THE JOURNAL 



^^3 



OF THE 



BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



THE SELECTION AND MILKING OF DAIRY 



CATTLE. 



The importance of obtaining really first-class dairy stock has 

 for a long time been recognised by practical mzn, and the 

 degree of perfection which has been attained in the production 

 of excellent types is well seen in the results obtained by the 

 specialist breeders of the Channel Island and Ayrshire cattle. 

 In the production of cattle for dairying purposes the object to 

 be kept in view is the purpose for which the milk is being 

 produced. There are, first of all, those whose object is milk- 

 selling, and who wish to obtain a large volume of milk, the 

 quality of which should exceed the limit prescribed by the 

 Sale of Milk Regulations, and yet not be so excessively rich 

 as to cause a corresponding reduction in quantity ; secondly, 

 there is the farmer, whose object is butter- making, in which 

 case the quantity of milk produced is not of so much import- 

 ance as its richness in fat, for it is this constituent of milk alone 

 which can be used in the production of butter ; and, thirdly, 

 there is the cheese-maker, who aims at obtaining milk which 

 is neither too, rich nor too poor, but which will produce cheese 

 of uniform good quality, and if manufactured into butter at 

 times of the year when cheese-making is not carried on, will 

 yield a satisfactory amount of butter. 



Suitable Breeds. — As examples of breeds which are specially 

 suitable to each of these three classes may be mentioned Short- 

 horns for milking. Jerseys and Guernseys for butter, and 

 Ayrshires for cheese. There are also many milk-sellers whose 



Vol XIIL No. 8^ 



NOVEMBER, 1906. 



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