FEEDING COWS AT GRASS.

Otago Witness, Issue 3864, 3 April 1928, Page 12

FEEDING COWS AT GRASS.

No hard-and-fast rules can be laid down about the feeding of cows when out on pasture, but it is possible to maintain the milk flow to some degree when there is not reasonably good grass by feeding some concentrated foodstuffs. As the quality of the grass falls off the .capacity of the cows to produce milk from it will fail, and the feeding becomes necessary for smaller yields, in spite of the fact that there may be plenty of grass. This change in the quality of the grass is due to the fact that it contains a smaller quantity of albuminoids than earlier in the year. The grass itself contains less and the growth of clovers is less vigorous; but it is worth noting that evenly grazed pastures containing plenty of clover will keep up their quality rather longer than rough pastures containing little clover. This change in the quality of the herbage is easily met by giving a small quantity of some concentrate -rich in albuminoids, and if there, is still plenty of grass a drop in the yield may be prevented by giving a pound ,or so of linseed cake or feeding a generous quantity of lucerne hay, as this will make up the deficiency in quite a large bulk of grass. Where the grazing area is limited, and it is desired to keep the maximum number of cows; the pasture may be conserved by feeding greenstuff grown on the arable land. Of course, it does not usually pay to feed anything additional to cows which have been milking their due period, but it is worth while considering whether, by feeding some foodstuff in addition to the usual autumnal pasture to cows which have yet some weeks to go, the flow of milk may be encouraged. There can be no rule, as each ease is different, but by watching the cow’s records it is immediately seen if there is any falling off, and the effect of feeding should be tried. It takes from 251 b to 351 b of good grass to produce a gallon of milk even early in the season, so that it is only reasonable to feed something in addition to the more or less sparse herbage available on most farms at this season. Any shortage of grass, whether from over-stocking or from dry weather, that prevents the cows obtaining all the grass they require immediately reduces the capacity of the cows to give their maximum yield, and naturally the biggest yielders are the first to feel the pinch. A very slight shortage will affect the four' or fivegallon cows, and if it becomes worse it will gradually prevent the three to four-gallon cows getting enough; if it continues the two to three-gallon cows may be affected, and even those giving less than two gallons. On the other hand, a nice warm rain will quickly provide enough extra grass to enable the cows to graze enough for an extra gallon from the grass alone. The time of the year makes all the difference in regard to the feeding of the ordinary dairy cow. It is easy enough to provide her with all she requires In the spring and early summer time, but °^ en a Problem to maintain the mi , flow later in the season, and usually indifferent provision is made to tide her over a dry period. Given ample silage or good clover hay, there need be little fear of experiencing a decided drop in the milk returns, but it is essential that the cow must be fed according to her merits for economical production. Dr MCandlish, of the West of Seot- ■? n< * College, lecturing at 1 ort VV illiam on the feeding of dairy cows, said that in milk production 60 per cent, or thereabout of the total cost was for.' feeding. The principal points in the feeding of dairy cows were palatabihty, variety, bulk, succulence, and economy. They had to - make up a ration that the cow liked to have because a cow that was not feeding’well would not milk well. He thought that more attention should be paid to the cow at the time of calving, for if in good condition at that period she would give milk of a high butter-fat percentage.