Junz 15, 1906 
The Dairy. 
By A. H. Harris. 
Milking. 
The dairy business cannot be learned in one 
day, one month, or one year, even if one does 
read all he can about the business. Reading 
about the dairy and running the dairy are two 
different things. There are things we must 
practise hefore we will learn them. Milking is 
cne of the things—we become expert only by 
practice. One who can start and milk a steady 
gait will have better results than the one ‘that 
milks fast, then slow, thea fast again. We must- 
learn to milk a steady gait, and as fast as it is 
possible for us to keep it up, till the cow is 
milked dry. Feeding is another thing we must 
experience before we can feed successfully. What 
each cow wants, and the actual quantity she 
wants, we must learn by actual practice. 
Best Dairy Cow. 
It is almost impossible to buy a number on> 
dairy cow: she is seldom, if ever, for sale, and 
if she is for sale, a friend or neighhor will get 
her. We cannot tell the value of a dairy cow 
until we have milked her through ove period of 
lactation, and used the scales and teeter in de- 
termining the quantity and quality of her milk. 
She may have a perfect shaped body and udder, 
and yet be defective in some way. She may 
have the self-milking habit, a kicker, a breachy 
cow, or hold her milk, and not let it come down 
as she should, or some other habit that would 
make her an unprofitable cow. Tho best way is 
tv breed the dairy herd by careful selection of 
dam and sire, and nsing only the very best miik 
strain to be had. 
Feeding. 
I have learned that a cow will fail to yield 
her owner a profit on an empty stomach and 
the shady side of a barb wire fence for shelter, 
She must be satisfied with both feed and shelter 
for twenty-four hours a day, seven’ days a week, 
and fifty-two weeks ina year,in order to bo 
profitable. Comfort means profit with a cow. 
If she is satisfied she will not need an iron yoke 
or the crotch of a limb to keep her from going 
through the fence. 
Recording Milk. 
I have learned that keeping a record of each 
cow’s milk, of both quantity and quality, will 
promote better care in feeding, also promote 
better cows. The time it takes to do this 
amounts to but very little, and will detect the 
robbers in the herd. 
Feed. 
I have learned in the past season that my 
cows running in the pasture would fall off 
gradually four or five weeks, then after a good 
shower they would go back to their former yield 
per day. lf I had snpplied them with feed 
dursng that time my profit would have been 
much greater. 
Breed. 
It pays to get a good milk breed. They 
are generally of a kinder disposition, and when 
you feed a dairy cow she will show it in the miik 
part and not laying on flesh ; with the half- 
breed it is just the reverse. 
Shed... 
It pays to keep the cows clean and also the 
milking shed, by having a floor of some kind 
THE AUSTRALIAN GARDENER. 
9 
and a gutter xbout six to eight inches deep and 
sixteen to cighteen itches wide behind the cows ; 
it is then an easy matter to keep the cow shed 
clean. The floor should be cleaned both morn- 
ing and night. 
Weeds. 
By feedi:g the cows after milking the milk 
will not have any disagreeable odour from the 
feed- we may give them. In my part of the 
country we are bothered very much with wild 
onions or garlic in the pasture, und for a few 
weeks in the Spring we could hardly use either 
milk or butter, but when we take the cows out of 
the pasture three or four hours before milking 
the smell of weeds cannot be detected in the milk 
or butter. 
Beets. 
Sugar beets and sugar beet tops make very 
good feed, but must ke ted carefully, or they will 
cause the milk to have a peculiir oduuc. Should 
not be fed heavy, on account of the strong odvur 
they cause. ‘Tops make much better food wilted, 
but if fed very heavy it will takea long time to 
churn the cream, . 
Lucerne. 
I have learned that a calf given lucerne hay 
as soon as it will eat it will make a better calf 
than on any other feed I ever fed. I have reared 
as good calves on separated skim milk, oil cake 
and lucerne hay as can be reared running with 
the cow. Oil cake and lucerne hay are cheaper 
thaa butter fat. 
Herd. 
I have learned that it will take years to build 
up a very good dairy herd, and that we must be 
very careful in breeding and purchasing our herd. 
My plan in starting out would be to purchase 
good heifers, just a little before they come fresh. 
By careful selection and care one can build up a 
good herd in a few years. 
Profits. 
I have learned a great deal in the past year, 
no doubt have learned only what others in the 
dairy business have learned years ago, and I 
expect to learn a great deal more if I stay in the 
business. Lintend to stay in it too. I find that 
it requires attention every day. We have no days 
off; we do not have to wait till the end of the 
year for harvest, it comes every day; it is a very 
good teacher to teach one to tend strictly to busi- 
ness, When we work by the month or day, and 
we lay off a day, one’s pay stops too; we would 
lay off a great many days if we could lay off and 
draw pay too. In the dairy business, if we neg- 
lect our work for one day, we not only suffer loss 
for that one day, but for days to come, I find it 
is a very good business for one that has a family 
growing up, for it teaches them to be industrious 
and helpful, but I have learned that I cannot tell 
the boys to do this or that, but when I am with 
the boys. and say come let’s do this or that thing, 
We accomplish something. 
_ 
Wuen Danes went milking they put on white 
suits—cheap, certainly, but easily kopt clean by 
washing, In New Zealaad, on the other hand, 
people generally put on the worst clothes they 
had as overalls, and he had seen pants that would 
stand alone.—J, A. Kinsella. New Zealand Gu- 
vernment Dairy Commissioner. 
Any system of dairy instruction or inspection 
which does not include the producer is faulty. 
The need of the kour is up to date supervisors 
qualified to preach the doctrine of cleanliness and 
advanced dairy knowledge. 
Amone the crying needs of the butter industry 
in Australia is better buildings, better sanitation, 
and hetter equipment. Another, and not tle 
least, is better and cleaner supply of raw maternal 
upon which to show ovr factory managers* ckil] 
in making a finished product, 
——, 
q) 
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ITave attained the lead for quality 
combined with hardiness. 
All varieties in stock worth 
growing, 
Winners of the Victorian N.R.S. 
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Half Standards, 103 doz, 1s each 
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Hardy Trees, Shrubs, Climbers 
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Sorebum 
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: Globe and Long Red Mango 
And Paspalum Seed 
0000 
Bone Dust 
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Shell grit | Oyster shell 
Bone Meal ... and ... Chick Meal. 
F. F. Clement, 
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229 RUNDLE STREET EAST 
Telephone 1360 
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