How to Select Cows: or, The Guenon system simplified, explained, and practically appliedHazard, Willis P. (Willis Pope)
Science
How to Select Cows: or, The Guenon system simplified, explained, and practically applied
Hazard, Willis P. (Willis Pope)
Cattle -- Judging; Cows; Dairy cattle
On the 26th of May, 1837, a similar test was made by the agricultural
society of Aurillac, whose committee, in their report, use the following
language:
“Each cow was examined separately by M. Guenon, who wrote his
notes upon her, and delivered the paper closed to one of us.
Immediately after, another member of the committee questioned
the owner of the cow, or the person in charge of her, in regard
to her daily yield of milk, its quality, and the time during
which she continued to give milk after being got with calf.
The answers were taken down in writing, and then compared with
the notes written by M. Guenon. They were generally found to
accord, and proved to the satisfaction of your committee and of
every one present, all of whom attended with lively interest
to these proceedings, that M. Guenon possesses great sagacity
in judging of cattle, and that his method rests upon a sure
foundation.”
The Bordeaux committee added: “To the proprietors and to the lookers-on,
all this was very surprising for the examinations were as quickly made
as the results were certain. As to ourselves to whom the method was no
longer a secret, it was with renewed interest and astonishment that we
viewed the accuracy of the results. _This system we do not fear to say is
infallible._ We only regretted the whole society was not present.”
The committee further reported that Mr. Guenon had, after more than
twenty years observations and researches, discovered certain natural and
positive signs that were proof against all error, while the writers and
professors who have particularly occupied themselves with the bovine
race, can only indicate some vague signs for judging of the fitness of
cows for secreting milk. That this method is valuable, whether it tells
the yield of milk only, or indicates the improvement of breeds, which
are liable to deterioration from mismanagement in crossing, and that it
is applicable not to full-grown animals alone, but also to calves at as
early an age as three months. Thus it affords a sure means of forming a
judgment of full-grown animals, about which we might be misled on account
of their form and their parentage, and secures the improvement of herds
by enabling us to dispose of those calves which will not repay the cost
of rearing them. We shall thus no longer rear calves at great expense
for two or three years that should have been consigned to the butcher,
nor sell calves that would pay best to rear. If this system is pursued,
only cows and bulls of best quality will be kept, and in very few years
how great will be the improvement of our herds, and largely increased the
cheapest and best of all foods, milk, and the production of butter and
cheese.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account