Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1859-01-12
@lOrtester Daily spp.

FEEDING Mich Cows.--From "Flint's Dali
~ Farming" we copy the following sound and
judicious remarks on the subject of feeding
mich cows:
keep the cows constantly in good condi-
ton, ought therefore to be the motto of every
dairy farmer, posted up over the barn door,
and over'the stalls and over the milk room,
and repeated to the boys, whenever there is
danger of their forgetting it. 1t is the great
secret of success, and the difference between
success and failure turns upon it. Cows in
milk require more food in proportion to their
size and weight than either oxen OF young
cattle.
In order to keep cows in milk, well and
economically, regularity is next in Importance
TO full supply of wholesome and nutricious
food. The healthy animals stomach is a very
nice chronometer, and it is of the utmost i'm
portance to observe regular hours in feeding,
cleaning, and milking. This is point, also,
in which many farmers are at fault-feeding
whenever it happens to be convenient The
cattle are thus kept in a restless condition,
constantly expecting food when the keeper
enters the barn, while, if regular hours are adj
hered to, they know exactly when they are to
be fed, and they rest quietly till the time ar
rives. Go into well-regulated dairy estab-
lishment an hour before the time of feeding,
and scarcely an animal will rise to its feet;
the whole herd will be likely to rise and seize
their food with an avidity and relish not to be
mistaken.
With respect to the exact rotine to be pur-
sued, no rule could be prescribed which would
apply to all cases and each individual must
be governed by circumstances, both in respect
to the particular kind of feed at different seas
ons of the year, and the system of feeding
have found in my own practice, and in the
practice of the most successful dairymen, that
in order to encourage the largest secretion of
milk in stalled cows, one of the best courses
is to feed in the morning, either at the time of
milking-whch lprefer-or Immediately after,
with cut feed, consisting of hay, oats millet,
or corn-stalks, mixed with shorts, and Indian,
hnseed, or cotton-seed meal, thoroughly moist
cned with water. In winter, hot or warIt,,iI
water is far better than cold If given at If 1lilk
ing-time, the cows viii generally giveI Vow
the milk more readily. The stalls AM rliu man
gers ought always to be well GIG fN'ie0 ou
first. H.
Roots and long hay may be% gwen Gurln
the day and at the evening a1 ~ u ui r'
ly after, another generous ant T.; +p Et oue neeo
weel moistened and mixed as SIN IN inc morning
No very concentrated foSfou, IKE grains alone
or oil-cakes, should, il seems 10 me, De re-
tha IN !. the morning. by the practice in m
London Mill 'ddaa;r;kes. The processes of diges
tion 90 on host then the stomach is sufficiently
distended J. ana I'd for this purpose the bulk Q
food i ain Tost as important as the nutritiv
onai;t;os The flavor of some roots as cab
hares AND turnips, is more apt to be imparte,
to fbe n flesh and milk when fed on an empt,
storn Zach than otherwise. After the cows havt
hoe IN MIXED, and have finished their cut feed
typney are carded and curried down, in wei
T. managed diaries, and then either watered in tn
N enid Or ctO
far preferable, or turned out to water in tn
yard. When they are out if they are let on
at all, the stables are put in order; and afte
tlelng them up, they are fed with long hay
and left to themselves till the time of mex
feeding. This may consist of roots, such a
cabbages, beets, carrots, or turnips, sliced, o
OF potatoes, peck, or, if the cows are yer,
large, half bushel each, and cut feed again a
the evening milking as in the morning, afte
which water in the stall, if possible.
The less cows are exposed to the cold O
winter, the better They eat less, thrive bet
ter, and give more milk, when kept housed al
the time, than when exposed to the cold. Cairo
mentions case where herd of cows, which
had been usually supplied from troughs ant
pipes in the stalls, were, on account of an OBJ
struction in the pipes, obliged to be turned GU
twice day to be watered in the yard. TIL,
quantity of milk instantly decreased, and il
tlree uays the Iailng on became very c0nsld
cradle. After the pipes were mended, and tn
cows watered as before, in their stalls, the flow
of milk returned. This, however, will b
governed much by the weather; for in mild
warm days, it may be judicious not only to lie
them out, but to allow them to remain out for
short time, to exercise.
Any one can arrange the hour for the sever
al processes named above, to suit himself; but
when once fixed, let it be rightly and regularly
followed If the regular and full feeding b.
neglected for even a day, the yield of milk vii
Immediately decline, and it will be very diff
cult to restore it. 1t may safely be asserted
as the result of many trials and long practice
that larger flow of milk follows a complete
system Of regularity in this respect than from
high feeding, where this system is not ad
hered to-