Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1871-09-07
Keep Up the Flow Of MILK.

Duf1ng me mouth OF August ana the
first part OF September mich COWS should
have special attention in their feed, and
not be allowed to shrink their milk. The
grass in pastures begin to dcteriorate in
July, and during the hot weather usual in
IN August and SeDtcmber pastures fail to
yield sufficient quantity Of succulent and
nutritious food to keep up the flow of
milk. The failure Of meadows this year
in some sections, and the latencss Of the
hay harvest in others, must delay some
what the time for turning COWS into the
afterfet d. In the meantime, if stock get
no other food than that Which they pick
in pastures, the yield Of milk will rapidly
fall away. When the flow Of milk is
checked-even for short time-it is diff
cult to bring the yield up again to the old
standard not" outstanding the COWS get an
abundance of food. This will have been
observed by every one who has had the
care of dairy stock.
We have seen slow and inferior mixer,
in a few days, materially injurc COW tor
milk, and so much 50 that when after
wards MIXED by a first rate hand, the
yield of milk could not be brought back
again for two or three weeks. 1t is i'm
portant that mich cows have an abund-
ancc Of fresh ami nutritious 70 I'd from day
to day. The tall rank grass in pastures,
which has been REJECTED by stock during
the early part of the season is now dry
and woody, and is incapable of producing
the best quality of milk, to say nothing Of
the decrease III quantity Cows, it is true,
from lack of Other food may be COM
PEELED to consume it, bnt the consumption
Of such food will prove Of very poor
economy to the dairyman. If the soiling
| crops commonly grown, such as sowed
corn, m Hot and the like, are not proyid.
ed, or are not ready fer the sick &, then
the second growth Of clover from mead.
ows and patchs of ground that were NOW.
| ed first may be cut and fed to the cows in
| the stable
When fed In this way, every ar imal gets
its share, the food is not tampcd upon
and wasted, and master COWS have nc
| chance to injure the undcrlings, as often
happens when outdoor feeding is resorted
to. There are other advantages in so:ling
cows in the stable. They are not so un.
easy and troublesome IS they sometimes
are when fed in the open yard or field. II
| feeding but once day is determined upon
the better time is to put them in the stalls
b, tween three and four 0 clock D. m. The
feed, Of course, should have been depositt d
in the boxes or alley previously, SO that
sufficient time will be had for feeding be-
fore milking. When this course is adopted
the animals, as they come to be MIXED, are
quiet, good natured, and will give theil
milk more freely than when fed alter milk
ing, as is practiced by some.
Many think there is quite saving made
! in feeding aftermath in the stable. There
is not that waste of feed which results
from turning stock upon meadows, where
they trample down and destroy often quite
as much as they eat. 1t is true there is
some labor and Inconvenience in feeding
aftermath in the stall, and yet when grass
is good, moving machine will soon cut
enough for arge herd. Those that have
patches Of meadow lands plowed and pu
to corn or other crops, Or where it is no
convenit Mt to turn stock until late in thu
season, will do well to adopt the plan O
cutting and soiling cows in the stable.
We are not sure but meadows would be
improved by feeling the afterfeed in this
way, since the tread Of cattle upo1
the lands would be avoided aid the grass
close and the roots pulled as sometimes
obtains when stock is tur- ed upon the
aftermath.
Of course, meadows to be managed
properly, Or ght not to be pastured at all
and but one crop taken annually from
the ground, unless treated regularly IT,
top-drcssing and kept in q good state Of
fertility. But this course il considered
impracticanle by most Of our dairy farm
ers, who believe that more profit is real
izcd by cropping the aftermath than wau'e
result to thu land by leaving it to decay
for tbs purpose of rcnovating the sol
and furnishing food for the succeeding
crop.
Next to green clover, there is no soiline
crop SO easily raised and which produces
better results in milk than corn fodder
It should BE- cut anal allowed to wilt cicEf
feeding, as by this MEANS it is freed fr'n
some Of its surplus moisture. AS a supple
incnt to pasturagc wht re soiling crops arc
not ready Or where they are deficient II
quantity, good results my be obtained il
feeding bran nr STOP stuTs. These can bt
obtaincd at moderate cost, an: Ply well il
! keeping upa flow Of milk uA'ii such TIM
as soililg crops and the after-teed OF n'cat'
! oHs become anL-iaurul Nee
| porEe,