Vermont Farmer

Breeds of Cattle Adapted to Vermont.
Read by A. D. Arms at the Plainfield meeting of the Board.

Understanding the object of a paper to consist in the advancement of a problem which may lead to discussion, thereby drawing out the views of others which may be interesting, I propose not to assume to know what breeds of cattle are the best for others, but to enquire if the introduction of new or foreign bloods are beneficial to the dairy interests of Vermont, presenting a few items of my own experience and observation.

It is well known that I have been an advocate of native stock for the average Vermont farmer, having in former years tested somewhat of the then known breeds by way of grades, viz: of the Ayrshires, Durhams, Devons, and Herefords. I never found any that for all practical purposes would compete with the natives, and I have not to this day seen a cow that has made so much butter in a day as a little so-called native which I once purchased in Hardwick for the sum of $40—and I have seen no account of such with one exception, viz: the Jersey that Hon. Daniel Webster imported many years ago, which was said to make nineteen pounds of butter per week.

I formerly contended that the native cattle, bred with the same care for a specific purpose and with the same keeping for an equal length of time, would excel the celebrated Shorthorns which date their origin back more than two hundred years.

Our farmers have been indifferent in regard to the breeding and keeping of stock. I will go back to my boyhood days when an animal was fortunate to get the lee side of a barn or fence oven, to shelter them from the northern blasts. I presume others have the same recollections. I have now in my mind's eye the stock on the farm where I spent my younger days.

The manager was considered a very good farmer for the times, keeping some thirty head of cattle and from one to two hundred sheep. The oxen and some ten cows were permitted to enjoy the luxury of a stable on the north-west end of the barn and standing eight feet from the ground all open underneath, also open between the cattle and barn floor with nothing to prevent the free use of the fork. The remainder of the stock being young cattle from three years old downward were allowed the free use of the yard with a large open shed, where the strong would drive the weak into the wind and storm—many were the cold nights that the hired man was required to go to the barn and drive up the cattle, not excepting the cows, to start their blood into circulation to prevent them from freezing.

I fancy that the renowned Jerseys of the present day would succumb to such treatment, and that the Durhams would fail to put on such outlines and finished proportions as we see at our fairs if compelled to buffet against the cold and storms to which cattle in those days were exposed.

But times have changed, not only in the manner of breeding and keeping of stock, but in the business of the farmer, which requires different management.

In those days the raising of beef cattle was of as much, perhaps more importance than of cows for the dairy. All contracts were made payable in neat stock, grain or store pay, perhaps partly in each, and the store bills were payable in stock or grain. The common practice on the farm to which I have alluded was to kill annually from three to six head and sell perhaps as many more. Those slaughtered were to pay the mechanics' and other bills, those sold on the foot were to pay the merchant and hired help.

As times have advanced the young stock finds shelter in the barn, warm stables take the place of open sheds. The settlement of the West and increase of their facilities for raising and fattening of beef drives the eastern farmer from competition, and as a consequence he enters more largely into dairying, nearly all who have a few cows making cheese a part of the season. Then the question arises as to what breed is best?

The answer depends on a knowledge of what is to be the product; if exclusively cheese, I should say decidedly, the Ayrshires or their grades, these being the largest milkers on the same keeping; but for a mixed product of butter and cheese, I should from my knowledge of the breeds select the natives first, then the Durhams and grades. although the Durhams are more inclined to make beef and require better keeping to produce the same amount.

Let me here state what I understand by the term native. Nearly all our stock is more or less impregnated with some of the foreign bloods bred without any particular regard to quality. I consider that the native is as much of an independent breed as any other, and when bred in and in for twenty years without the introduction of any outside blood, it is as pure as most of the thoroughbreds of the present day. I know of but few cattle beside one entire dairy that can claim to be pure natives.

I found that the introduction of the Ayrshire blood greatly increased the amount of milk and at the same time decreased the amount of butter. For example, grade Ayrshires with me gave their own weight in milk in twenty days in the best of the season, and made but about half the amount of butter which was obtained from the parent stock.

But as time advances factories control the manufacture and market of cheese: the common farmer resorts to the exclusive making of butter. An entire change occurs in his requirements. Now we come to the main question.

Although, as I said before, I have never known a native cow to be excelled in the daily product of butter, and we have many instances of great results, still I do not consider individual cases as a proper test, but rather take the average of dairies, considering all the peculiarities, conditions, and desirable points and in so doing should select the Jerseys or Jersey grades, so far as my knowledge or information extends. They are more uniformly up to the standard, with less poor milkers in proportion to the number in the dairy.

I believe it will be conceded by all that not more than fifty per cent of our common cows which are raised ever attain to be average milkers, while twenty per cent do not pay their keeping, as compared with good butter cows. I believe that not half of the common cows in the state will average one hundred and twenty-five pounds of butter per season.

Who has known of a Jersey coming to the shambles on account of a deficiency in butter qualities after a fair test? They give a fair amount of milk, rich in butter come to maturity early, and are remarkable to hold out their milk at the close of the season, all of which are prime qualities, and with our improvements in care and keeping they will endure and thrive equal to any known breed, taking on flesh when not in milk, attaining (it is claimed) when fitted for the shambles a large amount of meat of the best quality. Also it is claimed by many that they are comparatively small eaters, not producing like the Ayrshires a large quantity of milk, but a large amount of butter for the amount consumed. Besides all this the product is superior, the cream is thick and elastic, the butter is hard, being as easily handled in hot weather as that from the common cow with the assistance of ice, retaining its form and mould when so warm that that of other breeds will become a flattened mass, and when the butter comes to the palate it possesses that waxy, fine grain and rich flavor so desirable to epicures.

It is said by some that they are small milkers, only suitable to produce a little cream for the gentleman's table. Facts prove them to be fully equal to the average of common dairies and superior in the product of butter, as witness every known instance, sometimes exceeding all others. See statements in recent papers of the production of milk and butter, the former having attained the enormous amount of 12,000 pounds from a seven-eights Jersey cow, and the latter in many instances going above 400 pounds per season.

Again, it is often said, as one of my neighbors recently expressed himself, "admitting them to make more butter, they are small and homely and worth nothing for beef when through with the dairy," which is not so. But supposing it were, who can afford to keep an animal the usual milking life, say ten years, for the sake of an hundred pounds of beef in the end at a loss of from 50 to 100 pounds of butter per annum, and perhaps double that amount, as in the case of the Skinner cow.

The above statement of my neighbor reminds me of one who kept a certain large red cow many years because she raised such nice red calves; also of another of my neighbors who kept a large red cow about which he boasted much because she was such an extra milker, giving so much as to necessitate the milking of her three times a day, but when it was suggested to the man to set the cow's milk by itself to see how much butter it made, he found the product to be less than a pound per day.

I believe that not half our dairymen know the capacity of their cows, consequently they keep many really worthless animals, to kill which would be a blessing.

It is claimed by some that the superiority of the Jersey cow is due to extra care and feed. The Jersey like any other breed will give better results from good feeding, sometimes even, outdoing themselves, but from the idea that to feed alone is due the excellence of the Jersey I must dissent, having tried them side by side.

When the Jersey first came to attract the attention of dairymen, I was advised to try them, but like many others I could not believe the reports in circulation until they became so common and prominent that I could not deny that there must be something to them, and after corresponding with several who had the stock for sale I concluded I would not be humbugged to pay fancy prices, but I would give them a fair trial, and I purchased a half Jersey calf from a good so-called native cow, but I think the mother showed points indicating some Durham blood. (Here let me say that for all practical purposes I would as soon have a grade as full blood Jersey.) The calf I put with one of the same age from my best stock which I had bred over twenty years, but which originally sprang from the Canada Ayrshires, raising them up alike with as good a chance as I could command without feeding much grain. The two animals came in last spring at two years of age. They are good size and I may say each is a good type of their breed, and each has done well through the season. The native gave a fair amount of rich milk. I think she is ahead of any native I have raised for a long time. The grade having the largest frame has consumed the most feed at the barn, and I presume also at pasture. I have calculated to give them all they would eat although at times not of the best quality. As yet the grade is ahead in quantity of milk and quality of cream. The butter is all right.

Every dairy with which I am acquainted of which I have examined the record of products and having Jersey blood to any extent has done better in a financial point than others.

Therefore I am fully of the opinion that the introduction of foreign or Jersey blood into our dairies is an improvement.