Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1873-05-29
agricultural.
Feeding Cows.

We published several articles last winter
upon the advantages TO be derived from
feeding stock well vet much more may be
said upon the same subject, for we all need
LINE upon line, and precept upon precept,r
upon all matters connected with farming
While stock, on the average. has been win
tered better than usual. and much of il Is
coming from the barn in pretty good condi.
ton. still there are some herd. which are
not in as good condition at the present
time, and will not weigh as much as
when they came to the barn in autumn.
Especially is this the case with cows. A
COW reduced to low condition of flesh at
this season OF the year. looking as though
she would hardly have strength enough to
carry her through TO grass, Is not In the
best shape TO realize profit from, during
the coming summer. 1t is true she will
pick up somewhat on a full bite OF grass
as the saying Is: but with grass ever so
abundant, she will not "pick up" enough TO
get herself into a good condition and at
The same time fill your pail with milk.
The quantity of milk she will give In the
flush Of feed. will be small: and when the
short, dry feed of latter summer comes on,
il Will be reduced to homep afhic Quanti-
ty. Winter comes on and a quart of
'strippings" hardly pays for milking.
The Income for the year, all told, will
hardly defray the cost Of wintering. Such
specimens Of cows can be found at the
present time in many farm yard. 1t is
little wonder the owner can not make
farming profitable-little wonder he wishes
to sell out and move TO the city. Such
farming does not pay-never will pay. A
cow, steer. all the stock and the farm
also, must be well led at all times. II
really costs but little more to feed COW
or any other animal we'll, while the income
will be doubled and perhaps treblei. The
cost of keeping COW year, and keeping
her in high condition and up to a good pro-
ductiye capacity. will vary but little from
my dollars. Ifa good cow-and no 9TH
er should be kept-and the milk is sold,
she will return hundred dollars. That
shSo CASH Ndiue OF 1000 ana MY collars
Tor labor expended and profit on the OPP
GRAFTON. IL the milk is made into butter
aud cheese, the income will be something
less, quite likely. Now reduce the expense
OF keeping to thirty dollars, and the income
viii be reduced fifty per cent; and in case
butter and cheese are made, will hardly
pay cost of feed. This is just the condi-
ton Of many herds of cows; and the own
or is yainly striving to realize enough from
them to pay help and taxes. 1t will be a
fruiues. effort without better feed and cor
respondingly greater returns.
Especially. should cows which have
dropped their calves, now receive good
feed. This condition should be kept up till
they get full supply of grass, in the pas
ture- They will doubly repay its cost be-
fore the summer is over; and when grass
begins to fail. supply the deficiency with
something else. They need steady sup
ply Of good feed all the year through. A
good flow of milk for couple ofmonths in
summer, and only for that time, will not
foot up a large annual income. The flow
must be kept up well through the year.
Patrons of the new cheese factories now
being erected, will find their totals small
unless their cows are well fed the year
through Lewiston Journal