THE FEEDING OF COWS.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1358, 8 February 1912, Page 8

THE FEEDING OF COWS.

AN INTEUJ3STJNG EXTEUIMENT,

During spring, when grass is in tlio full flush of its growth tlio cows at Jtiwknra I'iirm suffer .from abnormal purgiuj; and in order to test whether a dry ration would to soino extent prevent the excessive'scouring, and possibly increase the yield of niillc, 'an experiment lasting II) days was carried out by the manager (Air. Jt'Connoll) during October and November. Thirteen cows in their full (low of milk were selected. During the winter months the cows had a liberal supply of good hay, but when grass became plentiful the hay was ignored, l-'or tlio latter, a small ration of oatsheaf chart was then substituted, which was eaten for a few days and then refused. Tho chad' was then gradually reduced, and a little bran added until tlio quantities were about 21b. each of liran and chaff. This quantity was the most the cows could l>e enticed , to clean up without waste. On October 5 the ration of chaff and bran was withdrawn, and for ten days the cows in question subsisted on grass alone. In weighing the milk the first three days of each ten were not recorded, so that the effects of previous feed would lie entirely eliminated. Tlio weather during the experiment was more or less wet and stormy. • The following tablo gives the result:— BO = - S' zl **• ? :j " 2 ?* S •"' 2 < 1 PS'l' * : r ?' S"* 9, 03 - o of 2 JH = ~ I? s B ■ •Nil ' ~ 5» 3 o — ' ; ' ■. ■ f- = ■ 2 l= !« K « •Summarising on the above, says Mr. JrConnell,, it must be at once admitted that, as far as this experiment is concerned, the addition of dry feed to a full ration of good grass was without appreciable result as to the milk-yield. On the other hand, it would only be natural to draw the conclusion that this small ration of dry feed, costing about Is. per cow per week-, if carried right through the spring months, would more than pay in the end, Ijy keeping the cows in a healthier state, and hence in better condition to face- the following milking period, particularly in such low-lying localities as this, whore the winter and spring months are often excessively wet. Where uo supplementary lioiiie-growu fodder, in the shape of,maize, etc,, is available, to n supply the lack-of grass during the summer, a ration of bran would undoubtedly increase the flow of milk; but the above experiment only confirms the conclusion that has already been drawn by many British dairymen— namely, that if a cow lias an abundance of good wholesome feed, such as grass, the quantity of milk (and certainly the percontago of butter-fat) cannot be profitably increased (the latter not at all) by tho addition of artificial feed: also, that a finely balanced ration is not of such importance as theorists would have us believe. Professor H'Connell, who is perhaps tlio greatest living authority on dairy matters, in a recent article makes tho following statement: "Never mind bothering about albuminoid ratios, and calories, and all these kinds of things—thoy are very useful to write about in textbooks, and to set questions upon at examinations; but the point is this: What is tho irreducible minimum in food on which my best pet cow will give lier biggest yield of milk? If I give her plenty of hay and roots. doe> ,slie want any cake as well? It is perfectly certain she wilAv-ise healthier without any concentrated food at all." The professor also states that at one timo ho gave a daily ration per head of 101b. of cotton-cake, bean-meal, bran, etc. Lately he has reduced the quantity to 31b. per head, with a much increased net profit. He further states: "Indeed, at the moment this article is being written, my supply of cotton-cake lias given out, but a herd of sixty cows has only dropped I! gallons daily in the' total, and lam seriously wondering-if it pays to give any cake or meal at all." In using the word "artificial," }[>. M'Comiell refers to food not grown on the farm, and whicJi is supnlicd in addition to a "full" ration of home-grown feed. When the foodstuffs grown on the farm are not sufficient, they must, of course, bo supplemented. A full ration' of grass during spring and early summer, supplemented by fodder crops during the dry months, and during the winter a liberal simply of first-class hay and a few mangold;, will, under ordinary conditions, keep the average cow in healthy condition and in good inilkiiig-forin tho year round. For such localities as this a Rood supply of wellgot hay for the winter mouths is essential —lucerne hay for preference. A. little bran should always bo avail.iblo on every dairy farm, as it may of'eii bo used medicinally, if not as a foodstuff.