The Plymouth Democrat. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1869-1941, 1870-08-04

LET the milk producing faculties Of the
cow be ever so good, these faculties will
fail, if the requisite food, both in quality
and quantity, be withheld from her. The
manufacturer or machinist may have the
best propelling power in the world with
which to work his machinery, but if he
have a scant supply of water with
which to drive his wheel, or is short OF
fuel to make the required amount of
steam for his engine, his power in both
cases fails, and portion Of his capital
expended in the construction of his ma
chinery is lost 1t is so with the cow.
She may be SO anatOmically and physiO
logically constituted, as to yield the great
est possible production of milk, of which
her nature is capable, but to obtain that
production an abundance Of the proper
TODD must be given.
The cow is simply piece of animal
machinery, composed Of stomach, lungs,
viscera, milk secretives, and udder, so far
as her dairy quality is concerned, and that
machinery will not work to its full
power, without the necessary food and
care to keep it in action. We are salts
fled that one Fourth to ne-half the profit
which might be drawn from our Ameri-
can cows, is annually lost to their keepers
| Wy O Nohb VI tuC QuiEl1bJ
and the proper quality of food which
should be given to them-and conse-
quently a considerable portion of the
capital invested in their purchase, or
value, is thus unproductive and that
only from the short supply OF food and
want of care given them A good fi1nsly
or dairy cow, without regard to her breed,
anywhere in the United States, and al
any time, is worth fifty to seventy five
dollars. Such a cow Will produce 600 to
$40 gallons of milk, or 200 to ESQ
pounds of butter, or SEQ to 600 pounds OF
cheese in a year, and possibly more--il
properly fed; or, she may produce but
halt those quantities of each, or either, il
scantily fed in both cases the ORIGINAL
cost or value of the cow is the same the
care is, or SHOULD be, nearly the same
while ali the loss in her production is
caused by the inadequacy of her food, a
full supply of which would be but small
percentage added to the cost of poor feed
Ing. This VIC think fair statement.
Now what shall that food be? Fresh
succulent grass of good quality, and as
much OF it as her digestive powers vii
consume during the grazing season, is the
readiest and most natural food of thi
cow, giving her not only the most nutri
ment, but producing the best milk There
tore she should have it Ia unstintcd abund
ance. When at pasture she should no
toll for her FOOD. She should have i
within easy reach, with good water al
ways 1t hand. No matter how active be-
breed, or habits, the easier she obtain
her food, with abundant time for rest, tn,
more abundant will be her yield of milk
and the greater will be the quantity o
! nrzst Tor oh, u,
judgment OF her keeper win determine
when the pastures faii in their supply 0
grass, and then other food, as an equiva
lent, must be given.
Fresh growing grass gives quantity
of milk; that which is ripper anu drye
gives better quality or more richness, ano
, perhaps an equal quantity Of butter O
cheese from less amount Of milk. Til
particular state OF the grass, whether il
, It's most sappy, or succUlent, or in it
! dricr or more matured condition, SO tha
, the cow can have enough of it, is of les
, consequence to the cheese and butte
dairymen but the safe 1lllk dairymcl
must supply the suCculence wanting j:
the drior grasses. This must be mad
; up In other material, and also in shor
pisturage, to the other class of diaries
under the head of soiling
Every farmer knows that milk is sub
ject TO remarkable changes in quality al,
quantity. 1t is different at different times
On different farms, and often on the sam
farm. What is the cause of the fluctua
tions and strange changes? Uudoubtcdl
the food taken, though we may not al
ways be able TO trace IT, The animal hi
It's iikes and dislikes; the food which on
animal rejects another takes grecdily
; that which the COW prefers to day, sh
may be disinclined to take tomorrow Q
) next week, and seeks g change. -Ame5
lc0n .St0ck Journal