THE MANAGEMENT OF DAIRY STOCK.

Press, Volume XXXIV, Issue 4685, 7 August 1880, Page 3

THE MANAGEMENT OF DAIRY STOCK.

In a paper on this subject, recently read by Dr. A. S. Heath, before the New York Farmers' Club, many valuable suggestions were made upon the subject of feeding dairy stock. .

Grass causes the most liberal secretion of delicious milk. But this condition of young succulent, and plentiful grass cannot be relied upon as alone sufficient food for the largest milk production for more than sixty days of the whole year. The rest of the 305 days the cows must have extra feed. This must consist of different ki?ds of fodder for the different seasons. In the early season green rye, green oats, earlier and later roots, green corn, and hay. But green corn cannot be properly fed till in early tasale, nor should corn meal be fed in hot weather, nor for the same'reason should cotton seed meal and linseed cake be fed until the cool or cold season, for less wi"v*t heat is required to be supplied to the cow. Pure water and salt must be supplied to milch cows ad libitum ; as 87 per cent, of the milk consists of water, and where salt is sparingly supplied the digestive powers of the cow are enfeebled, and the milk is defective

in keeping quality, and probably, also in quantity and quality. Care, kindness, quiet, mode'ato exercise, regular and j'ldioioua feeding, are all important factors in milk supply. The largest percentage of flavor in cheese and butter are found in young grasses, but ia. very _ young fodder-oorn those essential qualities—caaeine, butter, sugar, and aroma— are deficient, but improve up to the time of early flowering, when -the sweet corn-fodder is at its best, and should be fed with shortaor bras sprinkled over the cut and wilted fodder.

Green oats is a good soiling crop, and bran is an admirable food in a slop. It produces a large quantity of milk, and it can be fed with safety in the hottest weather. Meal may be added to bran as the weather become* cooler.

Milk removes muoh phosphate of lime, and the pastures should be bowu with ground bones or rook phosphate of lime. Woel removes sulphur, and therefore sheep pastures are improved by plaster or sulphate of lime. Ashes and salt are of the highest value to pastureß. But -when the pastures have toe far failed, it is better economy to plougkthem np aa fast aa possible, and sow them to pasture grasses and seed to oats, to shade the young shoots and tender roots. Meadowa may bo pastured in the dry Mason after the crop has been removed ; but never in the early spring or late fall. The air supplies most of the organio matter, and thus helps to keep the land good when we sell of part of the products, whioh are a part of the farm or soil itself. G-ood milk requires good sound food, and a large yield of milk requires a large supply of good sound food. Warm and airy stables, great oleanlines* with the animal and her products, judicious feeding of cows, and feeding of pastures, are the indispensable means to supply milk in quality, quantity, and soundness, capable of esisting decay.