90 SECOND THOUSAND QUESTIONS IN AGRICULTURE 



is a common practice with country butchers. If this were not done, the 

 sellers would very often fill the stock up with water and feed during the 

 last 24 hours, with a resultant loss to the buyer when butchered. 



Increasing Milk Yield. 



Is there anything to increase supply of milk in cows? Do some 

 cows quit having calves after having two? If this is so, is there a 

 cure in a young four-year-old f 



If a cow is below her normal yield, or the milk yield for which she 

 has natural capacity, and is in good health, her yield can be increased 

 by better feeding with foods rich in protein as alfalfa is, for instance. 

 Some cows quit having calves at various ages and for various reasons ; 

 so far as we know there is no prevalence of the two-calf limit. There 

 are so many things involved in the sterility of animals that consideration 

 of the individual case by a qualified veterinarian is necessary. 



Selling Dehorned Bulls. 



If I have my young registered bull dehorned will he be as readily 

 salable as he would be with horns? 



It would depend upon the customer and for what he might want 

 the bull ; for use alone or possibly for exhibition also. Probably most 

 buyers would prefer the natural form of the animal. 



Spaying Scrubs. 



Does spaying cattle set them back much? When should it be done, 

 as calves or yearlings? Isn't it a common practice in the East? I have 

 been told that it stunted a calf to spay it. It seems to me with a 

 bunch of mixed cattle, if one spays his scrubs, he will be able to 

 breed up much faster. 



Spaying has just the opposite effect. The animals make much better 

 gains and better beef. Spaying has been a common practice, but the 

 high price of beef has stopped it, as every cow that would bring a calf 

 has been in great demand. The best time to do spaying is when the 

 weather is cool and the flies are scarce. When properly done, all 

 effects of the operation will disappear within two weeks. The best age 

 to spay is at one year. The use of a good pure-bred bull and selection 

 will, however, produce remarkable results in the course of a few years 

 and you can breed out your common stock that way. 



Changing from Summer to Winter Milking. 



I have cows which came fresh last March and April. Is it best 

 to breed them this summer or wait until December, which will bring them 

 fresh again a year from next fall, when butter fat is on the rise in price? 

 It seems a long time to let cows tt-aiV, and I wonder if it will not make 

 the cows dry for too long a period to be profitable. If they are bred 



