ALDERNEY COWS.

Colonist, Volume V, Issue 471, 29 April 1862, Page 3

ALDERNEY COWS.

BUTTER DAIRIES,

T. M. Stoughton, of Greenfield, Massachusetts desires to show that Alderney cows are not only good for private family use, but actually the best for a large dairy. He says:—

My own experience has been with a herd of cows imported and still owned by Mr. Jonathan Bird, of Belleville, New Jersey. The cows were imported from the Island of Jersey, and selected with parT ticular regard to their milking qualities. The herd came under my care in 1856, with the request from Mr. Bird that I should give them the same care and feed as my native and Ayrshire cows, keeping a careful account of the product by measurement and weight, so as to be able to determine whether they are a profitable breed for butter-making. The account has been kept, and the following statement is offered to the Tribune as an answer to the enquiry of ' What is a good cow ?' and in opposition to its opinion that Alderney cows should be kept * for private family use.'

Cow No. 1 calved in January, 1851, came into my care last of May. In June, she made 10£ lbs. of butter per week; in July, 10£ lbs. per week; in August, Q£ lbs. per week; in September, 30 ifes.*; October 28 an 4 two weeks in November,

12-A- lbs. ; and calved in December — making 198.]- lbs. in five months, and was milked four months before I purchased her. No. 2 calved in September, 1851 and through the month of' October made 14i lbs. of butter per week; in June following, she made 12 lbs per week ; in August 6 lbs per week, and calved early in October, making.3l7 los. of butter for the year. No. 3 was a three year -old heifer, calved in September, 1856; in the month of October made 11J lbs. per week; in June following 8J lbs.; in August, four pounds per week : making 267 lbs. for the year. No. 4 was a heifer two years old, calved in March 1858. From the Ist of April to November she made 200 lbs. of butter. Greatest yield per week 10J lbs.; and made seven pounds per week in September. No. 5, a heifer eighteen months old, calved in March, 1858; in the five months following she made 108 lbs. of butter. The above five are an average of the ten milking cows. Their feed has been pasture only in summer months; with hay and two quarts of corn meal and rye midlings, in the winter months. From the above statement it will seen that the cows which have come to maturity will make 800 lbs. of butter per year under favourable circumstances. Aldemey butter sells in the different markets of the country for from 40 to 50 cents per pound. The best dairies of New York and New England do not average over 200 lbs. per cow (native of Durham). The average price of their butter is not over 25 cents per pound. One of the most important peculiarities of the Alderney cow is her uniformity of quantity; making nearly as much at tho end of eight months after calving as at four. The objections urged against the Alderney cow are that she is a voracious feeder, lean, awkward in appearence, and will make but little beef when old. Admitting the Alderney cow to be a pretty sharp feeder, it can hardly be expected that a cow will make from 10 to 14 lbs of firstrate butter by simply standing in a cold stable, and looking at a hay-mow or by shirking round a stack of swamp hay. That she is inclined to be lean is an evidence that she is a good milker; for a cow that secretes fatty matter cannot secrete good milk at the same time without being fed too high lor the permanent good of the cow. If she is ugly to look at she is a good one to go, for she will be worth £100 when six month, old especially if a heifer. And after being milked 12 or 13 years, producing over 3000 lbs of butter, it is of no great consequence whether she makes 600 or 900 lbs. of beef.— -Americanpaper.