Windham County Democrat. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1836-1853, 1839-02-28
FEEDING OF COWS.

In my opinion there is one important part
which is almost universally kept out of sight in
feeding cows-the health of the organ which has
to digest and convert the food into such state
as to give healthy nourshment to the system or
body. If the same attention were paid to this
point as there is to the quality of food, the COW.
the poor and the rich mans friend, would always
be healthy and yield literally to supply our
wants Many forget to pay attention to this
point and direct their efforts to increase the lac
tierous (milk giving) powers of this animal
This Is gross mistake.
If these two are attended to, the feeding of
mich cows, and neat cattle in general, is plain
and simple. With judcious management in
feeding the mange-wurtzel, ruta-baga, &c. in
winter or summer, we may greatly improve the
lactlferous powers of the COW, if we do not lose
sight of the well established truth that both the
stomach and udder are limited in power; and
that great care must be taken not to overload
the stomach with too much food, nor the udder
with too great Il quantity of blood
II is well observed by certain writer, that
there exists an intimate connection between the
fourth stomach and the udder of the COW and
If the former is too much oppressed with food, it
becomes int1amed or disordered, and the latter.
namely the udder, sympathises with it, and con-
sequently becomes greatly injured. The time
when we are most in danger of thus overlooking
the COW, is when taken from the summer pas
ture Great care should be taken at this time.
The best directions know how to give in or
der to prevent the bad effects spoken of, is to
feed COWS LIBERAL y-that is, give them food of
ten, but in small quantities, especially such as
have been lately taken into the dairy-but this
must never be lost sight of-the food should be
of the best quality. In eating only small guam
tity at one time, the COW Eliminates better, and
the food is more readily digested and assimilated
or prepared for nourishment; the consequence
is the COW will be in good health and give much
and rich milk
Roots especially mangel-wurtze ruta-baga,
sugar beet and potatoes, if properly mixed up
with hay, are an excellent food for mich COWS,
and believe to steam or cook the roots is a
great advantage But should you net steam . the
slices, and some bran with little salt added.
Cut straw and chaff may now and then be added
Lest you might, on the other hand, stint your
COW or cattle, let me tell you that nothing is
gained by stlntng any kind of cattle, much less
mich COW; for one that is well fed will keep
her flesh and yield twice as much milk as one
that is kept indifferently.
A certain English writer on this subject has
said much in these words:
"Come, kind man, give the COW her foodn
BY little and often-but let it be good"
If this rule be properly attended to, and the
COW kept perfectly clean, the result will be, your
COW will give much and good milk, and breed
fine calves. Be sure to give your COW good
pure water Filthy or impure water should by
all means be avoided. Perhaps nothing has in
jured good cows more than impure water it is
one of the most certain causes of abortion or
slipping Of the calf In short it does frequently
engender bad udders, securing, &c.-Practical
Farmer