56 LUCERNE CULTURE. 



generally, with quite another object in view transport and their 

 value as a producer of milk quite lost sight of. But now that the 

 days of transport are practically over, attention must be given to 

 deriving income from our cattle through a different channel the 

 dairy and it is not the work of a day or a year to transform our 

 cattle into good dairy stock ; it must come. gradually, by careful 

 selection and culling, together with good feeding and improved 

 treatment. 



I make bold to say that we have in this Colony a most excel- 

 lent foundation in our present stock from which to build up, by 

 selection and weeding out, a really good, profitable and creditable 

 dairy cow, in a shorter space of time than people imagine. 



It may b3 argued as to why lucerne should be such an impor- 

 tant factor to dairying as to be the cause of such a revolution 

 amongst the cattle of the country, and perhaps the question might 

 be a little difficult to solve if it were not that the wishes and 

 inclinations of cattle owners are towards improvement in their 

 general herds, and increased milk production from their cows, 

 more early maturity in their bullocks, and more economical method 

 of manipulating and disposing of their product, and with such an 

 asset in hand it is more or less an easy matter to show how lucerne, 

 the chief of cattle foods, becomes such a mighty factor. 



MANAGEMENT OF COWS. 



To commence with, to feed properly requires accommodation 

 in the form of some style of shelter, or stalls fitted with mangers in 

 which to feed, and the bar? fact of providing shelter for cattle 

 when it is required is of itself a great advantage and a step in the 

 right direction. It is estimated bythose^in a pDsition to make 

 such a statement that in the case of a cow of about 1,000 Ibs. live 

 weight, of every 100 Ibs. of food eaten, 60 Ibs. are required to main- 

 tain the heat of the body, to replace wasted energy and tissue, 

 leaving 40 Ibs. for the production of meat and milk. Extremes of 

 cold and exposure to rain naturally call for a greater supply to 

 maintain the heat and energy of the body, which means that the 

 reserve, so to speak, for the manufacture of meat and milk is at 

 once called upon, and little or nDthing is left for the making of 

 any products from which the farmer reaps profit. This is espe- 

 cially the case during the winter when food is scarce, and looked 

 at in this light, it is really wonderful that so many cattle survive 

 what they have to pass through, to say nothing of yielding any 

 profit to the owner. 



IMPORTANCE OF SHELTER. 



It is only shelter from the cold rain and biting winds which 

 will obviate this and prevent the natural tendency of reduction of 

 temperature in the body of the animal and increased call on the 



