MilMng ami Breeding. 261 



yield. By the sixth or seventh year, with suitable feed 

 and care, full milk-production will be reached, as then the 

 size being full, becomes fixed, and the capacity which size 

 gives can no longer be increased, with rare exceptions, in 

 which cases the breeding power* is sometimes suspended 

 or destroyed. After maturity the cows can be used alter- 

 nately for breeding and milk-yield, as long as their yield 

 is profitable. 



Men of large means and facilities can divide their herds 

 between dairying and breeding, which affords good facili- 

 ties for raising the calves from the best cows, by employ- 

 ing light milkers to suckle them, as repeatedly is done.f 

 In fact, there is no reason why the breeding of dairy cows 

 should not become a special pursuit in this way, or by some 

 modified system. For instance, breeders who prefer that 

 business, might carry on their art in cheese-dairy districts, 

 and select good calves from the best cows of dairy herds — 

 many good calves being destroyed — and raise them for use 

 as dairy cowg, with their light-yielding cows, which are 

 many of them very good breeder's, in this way giving dairy- 

 men the use of their cows soon after calving. We briefly 

 suggest, being firmly convinced : First, that breeding and 

 milking cannot be most profitably or successfully carried 

 on at the same time with the same cows. Second, that it 

 is desirable and practicable to breed milk cows from those 

 of established yield and good form. Third, that this can be 

 most successfully accomplished by some system of alternate 

 milking and breeding, with known good cows. Fourth, 

 breeding should be the special business of cows, for the 

 time being, to prevent a reduction in their size and capac- 

 ity; size with muscle being the measure of power, whether 

 for breeding or milk. Full size in cows is maintainable 

 only by raising full-sized calves. And the acquired do- 



* Bead chapter on Farrow Cows. 



t Stiort-liorn and other breeders understand this practically. 



