194 



Butter Tests. 



[JULY, 



herds were approximately the same throughout the whole period 

 of the tests, the vacancies in the Jersey herd being filled by 

 heifers bred on the farm, while the vacancies among the Short- 

 horns were made good either by the purchase of cows locally or 

 by the drafting of home-bred heifers into the herd. Pure bred 

 bulls of each breed were also purchased for use in the respective 

 herds. 



Throughout the experiment the cows were treated exactly 

 alike as regards housing and the kind of food supplied. In 

 winter they were tied up in the same byre, while in summer 

 they ran on the same pastures. The only difference was in the 

 quantity of food supplied to the two herds. It was found by 

 actual periodical weighings that on the average the Shorthorns 

 scaled roughly 50 per cent, more than the Jerseys, and in 

 feeding the principle was adopted that cattle eat in proportion 

 to their size. In all probability small cows eat relatively more 

 than large ones, though individuals differ, but this principle was 

 considered to be sufficiently near the mark to be adopted. In 

 the matter of feeding, then, especially of concentrated foods, the 

 Shorthorn cows were given 50 per cent, more food than the 

 Jerseys. For winter feeding, carrots, cabbage, ensilage, and 

 mangolds were all employed, while decorticated cotton cake in 

 •combination with maize meal or home-grown cereals was usually 

 depended on as the concentrated food. 



From November, 1900, till March, 1901, a series of monthly 

 tests was made, but from April, 1901, till July, 1904, these tests 

 were repeated at fortnightly intervals. In all eighty-six tests were 

 conducted. The nature of each test was as follows : — On the 

 selected day 50 lb. or 5 gallons of the milk of each breed was 

 taken from the bulk after thoroughly mixing.* Each lot was 

 then passed through the separator, and after the resultant 

 cream had been set aside for two days, it was separately 

 churned, and the amount of butter obtained was carefully 

 determined. Knowing the amount of butter obtained from 

 50 lb. of milk, it is an easy matter to calculate the weight of 

 milk required to produce i lb. of butter in each case. The 



From April, 1903, owing to other tests being conducted on the same days, less 

 milk was available for the fortnightly tests, so 30 lb. of each milk was taken, and on 

 ■one or two occasions the quantity was even less. 



