24 QUEENSLAND AGRICULTURAL JOURNAL. [1 Jaw., 1902. 
A Sranparp or Minxina Power. 
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It may be interesting to some to know the standard of milking power — 
that has been proposed for the different breeds by the British Dairy Farmers’ 
Association, and I therefore give it below :-— 
Weight Butter Weight Butter 
of Milk. Fat. of Milk. Fat, 
Lb. Lb. Lb. Lb, 
Shorthorn _... = Pe. 5,000 meer LD. Red Poll _... sf re 7, 000 seer 00) 
Jersey ... sha ay ae THON a 14s) Kerry and Dexter... ~. °4,500, 22 10:75 
Guernsey ner me yr, 000 Bere Leo Dutch a Lr. Pee 91500 my en. 00) 
Ayrshire 7 se. (3000 Fe 00 
SELEcTING A Bunt. 
Supposing, then, that a certain breed is in use, it ought to be the object of 
the farmer to try and improve the quality of the individual animals of his herd, 
and the first thing to do is to select a good bull. By the term “ good bull” is 
meant a great deal more in the case of dairy animals than merely having one of 
the proper symmetry and the proper points recognised as belonging to his 
breed ; for if his progeny, or, at any rate, the female part of it, is intended to 
be reared for the milking of future herds, the milking quality of the strain to 
which he belongs is of the first importance, and, therefore, his pedigree in this 
direction must be satisfactory. A bull from a herd noted for good: milking 
power, and the son of a dam which is also a good milker, is likely to leave 
progeny behind him with the milking power transmitted; therefore, the farmer 
who proposes to rear his own stock—and every farmer should do this as far as 
possible—will take great pains to make certain that the milking pedigree of the 
bull he employs is satisfactory, as well as the appearance of the animal itself. 
Many dairymen make a great mistake in this ; they use any breed of an animal, 
so long as it proves to be a bull. 
SELECTION OF Cows. 
Next to the selection of the bull comes the choice of the cows for milking 
power, and it is here that milk records and tests are of value. It is generally 
acknowledged that every dairy farmer who wishes to keep the average yield of 
his herd up to the mark, and wishes to try and improve the same, ought to test 
the animals periodically as regards their milking power. In practice this is 
most conveniently done by weighing the milk of each animal morning and 
evening once a fortnight. Daily tests are unnecessary. Weekly tests are good 
if one can spare the time, but, as far as useful and practical tests are concerned, 
fortnightly is quite sufficient. 
From this test the best milking cows are found out, and it is wonderful 
how animals are discovered to be good milkers, when a whole twelvemonth is 
taken, which yet have never yielded a yery large quantity at one time, while on 
the other hand animals which have yielded an enormous quantity over a short 
time, and have had great notice taken of them, are really poor milkers when 
their total yield for twelve months is summed up. The cow that yields a 
moderate quantity over nine, ten, or eleven months is the sort to have and breed 
from, and it is only by a record that this is found out. In addition to this, the 
quality of the milk must be taken into account also, and it is desirable to test 
this from time to time also. 
Imvortanr Pornrs In Manacemen. 
Tn order that a cow may give the greatest quantity of the richest milk, it 
is necessary that she should be subjected to gentle treatment, never be hounded 
by dogs, never struck with sticks, never even be roughly spoken to, but petted 
and made much of as far as possible. A cow differs from a child; the more 
you pet a child the more you are likely to spoilit, but a cow cannot vet too much 
petting. Rough treatment of any kind, which upsets the nerves, has a reflex 
action on the milking power. We know that the power to secrete milk is 
ee ee al 
