MILK PRODUCTION

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1682, 25 May 1904, Page 68

MILK PRODUCTION

TUB ANIMAL AND THE MILKER,

Milk depends for its profitable production on many circumstances connected. Avith the management of the dairy farm, and Avitliout careful attention to details the greatest of success can never be attained. '

The breed of coaa’3 is perhaps a factor so Avell knoAvn as a predominating influence on both the quality and quantity of milk yielded by any individual animal that it seems superfluous to touch on it at all. Seeing, hoAvever. that so many of our herds are crossbred with strains of both milk and beef types in their blood, it is hardly out of place to suggest that in keeping of heifer calves for the herd those should be selected AA’hich come from the coaa’s of the best milking type, or. in other Avords. the best milkers. Also a bull should be used Avhicli has the milch type strongly defined. In. recommending the use of a bull from ancestors of a highly developed milking type we are naming one of the best methods of increasing the milking propensities of a herd, the cows of AA’hich may not be yielding a sufficient quantity of milk per annum to pay their Avay in the dairy. Now, although selecting heifers from the best milking coaa's, and having them served Avith a good milch type of bull it does not invariably folloiv that all the progeny (heifers) Avill turn out excellent at the pail; indeed, far from it. as sole reliance on the above Avill fail to build up a milking herd of the highest order. The principle and theory aro sound, and the results also, if proper discrimination is used in selecting the very best of the animals bred in this Avay and retaining them only for coming into the herd discarding all others. DISAPPOINTMENTS IN BREEDING.

It happens not infrequently that the best of parents breed young of a poor and weakly character, quite unlike themselves, though in the majority of instances aa’6 may expect and do get the qualities. If these are good qualities, as they certainly ought to be, wo are able to preserve them by having offspring in which they are Avell developed. If bad qualities—and these seem more easily transmitted than the good ones—then the very best thing that canbe done is to end the strain by not breeding from those animals in AA’hich they are developed.

A matter that is practically, or we will say nearly, of as much importance in the development of milk production, seeing that the results are much sooner noticeable, is that of liberal feeding and proper treatment of the cows. This answers well both in the case of heifers whose milk organs require development and of cows that, owing to insufficient or unsuitable food, together with lack of proper attention, have not previously reached their maximum value as milk producers. Under such improved management their returns at tne pail are seen to distinctly increase. \\ e have often observed heifers in different heids, of hut little promise to begin with develop into really good milkeis by their third rear. This we have been able to trace to the careful tending and nursing, if wo may use such words, of the undeveloped udder, and by this nothing more is meant than the care that any coo d cowman will devote impartiality to all the animals in his charge. There is not the slightest doubt but that the provision of good, well-balanced rations is a prime factor in obtaining a proper supply of milk. As particular evidence in favour of this, we may point out the great improvement a second-rate cow will

often show .when brought into a well fed herd. Her milk record will improve steadily for two or three years after entry, -fend the maximum yield will be prolonged, as a postponement takes place of the years when she will steadily fall off in yield till the quantity of milk produced falls below the margin of profit. depends, too, on the milker. Aii important matter in this question of development of the milking capacity is that of the practice of milking. It may be said that it is quite as suicidal to trust the milking of the best cows as of heifers to indifferent milkers. The development of any particular organ or the body depends upon its use, as trie more used (bar abuse) the more it becomes developed and capable of performing a large amount of work. If a lieiler be left to suckle its calf as in the natural state, it will barely ever have a fullydeveloped udder and yields, as a rule, under these conditions, only a sufficicn y of milk for the requirements of tiie call. If however the udder is milked out regularly and frequently by hand its capacity for milk production is gradiially and steadily increased, so that at about/ the third calf born the development will be nearing its maximum. Milking clean or thoroughly, and care in withdrawing every drop of milk or the ‘ strippings, is of vital importance; it would seem that as if in sympathy a cow produces more milk the more it is made apparent to it (by abstracting every drop) thaf it is required either for calf or by man. There is no doubt that quickness in milking has almost as great an effect » in insuring the continuance of a full yield as has thoroughness in stripping. The irregular stripping and dribbling out the milk into the pail that characterises the operations of a poor milker are equally harmful to the heavy yielding animal as to the young heifer that requires every encouragement to develop her lacteal organs. „ The quick sympathetic manipulation of each quarter in a like manner, with proper stripping, has a most favourable , effect in stimulating the udder of the young cows to further secretion.