Now that I can have as many cattle as I desire, the question becomes how many should I have? My cousin’s husband keeps about 100 cows producing milk, and at least another 100 heifers and pregnant or nearly pregnant animals, but he has machines that do most of the milking. Surely hand-milked herds in 1905 were smaller, not that I have space for 100 cattle, mind you.
You’ve got to appreciate the Internet and the Internet Archive (archive.org) in particular for nearly instant access to a world of information. In this case, it produced a scanned copy of Canadian Dairying, written by HH Dean, the dean of the Agriculture Faculty at Guelph University in 1906. The book doesn’t specifically say anything about herd size, but a quick skim produces many references to a herd of about 25 cows. So, I imagine this was a good-sized herd at that time, and an excellent upper limit for my herd.
Incidentally, the book describes Ayrshire as a “very thrifty breed, especially adapted to rough country where forage is scarce.” (p24) Perfect for Renfrew County.
Dean, Henry Hoshel. Canadian Dairying. William Briggs, Toronto, 1906
Pembroke:87 
Now that you’re modelling cows, I’ll offer a suggestion I’ve been wanting to try again. I think the Danial Smith watercolour ground (in white) produces a nice surface for painting living things like cows using a watercolour style (whether you use thinned acrylics, oils or watercolours). I’m not sure if other Co’s make a similar product. I have used it on tree trunks with some success.
My rationale: with so much in the modelled landscape appropriately looking painted, it works to mix up the approach so living things come across differently. Transparent colours offer that sort of difference.
Just an idea for what it may be worth . . .
Thanks, Rob, I’ll check it out!
Rene, As you say, in 1905 most farmers would be milking by hand, and twice a day. Plus the machinery to feed them was, to put it mildly, primitive compared to today. 25 cows would have been a lot. Where I live was country in the 1950s (housing developments in the Wash., DC suburbs now); lots of farms, even with milking machines and tractors, only managed 25 to 30 cows. My father’s barn had room for 40 cows but only 25 to 30 of them would be producing at any given time. Many of the farms were much smaller. Prior to the 1930’s I think there were only about 10 places in the barn that served as the dairy barn. As a teenager my father took the few milk cans to the B&O station and then, after putting the horse away in a commercial stable (just like in the western movies) would take the next train to high school. Bottom line, you have plenty of cows. You will also need several big work horses to grow and harvest the feed for the cows and horses. I really didn’t like fooling with dairy cows, and I think the feeling was mutual. John King
Perfect, thanks for confirming this, John.