Knoxville daily chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1870-1882, 1871-08-17
Keep Up the Flow OF Milk.

Keep Up the Flow OF Milk.
During the month of August and the
irst part of September mich cows should
AVE special attention in their feed, and
not to be allowed to shrink low in their
milk. The grass in pastures begins to de-
eriOrate in July, and during the hot
weather usual in August and September
assures fail to yield a sufficient quantity
f succulent and nutritious food to keep up
he flow of milk The failure of meadows
his year in some sections, and the lateness
If the hay harvest in others, must delay
somewhat the time for turning cows into
he after feed. In the meantime, if stock
get no other food than that which they
Dick in pastures, the yield of milk will
apidy fall away. When the flow of milk
) checked-evenf for a short time-it is diff
icult to bring the yield up again to the
Did standard, notwithstanding the COWS
-et an abundance of food. This will have
Deen observed by every one who has had
the care of dairy stock.
We have seen a slow and inferior mixer,
few days, materially injure COW for
milk, and so much so that when after
wards MIXED by first-rate hand the yield
# milk could not be brought back again
or two or three weeks. 1t is important
hat mich cows have an abundance of
resh and nutritious food from day to day.
The tall, rank grass in pastures, which has
oeen rejected by stock during the early
part of the season is now dry and woody,
md is incapable of producing the best
Iuality of milk, to say nothing of the de-
crease in quantity. Cows, it is true, from
| lack of other food, may be compelled to
consume it, but the consumption of such
God will prove of very poor economy to
he daryman. If the soiling crops COM
monty grown, such as sOwed corn, millet
md the like, are provided, Orare not ready
or the sickle, then the second growth of
.lover from meadows and patches of ground
hat were moved first may be cut and fed
o the cows in the stable.
When fed in this way every animal gets
is share, the food is not tramped upon and
wasted, and master cows have no chance
% iniure the underlings, as often happens
when outdoor feeding is resOrted to. There
ire other advantages in soiling cows in the
stable. They are not so uneasy and trOu-
olesome as they sometimes are when fed in
The open yard or field. If feeding but once
| day is determined upon, the better time
is to put them in the stalls between three
md four p. M. The feed of course should
nave been deposited in the boxes or alleys
previously, so that sufficient time will be
mad for feeding before milking. When
his course is adopted, the animals as they
come to be MIXED, are quiet, good natur-
ed and will give their milk more freely
than when fed after milking, as is prac-
Jiced by some.
Many think there is quite a saving made
in feeding aftermath in the stable. There
is not that waste of feed which results from
turning stock upon meadows, where they
Crample down and destroy often quite as
much as they eat 1t is true there is some
for
math in the stall, and yet when grass is
rood a moving machine will soon cut
enough for large herd. Those that have
patches of meadow land plowed and put to
corn or other crops, or where 1t is not con-
venient to turn stock until late in the sea-
son, will do we'll to adopt the plan of cut
ling and soiling cows in the stable.
We are not sure but meadows would be
improved by feeding the afterfeed in this
way, since the tread of cattle upon the
Iands would be avoided and the grass in
patches would not be taken down so close
and the roots pulled up as sometimes OBJ
Jains when stock is turned upon the after
math.
Of course, meadows, to be managed prop
erly, ought not to be pastured at all, and
but one crop taken annually from the
ground, unless treated regularly to top
dressing and kept in a good state of fertil-
ity. But this course is considered imprac-
Cicable by most of our dairy farmers, who
believe that more profit is realized by crop
ping the aftermath, than would result to
The land by leaving it to decay for the pun
pose of renovating the soil and furnishing
food for the succeeding crop.
Next to green clover there is no soiling
crop so easily raised and which produces
better results in milk than corn fodder. 1t
should be cut and allowed to wilt before
feeding, as by this means it is freed from
some of its surplus moisture. AS supple
ment TO pasturage where soiling crops are
not ready or where they are deficient in
quantity, good results may be obtained in
keeping up flow of milk by feeding bran
or ship stuff. These can often be obtained
at moderate cost, and pay well in keeping
up flow of milk until such time as soil
ng crops and and the after-feed of mead
ows become abundant.