52 DAIRYING 



and give the largest flow of milk in May, June and July. 

 spring freshening of the cows is defended by some farmers on the 

 ground that there is usually more help on the farm during the 

 crop raising season than in the winter and this, together with the 

 smaller amount of care required for stabling and feeding the cows 

 in summer as compared with the winter season, is sufficient reason 

 for the widespread adoption of this practice among farmers. 



The question of summer or winter dairying must therefore 

 be largely decided on the basis of the importance of dairying or 

 of milk production in the work of each farm. If a few cows are 

 kept for supplying the family with milk and butter, spring calv 

 ing cows will probably give the least trouble to the farmer, but 

 if cows are kept for the purpose of converting feed and labor into 

 milk which is to be sold at the best price possible, then fall calving 

 cows will be the most profitable. 



RAISING HEIFERS FROM THE BEST COWS. 



744. There is undoubtedly more satisfaction and more profit 

 in raising heifers from the home herd than in buying cows from 

 outside sources for keeping up the herd. This is especially true 

 if a bull of a distinct dairy type and cows with good milk records 

 have already been procured as a foundation for the herd. By rais- 

 ing the heifers of cows with well known characteristics, such as a 

 well balanced udder, easy milkers, persistent milkers, and cows 

 that have a tendency to convert feed into milk rather than into 

 live weight, the owner may have reasonable assurance as to the 

 kind of cows the heifers will make. Such herds are likely to give 

 a much more substantial profit from year to year than a herd 

 made up entirely of strange cows. If a thoroughbred bull is 

 used in the herd, it will be continually improving from year to 

 year, and the improvement will be much faster than many cow 

 owners think. 



745. Heifers need good training and special attention during 

 their first milking period, which is best begun at the age of two 

 years. The most intelligent milker should have charge of the 

 heifers, as they need to be taught' to have no fear of the milker; 

 they should be milked dry at each milking in order to help de- 



