178 QUEENSLAND AGRICULTURAL JOURNAL. [1 Supr., 1902. 
The most economical cow for butter-making is undoubtedly the Jersey. 
But remember that is only some people’s idea. Others may, and no doubt 
will, tell you differently. 
What you want is a cow which will give you the most and the best butter 
at the least cost, and there is no breed which answers to these requirements 80 
well as the Channel Island cattle. 
In all breeds there are some poor specimens just the same as in a noble 
family, witha long record of brave and healthy ancestors, some weaklings are often 
found with none of the characteristics of their ancestors in them. (ood grades. 
are better than poor thoroughbreds. A herd of good, well-cared-for grade — 
Jerseys should yield an average of at least 300 Ib. of butter every year. And 
this is mainly profit, for you have the skim milk and butter milk and the yearly 
calf as a set-off against the expense of her keep. 
Now, take Ayrshires. I am not going to give you the history of the origin 
of the various breeds. That will not help you to be a good dairy farmer. What 
you want to know is—First, what breed to start with; second, how to make the 
start ; third, how to treat and feed your herd, so as to get the greatest amount: 
of milk, butter, and calves from them. That is quite sufficient for you to learn. 
The Ayrshire breed is well known all over the world. There is a great 
variety of colours in Ayrshires, even in the best herds, but the colours never 
blend together as in the Durhams. All the red and black spots are quite 
distinct from the white. 
They are not specially built for beef-production, but they easily fatten, 
and give a very remarkable amount of fine beef in spite of the smallness: 
of the carcass. They are regular and constant milk-producers. A herd of 
twelve, well-managed, will yield 5,000 lb. of milk each annually. In the United 
States there is a herd averaging 14 cows, which has regulariy produced an 
average of 6,407 lb. of milk to the cow. Last year (1901) 19 of the same cows 
gave 6,956 lb. of milk. Four of them gave over 10,000 lb. in a year, and 1 
over 12,0001b. The milk averaged 44 per cent. of butter fat, and the cows 
averaged 353 Ib. of butter each. Single cows of this herd made butter records 
of 504, 546, 572, and 607 lb. within twelve months. These and other facts: 
concerning Ayrshire cows are all recorded in the Dairyman, a paper published 
in Sydney. 
At the Queensland Agricultural College, the grade Ayrshires have well - 
kept up the reputation of the breed, single cows giving 552 and 642 Ib. of 
milk in a month, and from 21 Ib. to 28 Ib. of commercial butter. The grade: 
Jerseys at the same place have given up to 722 1b. of milk and 36°38 Ib. of 
butter in the same time. 
Now here you have before you the value of the Ayrshire and Jersey as: 
dairy cows. 
We will now-consider the Devon breed. This race of cattle combines 
many good qualities. They have round, plump, low-built, and powerful frames. 
A Devon cow will yield good quantities of rich milk and butter, puts on flesh 
easily, and will thrive with less care than the more delicate Jersey, producing 
as much butter per pound’s worth of feed as the latter. In America the 
Devons are bred as much for working bullocks as for dairying purposes. They 
furnish excellent workers, being tractable, gentle, tough, strong,and making good” 
beef when liberated from the yoke. They are the hardiest of our farm stock, 
and do a fair share of duty in the dairy. ‘They have the peculiarity of laying on 
flesh and fat from the inside in feeding, and, were it not for the test by the 
scales, would be supposed not to be doing justice to their feed. At the Queens- 
land Agricultural College there are several Devons in the dairy herd, yielding 
between 400 and 500 Ib. of milk per month. The milk is not rich in butter fat 
(3'8), and the butter yield is about 18 lb. per month. 
The Holstein is receiving much attention just now. _ It is too large in the 
frame to be considered an ideal dairy cow, but crossed with the Ayrshire ib 
produces a cow much valued for cheese production, For butter purposes it 18 
not nearly so valuable as the Ayrshire or Jersey, as the low test is not 
