CHAPTER XI. 

 THE BATTLE OF THE BREEDS. 



From 1880-1890 there were many changes of opinion with regard 

 to the methods of breeding dairy cattle. It was during this decade 

 that the " Battle of the Breeds" was commenced in real earnest, and 

 dairymen of different schools began comparing notes. The factory 

 system of dairying was being introduced, and A's cheque for milk 

 supplied was being compared with B's cheque, and the number of 

 cows milked daily by each supplier was carefully recorded by neigh- 

 bours, and posted on the wall on market day. If a large cheque 

 was recorded, it is fairly certain that the cream-meter and lacto- 

 meter (the only system then in use for testing milk) were care- 

 fully read each morning during the following month. That battle 

 has not yet been decided, and the returns and records are still con- 

 stantly compiled. The chief mistake was that whilst records are 

 kept of the yields of individual cows, their pedigrees were not 

 placed on record with any care. Had a committee been appoint- 

 ed to investigate this matter much education would have been gained 

 therefrom to-day, and, further, much o-f the talk fhat has since been 

 common about certain cows having as many as seven calves in one 

 year would have been prevented. Another mistake was made by 

 many owners in mating test cows, as no allowance was made for 

 the law of compensation. Over production in one generation often 

 means under production in the next. Hence we find that the pro- 

 geny of many of the test cows were very moderate producers, al- 

 though the dam had been mated with what was considered a good 

 sire. Though like produces like, in a natural or normal state, it 

 does not follow that such is the case where high standard of ex- 

 cellence is aimed at, as was the case with our herd book tests. The 

 dairyman who moved along in the even tenor of his way, reaching 

 fair averages, was more successful in the end. 



In drawing comparisons between the cattle productions of one 

 farmer and another, we must note whether the products of the cattle 

 go to a market where the ruling prices will permit their own- 

 use foods of a high standard of quality or not. In days gone by. 

 in Australia no hand-feeding was employed, the dairy cows gathered 

 their own food in the paddocks adjacent to the homestead, and hous- 

 ing cattle was never heard of outside a few fancy breeders. C>\\s 

 that were sent along to be tested were placed in a good grass pad- 

 dock and their milk set in pans, and the cream skimmed and churned 

 into butter, and at the week's end the actual amount of butter was 

 recorded. Returns obtained in this way were reliable, being, as it 

 were according to everyday conditions. Later on when cows be- 

 gan to be tested for a prize or for herd-book conditions, the F.ab 

 cock tester was introduced, one day being considered sufficient for 

 12 months. Never afterward was the same interest taken in the 

 results by the general public. 



As an eminent authority puts it: "Li-fe must be infinitely divT>i 

 fied in order to carry out Xature's benign and universal policy." 

 That is to say, if all that lives loved the same kind of food. crow< 

 into one local habitation, preferred the same everything, hut few 

 comparatively, could enjoy the blessings of existence. instead. v( 

 find that mankind having migrated to various localities carried wit! 

 them animals of various genera and species, fenced in their hold- 

 ings, and fed thc-e animals on the gras>e-< and herbage peculiar to 



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