SALT FOR COWS.

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XVII, Issue 217, 27 August 1927, Page 4

SALT FOR COWS.

Unfortunately, the results are not quite conclusive, as men differ in milking ability and no allowance has been made for the human factor. Presuming that the milkers engaged possessed more or less the same ability, the result suggests that provided the milker does his work properly, there is little difference in the yield from the cow. whether milked regularly by the same or by different individuals.

If you watch a dozen people at any dining table you will see that they differ greatly from one another in regard to the amount of salt they consume with their food. So it is with cattle. Some need more than others, but none (says Dalgety’s Review) will oat more than it requires provided a lick is kept before it all the time. If cattle are denied it for any length of time, however, they may get depraved appetites and devour all sorts of things as substitutes In a series of tests made recently at the Kansas Agricultural College, United States, the individual tastes of different cows was clearly demonstrated. Ono licked a hole in her block of salt equal to only 2oz. a month, another consumer 6oz. in the same time, a third was not satisfied with less than 150 z.. and a fourth needed 18»z. Tn another test with different kinds of feed the amounts of salt eaten varied from IJoz. to 15oz, a month. Experiments of a similar nature made under Australian conditions have shown the same variety of appetites for salt. It is quite 'impossible to gauge the needs of any individual cow under varying conditions. Therefore, the only safe course ij to keep a lick before them all the time.