96 T K A X S A C T I X S 



REPORT ON HEIFERS. 



, BY G. C. MUNSELL. 



The rearing of good dairy stock is an object of great importance 

 to the farmer. The cow ranks high among our domestic animals. 

 Probably no other is of more importance to us. She furnishes both 

 the necessaries and the luxuries of life. To the farmer she is a source 

 of both luxury and profit. How desirable, then, that, in rearing 

 dairy stock, he should produce animals of the best qualities for his 

 purpose. And the question, hozo this can be best accomplished, is 

 one of much interest to breeders of neat stock. If " like produces 

 like," too much care and skill can hardly be exercised by the breeder 

 in the selection of his breeding animals. He should select such as 

 have the style and qualities, desired in their offspring. 



In rearing heifers for the dairy, such should be chosen as have de- 

 scended from good milking stock. It is not only important, that the 

 dam should have been a good milker, but equally so that the sire 

 should have been bred from a good milking race. It is generally 

 believed by breeders of experience, that the male has as much influ- 

 ence upon the milking qualities "of the progeny, as the female. 

 Hence, the necessity of having well selected males, as well as females, 

 in attempting to rear good stock for the dairy. The breeder should 

 not only use superior animals to breed from, but reserve for himself 

 the better portion of their progeny. If a heifer shows an aptitude to 

 fatten easily, she is generally considered worth more for the shambles 

 than the dairy ; and, consequently, goes into the hands of the butch- 

 er; while some hard-hided one, which could not easily be fattened, 

 is reserved for the milk-pail. 



The opinion is very prevalent among farmers, that a heifer which 

 takes on flesh rapidly, will not make a good milker. Perhaps the 

 fact, that most good milkers become thin of flesh, when in full milk, 

 leads to this opinion. But such cows generally fatten quickly, when 

 dry. It would seem, that the fact of a heifer's fattening easily, 

 should lead to the belief, that she would make a good cow for butter, 

 her aptitude to fatten showing her system to be such, that all the 

 carbon of her food is not required for heat and respiration. 



