Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1869-09-09
Agrifastnral Bsaaima.
FEEDING MILCH COWS
IN Summer-Suggestion Concerning
Green Corn FEEDER.

Gfeen corn FEEDER.
During the latter part of summer COWS
get uneasy and desire change Of food
Even when grass is fresh and abundant ia
the pastures where the animals are accus-
toned to run. if they can get hay from the
meadow or barn they will eat Of it greedily,
and we have no doubt that an occasional
feed of this kind can be given with decided
advantage. In the human family it is
well rece gaized law that health is pro-
NOTED by change of diet. We tire of
but one kind of food similarly prepared
from day to day, and long for change.
AT such times even the coarsest fare is re-
garded as luxury. Change of diet has
often saved people from serious illness,
and some particular kind of food, greatly
desired by the sick, has often teen
found more potent in restoring the invalid
to health than all the drugs and lotions of
the physician. Now, although the lower
order of creatures may not require so great
variety, og so. frequent change. Of food
as man, still the same law, in some degree,
holds good. and we find that an occasional
change of food produces good results.
Some years ago, desiring to know
whether COWS upon good pasturage could
be made to yield more milk simply by
giving them a small feed of hay daily, we
made the experiment, and found that the
milk could be very sensbly increased in
this way, particularly at such times when
the appetites Of the animals seemed to
crave change of food.
When pastures begin to fail, as they
generally do during the latter part of sum-
ner, additional food for mich COWS be-
comes imperative. And when an abund-
ant supply is given, we have no doubt the
increase flow of milk may be partly at
tributed to change of food.
We are quite positive. from our expert
ments in feeding, that hay at SIS per ton
may be occasionally fed with profit to
mich cows during their run at pasture in
the summer. And whenever their appe-
tites appear to crave this kind of food, or
whenever they will take it greedily, it can
be given with decided advantage. But
the season has now arrived when those
who have made provision for short pas
lures by sowing corn for fodder, will have
occasion to use it. Green corn fodder is
a very succulent food, and, considering
the very large quantity that can be grown
per acre, its easy cultivation, together
with its value as milk producing food,
there is probably no plant better adapted
for the summer soiling of mich cows than
it. Some little attention, however, should
be given in feeding. in order to get the
best results. 1t ought not to be fed i'm
mediately after being cut. The better
way is to cut in the morning and allow it
to wilt during the day, when it may be
fed in the evening and next morning
In this way some Of It's moisture has
passed off, and a better quality of. milk is
obtained than when it is fed fresh from the
sickle. We prefer feeding in the stable.
When fed in the field or yard-in addi-
ton to the waste from tramping over it,
and the hooking by master cows-the am
imals are more restless, loiter about watt
ing for their food, and feed less in the
pasture than when it is given in the stable.
1t is we'll. also to mingle little hay
with it, and, especially if the corn happen
to be wet from rain Or heavy dews, as
will sometimes occur.