DAIRY COW’S AGE

Waipawa Mail, Volume XXVIII, Issue 5245, 11 April 1908, Page 6 (Supplement)

DAIRY COW’S AGE

According l<» a. bulletin Issued by Ihe Wisconsin Dairy Hlalion, a cow Is al her best during hor fifth and sixth years, up to which time Ha? production of milk u„<! bull??i-fal by cows in normal condition iiu-rcuHcH each year. The length of lime n cow will iiuiintain her maxi milln proilnel i?m depends on her const iI iilioiiul nlivngUi and the car?- wll.li u hii'ii ; le Ih manuged. A good duiry cow should not show any marked falling off until after ten years of age. Many excellent records bnvo b?-?'o made older than lliis. The. (piallty of milk produced by heifers is momcwlull better Ilian Had of the older cows, for u (le.-rcase bus boon noted of one to Ivxylenllis of one p?T cent, in Hi?- average tat eoiilent of each year until Iho cows jiavo reache?l the full age. Tills is caused by the Increase in weight of Ita* cows with advancing age. At any rule, there s?-eios I?* ho a |»a railed tana between tin? two sets of figures for Hie same cows. Young animals use a portion of their food for Iho formation of *" w| y tissue. |l is t<» be expected, IhenUuc, that hellnra will require a larger proportion of nutrients for the production of milk und butter than do other cows. After u certain ago bus been reached on flu? average, .seven years the f?"*d requir'd for the production of milk or hut ter-I’tti again .increases, boll) ns n--gards dry matter and digestlbU? com ponouls of the foo?l. A good milking <-ow of exceptional strength, kept under favorable conditions, whose digestive HyHh?in bas not been impaired by overfeeding or crowding for high results, should continue !?► be «t profitable producer until hor twelfth year, although the economy of her production is apt t" be somewhat reduced belore this ugo b reached. . „