ON THE LAND.

Auckland Star, Volume XLVI, Issue 61, 12 March 1915, Page 8

ON THE LAND.

Agricultural, Pastoral and Dairying Interests.

COURT MANNERS IN THE

COWSHED.

Speak kindly to the gentle cow, and never, never tease her: Take oft your hat; politely bow; do all yon enu to please her. Be sure your bands hare been washed clean; be sure your nails are ciuried: More milk is drawn from cow serene than from the cow that'n worried. —Mother Gooses Modern Maxims for ftiiiKers.

"Kicking the. cow lias not been good form for some time in even moderately advanced dairy circles," cays the Chicago 'Herald," "though the ban upon it probably originated more in practical than humane considerations. Painful experience warranted the conclusion that the cow thus approached was far more likely to kick the milker through the side of the barn.

"Of late rears, the cow barn code o manners and morals has developed rapidly from- the negative to the positive style—from 'thou shalt noti' to 'thou shalts.' It has been discovered that the cow. long the poet's live-stock emblem of placidity, has nerves, and should be soothed and not censured when she is disinclined to 'give down' her lacteal bounty.

"Not only pitchforks, milking stools, single-trees and fence istakes have fallen into disrepute as cow persuaders; bad language is also under ban. The cow physiologists and psychologists of the agricultural colleges seem to have conclusively demonstrated that the cow addressed in protfjne, abusive, or even harsh language, gives less milk for the same amount of feed.

"Even the tone of voice is said to make a difference. The ears of the cow, though leas mobile than the mule's, are still sensitive. They are irritated by strident squeals and rough guttcrals. The milker, who !s gifted by nature or has acquired by art. the low, sweet, soothing 'drawing room' tone of, cultured society, is averred to find his reward in an increased yield of milk.

'"Thus it has come to pass that the up-to-date code of cow-barn manners includes many things not dreamed in the cow philosophy 'of our grandfathers. Xot only must the milkerfs hands be clean, but the nails should be manicured, that they may not scratch or tickle. From the most up-to-date dairies the currycomb has been banished as the instrument of the cow's matutinal massage. It 3 place has been taken by the vacuum cleaner.

"These statements are not numerous exaggerations. They are derived from most serious monographs issued from srientific experiment stations and from the rules laid down for. employee* by enterprising dairymen. A current. ne\v« item records that a Xciv Jersey dairyman has now- provided a professional manicure tio see-that the milker's nails are in order , before they begin to milk.

'"In logical development of these advanced ideas we shall doubtless hear next that it is no longer in order to rocite on entering the cow-barn the old nursery rhyme: —

" '.Come, pretty cow, let dawn . .your milk, and 1 will give you a gown of silk.' "These are realistic ac well as scientific days in the dairy, and the cow should accordingly be promised something she could both use and enjoy. Perhaps this might be substituted:—

" "Come, pretty cow, I need the! cash; for milk I'll give you a »urm bran mash.'

■"Then, while milking, the milker might recite soothing selections from the poet* in praise of the cow. The Vedie Hymns contain a large number of such poems. They are commended to the attention of the modern bucolic muse as sources of inspiration. Then, when the operation is concluded, the milker might recite Ann Taylor's lines:— . .

"'Thank you, pretty cow, that made pleasant milk to soak my bread,' etc.

DUAL PURPOSE SUGGESTION.

Dairy cattle ■will make gains almost as economically as; beef cattle, writes

"Herdsman," in the "Farm and Dairy." Much careful investigation work has proved the truth of this statement. Some dairy enthusiasts have been quick to take hold of the figures that have been made available to • boost their breeds as being the ideal dual purpose cattle. In the last few months 1 have noticed several letters from the pens of Holstein breeders, claiming that their breed excels in the production: 61 milk, and that Holstein steers are comiiig into favour with- butchers. The Ayrshire hae long been regarded by some of its breeders as approaching nearer the dual purpose type than any other of the dairy breeds.

Let mc assert most emphatically that only exceptional animals of our four great dairy breeds—Holstein, Ayrahiree, Jerseys and Guernseys—can be considered as dual purpose animals. While it is true that they will make as economical gains as will beef animals, the value of an animal for beef purposes is not determined by the amount.of gain, but where the increased weight is put. A beef animal puts it on his back; the dairy bred animal puts its weight lower down and as interna! fat.

I have fed many animals of every I kind and description of breeding, in--1 eluding Ayrsliires and Holsteiiin, and have never been satisfied with the results obtained in feeding cattle of dairy breeding. They always sold as secondclass at a second-class price, and with feeds as high as they are to-day w*> cannot afford to waste our time on anything that will not grade at least good. Some farmere like to raise a few steers to consume the surplus feed left after they have fed as many milch cows as they care to milk. Where are these' steers to come from?

Here is my riugjicstion: Why not bieed for both milk and beef? The plan that was used in my old home .in Scotland gets around the difficulty better than any other I know of. There it ie the common thing to mate the very best of the dairy cattle to Ayrshire bulls to breed their milk producers. Surplus, bull calves from t'.iie mating are sold as veal. The progeny of the secondrate milkers of the herds are mated with a Shorthorn sjre, and their progeny make excellent feeders that occasionally,,will top and will always class as gorfJ. The heifers of mixed Shorthorn and Ayrshire. breeding are frequently as good milkers as their Ayrshire dams, but long experience has taught Scott Mi farmers that breeding further than the first cross ie liable to be disastrous to milking qualities. Hence the dual plan that I have suggested. Where herds are small it is a simple matter for one neighbour to maintain a dairy sire and another a beef sire, both siree to be uoed in both herds.

"Howeyer, anyone who has ever tried it must'remain sceptical of the possibility of teaching a calf to drink without using language that would not be admitted to a family newspaper. That's a task like driving mules."