity of curd 

 which the milk of the dairy yields. Where skim-milk cheese is made, 

 the weight of produce obtained depends almost solely upon the richness 

 of the milk in curdy matter. Clovers, vetches, and pea straw abound in 

 casein or vegetable curd, and thus give a rich and productive milk to the 

 cheese maker, while bean-meal and pease-meal, in so far as they can be 

 given to the cow with safety, may with advantage be employed to pro- 

 duce the same effect. As every thing which t«nds to lay on fat on the 

 animal is likely also to increase the proportion of butter in its milk, sc 

 every thing which promotes the growth of muscle will also add to the 

 richness of the milk in curd or cheese. 



§ 12. Influence of size, condition, warmth, exercise, and light, on the 

 quantity of food necessary to make up for the natural waste. 



But the quantity of food of any kind which an animal will require is 

 affected by many circumstances. Thus — 



1°. The size and condition of tlie animal will regulate very much the 

 quantity of food which is necessary to sustain it. The larger the mus- 

 cles and bones the greater will be the daily waste, and the greater the 

 quantity, therefore, of the food necessary to replace it. If an animal re- 

 quire a 50th or a 60th of its weight of dry food daily, of course his size 

 and weight will regulate almost entirely the quantity of food he ought to 

 eat. 



A knowledge of this circumstance is occasionally of economical value 

 to the stock feeder or dairy farmer, and will modify very much the line 

 of conduct he may be inclined to adopt as the most profitable. 



A large animal requires more food to keep it in its actual condition — 

 to make up, that is, for the natural waste. If you wish to convert much 

 produce into much rich dung, therefore, keep large animals. They will 

 convert a large quantity of vegetable matter into manure without adding 

 any thing to their own substance. If one-fiftieth of its weight of dry 

 food be necessary to sustain it, then an animal of 100 stones weight will 

 convert two stones of hay dailj/- into dung. Whatever it eats beyond the 

 two stones, will go to the increase of its weight. 



But a small animal, of 50 stones, requires only one stone a day to sus- 

 tain its body, or converts one stone wholly into dung. Whatever it eats 

 beyond this quantity, therefore, will go to the production of increased 

 beef and bone. Hence, if I have a given quantity of vegetable produce, 

 [ ought to be able to manufacture more beef from it by the use of small 

 cattle than of large, provided my large and small stock are equally pur» 

 in breed, are equally quiet, and tie as kindly feeders. 



