DOMINION EXPERIMENTAL FARMS 17 



Dairy Cattle 



The cattle barns are stocked with animals such as one might 

 find in any of our better-class dairy farms of Eastern Ontario and 

 Quebec. Holsteins, Ayrshires, Guernseys, Jerseys and French- 

 Canadians are under constant test, records being kept of the 

 feeds given and of the milk and butter returned from all pro- 

 ducing cows in the stable. We have never been able to prove 

 superiority of one breed over another in all points. Results 

 here, as elsewhere, go to show that there is a great deal more 

 in individuality than in breed, and except that certain breeds 

 are better suited for certain purposes than are others, we should 

 recommend the beginner to search more particularly for a ''best' 

 individual than for a ''best" breed. Generally speaking, Hol- 

 steins and Ayrshires might be classed as good "milk" or "cheese" 

 cows, whereas Guernseys, Jerseys and French-Canadians, because 

 of their relatively high per cent, of butter fat, together with a 

 moderate flow of milk, are more essentially "butter" cows. 



As with work horses, so with dairy cows, the problem that 

 confronts every feeder is how to reduce the ration to a minimum 

 of cost and still maintain its productive power. The economy 

 of a feed depends greatly on the prevailing price, but it is only 

 after determining closely their relative merits as milk producers 

 that one can decide the part each should play in the daily ration. 

 The testing of old feeds under new conditions, and in varying 

 combinations, and the trying-out of special dairy cow feeds, 

 such as are being continually placed upon the market, have 

 constituted a part of the work engaged in. 



Roughages of various kinds have been fed and compared in 

 value to some standard roughage. Efforts have been made to 

 determine how far some of our more cheaply produced crops, 

 such as mangels or silage, might replace grain. The particular 

 adaptation of alfalfa for dairy cow feeding calls for more work of 

 this nature. Because of its high nutritive content, it is a worthy 

 rival of some of our best grains, but to just what extent it may 

 replace them is yet to be determined. 



Owing to the limited area of our farm, it has not been pos- 

 sible to pasture the cows to any very great extent. We have 

 found it expedient to resort to soiling, by which method of feeding 

 more animals can be maintained per given area than when a 

 portion of the land is used for pasture. Numerous soiling crops 

 have been tried, so that now we are able to have them arranged 

 in such succession and in such quantities that the cattle are 

 supplied with good succulent feed throughout the entire summer. 



Careful breeding and selection have brought about a gradual 

 improvement both in the appearance and productiveness of our 

 herds. We cannot impress too strongly the profit of keeping 

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