50 CATTLE AND DAIRY FARMING. 



exertion than is necessary to supply themselves with food. This may seem like spin- 

 ning a fine thread, but it" is the sum of such threads that determine the question of 

 profit with the dairyman. The loss in milk production by more travel in grazing than 

 is necessary for maintaining the health and vigor of a herd of cows is often very con- 

 siderable. Very few lierds are free from some loss in this direction. In woodland 

 pastures, and faugh and hilly ones, and in ranges necessarily large because the laud 

 is poor and feed scanty, the yield of milk is always inferior, being cut short by the 

 long distances necessary to travel for gathering a supply of food. The loss in milk 

 from feeding in pastures of such a character as to require cows to be all day in filling 

 themselves may be plainly seen by any observant farmer. A difference of 25 or 30 per 

 cent., and even of 50 per cent., will be easily made between such fare and a full sup- 

 ply of feed easy of access, either by grazing or by soiling. 



Large ranges of pastures are not advisable for cows in milk. It is better to supply 

 only pasture enough to furnish grazing till grass begins to fail from dry weather, and 

 to supply the herd with soiling crops through the middle of the summer at least. The 

 saving in land where land has much value is enough by this course to pay for all the 

 extra labor it occasions, and the increase of milk which will be gained becomes a 

 source of increased profit. One would hardly imagine, until he tries it, how much 

 the yield of milk for the season will be augmented by such a course. In the first 

 place, it saves the cows an immense deal of travel if they can have their feed pre- 

 sented to them in the stable or other convenient place, instead of their having to run 

 after it. Then, it often saves them a great deal of depressing exposure to sun and 

 storms and flies. They are enabled also to make better use of the food they consume, 

 by reason of having more leisure for ruminating than they can have if they have to 

 pick their living by constant travel. The sum of all these advantages has a telling 

 effect upon the resources of the farmer* and he cannot afford to ignore them. If he 

 has rough places, woodland, or thin pastures, which will afford only scanty feed, it is 

 better to put young stock upon it to pick the scanty feed. They can use it without 

 loss. They require considerable exercise to work oif their surplus energies, and to 

 promote growth of frame and assimilation, and they won't mind the travel necessary 

 to gather the grass from such places. But the milch cow which has her energies 

 taxed to the utmost to elaborate a bountiful flow of milk has no vital force to spare. 

 She needs to husband to the best advantage all she has to enable her to do her full 

 work, and the farmer who intelligently plans his operations will spare her all the ex- 

 ertions he possibly can. 



CATTLE SHOWS IN ENGLAND. 



If I enter on such particulars it is because I sympathize keenly witlu 

 the Department in its efforts in behalf of American cattle, and because 

 it seems to me that nothing would be more valuable to our breeders 

 than the experience of countries that surpass us and have brought their 

 cattle to such a high standard of perfection. There are other consider- 

 ations that must not be ignored that have contributed to the advance- 

 ment of the standard of European cattle, and to leave this consideration 

 umnentioned would be to make my dispatch imperfect, viz, cattle shows 

 or exhibitions. Apart from the interest and benefit that accrue to En- 

 gland from having fine cattle, the system observed in that country, and 

 to a less extent on the Continent, of having what is called shows, offers 

 additional stimulus and incentive to have fine cattle, that has caused 

 the cattle of Europe to be pushed, as it were, to the high point which they 

 have attained, and keeps them there. It has caused common stock to 

 disappear entirely from Europe. 



In England for every distinctive breed of cattle there is a society to 

 look to the interest and its advancement This is done by shows and 

 exhibitions. There is a Shorthorn society, a Jersey society, a Devon, 

 a Southdown, and a Cart-horse society. Where such keen rivalry is 

 excited as is done by these numerous societies, all having for their spe- 

 cial aim the advancement of the different breeds, it is in noway curious 

 that scrubby cattle of every kind have disappeared and that they have 

 been converted into blooded cattle. This is a truth that it seems to me 

 shows Americans that they have but to offer the same inducements to 

 accomplish like results. 



