Derby Prize-Farm Competition^ 1881. 
483 
Dairy Coios. — The number of cows in milk varies just 
according to the demand for milk in Derby ; for there it is 
retailed. From 50 to 60 capital specimens of Derbyshire 
Shorthorns are usually kept. About 18 of these are annually 
bought, and some are reared and brought into the dairy ; about 
25 are annually drafted out, fatted, and sold to the butcher. All 
the milk is retailed in Derby, except, perhaps, a small quantity 
just in the flush of the season, when a little butter is made, and 
some calves are reared or fattened. Two milk-carts attended by 
two men and two boys take the milk and deliver it twice a day 
to 204 customers. The carts, with churns holding from 16 to 18 
gallons, leave at 7 A.M., returning at 11-30 A.M. ; and at 5.30 P.M., 
returning at 8 P.M. It is distributed at the doors of the cus- 
tomers in quantities as small as 1^7. worth. The price obtained 
for milk is on the average Is. per gallon, and it costs 2d. per 
gallon for delivery. The quantities and receipts for milk for 
four years are given below 
Gallons 
1877. 
48,229 
1879. 
45,912 
£ 
2381 
22 LI 
Gallons 
1878. 
49,549 
1880. 
45,416 
£ 
2481 
2131 
Milk has been purchased to retain customers, and the sums 
paid in the four years were — 
Gallons 
1877. 
3,191 
1879. 
7,462 
£ 
131 
265 
Gallons 
1878. 
6,363 
1880. 
6,342 
£ 
248 
217 
In the summer, only deep milkers get artificial food, but in 
winter all have abundance of rich food ; then each cow in full 
milk gets daily 6 lbs. of meal Indian corn, and ^ beans, 
peas, or oats), 3 pecks grains, 20 lbs. roots (or, if roots are 
scarce, 2 lbs. bran), with inferior hay cut into chaff and 
steamed. If the hay is good one-third oat-straw is chopped up 
with it. A feed of best long hay is given the first thing in the 
morning, and the last at night. Any cow that loses a quarter, 
or fails to give satisfaction as a milker, is treated to 5 lbs. of 
linseed-cake till the butcher has her. 
Calves are taken right away from the dam and fed by 
hand, most are sold within a week at about 245. a head. Those 
that are reared have new milk for a week, then skimmed milk, 
calf-meal, ground oil-cake, and maize-meal, until they are 3 
months old, then corn, cake, pulped roots, and cut-chaff, till they 
go out to grass, when artificial food ceases. Mr. Bryer has not 
