ON DAIRY FARMING,

No. 10.— KERRY AND BRITTANY COWS, Rerry and Brittany cows so closely resemble each other in size (under 40 inches in height), hardiness, and docility that I shall speak of them both under the one heading. Of the two the Kerry is rather the largest ; it being more often coloured black, whilst the Breton is usually black and white. Both are accustomed to be tethered, and so thoroughly domesticated that in their native homes thej form a part of the family circle, occupying the same hut as their owner, sharing with him his scanty meal of kale or potatoes, and on crops failing, repaying for the kindness shown them by helping largely to support the family with their milk, the yield of which exceeds in quantity and quality that often given by many of their bulkier rivals (pedigree shorthorns). The average of milk given by a good specimen of a Kerry, is from 10 to 12 quarts daily, and that from a Breton rather less ; the butter from the former averaging from 4. to slbs. per week, and from the Breton 3 to 41bs. per week. A scanty dole of bog hay, and haply a ration of pounded furze in wintca, with heather, broom, and such spare pasture as the poor granite soil or rushy bog affords in summer is their sole support. Under confinement even if kept in a shed they thrive and do well, spare vegetables from a garden with a handful of bran aud a little hay keeping them in good condition. Brittany cows have been for the last two years exhibited at the Christchurch Agricultural Show, and are, I also believe, procurable in Victoria. To goat-keepers I should say discharge your nannies and invest in Bretons, and you will not regret the

exchange. Four of these little cows, it is said consume no more than one Jersey. We will now, having previously noticed the different breeds of dairy cattle and given their average produce in milk butter and cheese, proceed to view them under another standard, one under which it will be seen that it is not always the largest or heaviest cow that is the most profitable for the dairy, or that will, when sold fat, show the largest net return for its keep. Taking grade shorthorns and Ayreshires as fair examples of the large and medium size of dairy breed of cattle, and estimating the live weight of the former at 1,3001b5., and that of the latter at 8001bs., we find Mr. E. C. Tisdall, in his paper on the improvement of dairy cattle read before the British Dairy Farmers' Association, December 11, 1877, speaking of Yorkshires and grade shorthorns, says — The usual average of milk from these cows is from 600 to 700 gallons per year, but in some extra herds, fed liberally both summer and winter, the average is from 760 to 860 gallons per cow. If we take the average at 813 gallons (which is high) it will give 2711b5. of butter, 12 quarts of new milk going to lib. of butter or 6941b5. of cheese, 121bs. of new milk making lib. of cheese. In the Agricultural Gazette of the 13th January, 1879, the average of a first-class Ayrshire herd belonging to Mr. A. Libby, Saccorappa, Me., United States, is given at 793 gallons per cow, and this not for one year only, but for six years ; and taking 10 quarts of new milk for lib. of butter, it gives 3171b5. of butter per cow, or 7381b5. of cheese, at lllbs. of milk to lib. of cheese. It will thus be seen, assuming that the basis of this calculation is correct, that the Ayrshire gives 80 gallons of milk and 261bs. of butter, or 831bs. of cheese, more than the Shorthorn. But we should not be entirely guided by these results, without taking into consideration the weight of each animal, the one (Shorthorn), weighing 1,8001b5., and the other (Ayrshire), weighing 8001bs., or 500lbs. less than the Shorthorn, and this 5001bs. of live weight has to be sustained at extra cost in extra quantity of food consumed, without a corresponding increase of either milk or butter as payment for food eaten. There is also another item worth considering, and that is the first cost of each animal, the larger beast costing a higher figure than the smaller, necessitating a larger investment of capital, and a heavier loss by death or accident. Allowing that tHs is partly recouped on sale of the beast when fat, through heavier weight, it must be remembered that the cmrller beast will fetch a higher price per pound than the larger one, its meat being more evenly grained, ard the lean therefore being richer. Bntchers always prefer a small, ripe, fat beast to one of heavy weight. It is all very well talking of the roast beef of Old England, but in these over-large fat beasts there is always a heavy loss to the butcher, as well as to the consumer ; or else why do the Devon and Highlander sell at a higher figure than the Shorthorn or Hereford in the London markets ? Lastly, more Ayreshires can be kept on the same acreage, and from them a larger return of dairy produce will be netted, without extra investment of capital. With these facts before them, dairymen will be able to select that breed of cattle best adapted for his farm. Time and space preventing more extensive remarks on this interesting subject, we must close. Our next will be on the best method of breeding for milk.