Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1867-01-16
Agricultural
Management Of Cows.

The great object of keeping COWS. Is tle milk
they produce. To get the greatest yield from
the dairy, is should lie the ques;Ion TO be
studied Dy all dairymeu. The following qne5-
tions would naturally suggest themselves
1st. How many cows would given farm
keep, summer and winter?
81. How long should they 20 dry?
3a- What kind of food Is the best adapted
20 produce the most and incest milk?
i.h. How TO obtain the bsst mixers?
With regard To the first query. Farmers
barns are generally overs,ocked this Is
great fault From my own observation |
should say hat DiDe tenths of u iiEymen have
more cows than they keep we'll There
will, pt rI4Is be abundance OF pasturage du-
ring the fore part OF the season, but when the
dry hot weather Of July and August cJmes.
the pastures become short; tde CIV has 10
work hard TO dig her food from the crispy
turf, and has but Iittle time TO rUm-nate III
the cool shade ss d Consequence the mix
dries up, and the owner wonders why his COWS
do not WELD as much milk as eIghtor A
Bear IN mind that the COW e stomach ID the
laboratory that converts her food INTO milk
after appropriating enough Tor the support of
tue system; if the food IL not of d proper kind
or OF sufficient amount, the tactical fluid Will
be measre. L. Is hari TO obtain something
from nothing As well might q miller seek
-four from lis miii without putting wheat IN
10 the hoppers. Give and it shall be gwen 70
you again give abundantly OF the best kind
of foot, and you will have little reason 10
complain.
There is nothing better TO produce milk
than abund nee OF fresh sweet grass, but this
we cannot have at ali seasons OF the year.
When this fails from drought or the atuiL-
nal frosts resort should be had to soIiing and
messing. II is doubtful whether soIing
through the summer months would be here
more profitable, taking into account the high
prics OF labor and the comparative cheapness
of land (by soilng Is understood keeping
stock up In yards or barns. and taking their
food to them greea,) but when the grass tal's,
apply q proper substitute and the How OF milk
NAV be conrInuei | have for several years
raised corn tor the fodder (sowed In drills one
and haif bushels per acre,) which think IS
the chea pest aud best substitute for grass that
we can obtain 1T the feed De guns 10 fail by
the Let of Sept, then throw out the green
suculent stalks Of the corn one square rod
will feed quite a herd OF cattle 4. is difiicuit
to determine how much pasture to allow ior
COW. 10 EoganJ on land highly InaDureG
with 10 e dust, one acre will pasture q co~ /;
without the maaursiiS takes two acres. In tais
country the poorest land lie generally turned
out to pasture, frequently Lot dded, apd
mucn OF il worm eaten three acres is little
enough. Fox winter two tons OF nay are
equivalent IN other kinds OF seed and good
supply OF grain besides
With regard to the second query-How
long should they 60 dry? l take exceptions
70 the almost universal practice Oh the W est
ern Reserve. Cows MIXED till about the
time winter sets in. aud then 90 dry till the
the next season. Thus we have four OF five
months out of twelve, that the dairy yields
nothing, and the expense of wlntering deducted
from the proceeds OF the summer leaves not :.
very great balance for profits The idea is
quite prevalent that COWS viii be better the
next season If net MIXED later than me mid
die OF Nov. l claim mat alter tho lst. OF
Nov, COWS can be made 10 pay their way iOf
Wintering, that three or i0ur weeks - long
enough fcr them to 20 dry ateast that 10 she
practice OF some OF tGe best daIrymen OF New
York. 10 begin with q neIicr and keep p
good supply oi milk through 2 oss Of the VIE
ter Is NOT difficult it the two following condi
riOns are complied WITH, cut with cow that
has been habiiuated to 50 dFy early /. l. no.
60 easy u matter
Isl. Abundance of the Test OF hay and
corn fodder, then messed with and
oat, meal ground together, or rye anu o4;s,
OF bean meai, which Is highiy Recommended,
from two TO four quarts peg diem
q. Equally important Is Shelter, 4 good
stable. warm, well ventilated. well bedted
with straw They should be kep5 out OF ali
storms, and when vers COLD De permitted - 70
odt only u n nour or two iUr oxvce.se and drink
II these conditions are followed out there VIII
be no occasion 10 rumble at the snail amount
OF milk, and il viii not only pay Tor tne extra
feed, bus will paw Tor all tha iced and labor
pesides-Ohio F'Trmsr.