REJECTED DAIRY COWS.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1269, 26 October 1911, Page 10

REJECTED DAIRY COWS.

SHOULD THEY BE BRANDED? The country is overrun just now with large numbers of rejected caws with blind teats, defective quarters and all sorts of ailments which render them unfit for tho dairyman's purpose. So soys the "Utngo Wit'ues-.5." A good sort of au animal makes its appearance in the saleyarcis, and the owner has the effrontery to stato that the animal is a first-class milker; that if he had sufficient feed he would not part with her, and so on, and on the strength of these recommendations tho dairyman gives a moderately high price for the cow, only to (lad when he g:ts home that he has been deceived, and that the animal is not worth one-quarter of what he gave for her for his purpose. It may bo said that he has only himself to shank, but the question is: Should the buyer be placed in that position? Is it not desirable that rejected cows should be branded in some way, so that cvrryono could recognisi: them at once, and buy them for what they really are. viz.. grazing cottier Such a brand would only affect the dairy value, the grazier's competitions being still available at store prices. The number of rejects will increaso as testing and wceding-out becomes general, and progress will bo delayed by having to test the same animals time after time. If they have the appearance of being decent milkers they will make their appearance at intervals in tho saleyards, and one buyer after another will be put to needless expense.