Vermont farmer. [volume] (Newport, Orleans County, Vt.) 1870-1877, 1873-03-14
Reported for the vERNoSr Farmer.
EAST ST. JoHNSBuRY FARMERS
CLUB.

Subject OF discussion Friday evening, Mar.
o. els Il profitable TO feed grain to stock
during the remainder OF the winter In case
u person has sunieient hAyl"
A. r. Hovcy: consider this question o
vital importance rs far rs dollars and cents
are concerned. There has not been an OK in
my barn for the past ten years to which |
have not fed meal to some extent, from
March till pasturng time think IL is econ
omy to feed four quarts Of corn meal to each
OK per day if you intend to use them in
springs work, for they will be enough strong
er to pay for the extra expense and they will
also gain flesh enough to pay for the meal,
50 there is double profit. Next in regard to
COWS: feed three quarts OF corn meal per
day, commencing three weeks before they
commence to give milk, or about the first OF
February. Just before calvng cows require
extra feed more than ut any other time. l
consider four quarts Of corn and oats mixed,
or three quarts of corn meal, about the right
quantity per day for each COW. This should
he kept up till about June, or till the grass
will supply the place Of the meal. am sure
that this way of feeding meal pays at present
prices. do not intend TO 60 through this
world by guess work any more than ann
obliged to, though IN some cases we are all
obliged To put up with uncertainty. In this
ease, 10y actual experiment, find that meal
fed judiciously to cows mt this season Of the
year pays two dollars for every dollar paid
out ut present prices The quality of the
butter rs well rs the quantity is taken into
account in this estimate. think the butter
made while feeding meal is worth 80 cents
per h.. while that made from hay will bring
only 25 or 80 cents. | think also that II Is
economy to feed grain to two-year-old steers,
though perhaps to II less extent.
Mr.. Knapp: How much hay do you save
while thus feeding menl9
MI Ilovcy: As near rs can estimate,
about Onc-fourth.
l.. Cheney As far rs my experience goes
in regard to this question, Il is economy t.
feed meal, especially to COWS, and agree
fully with Mr.. Ilnvey's statements
S. Owens: think have got my pay every
time have fed grain. fed 800 bushels lns
winter, beng short for hay. l fed it to al
my stock right through, and used up all my
straw. | think best to grind gram for sheep
though some prefer to feed whole.
g. Potter: Ialways fill one part of my barn
with my best early cut hay, and feed It t.
} cows from April TILL turn them out to past
ure. also feed two quarts corn meal com
mencing Just before the cows come in, an'
continue TIL grass is good. think cows chi
be- fed too high with meal in spring, so tina
when they are turned to grass without It the
will be inferior for milk to those fed NOR
evenly MI the time. | notice this to be tn
n case with cows kept in II village, and fe
very extra on concentrated food rs usual
4 practiced.
j. G.. Ilovey: ] do not fully oomprehen
d the question. Our hay crop is the main thin
h to winter our cattle on. II we depend o
Q the West for supplies for our stock, do ne
see where we are going to get our NONE
u back believe in feeding out all the pre-
= auctions of tho farm. From this time out
p do not see why our cattle require better lee
u than they do during any portion OF the viii
ter. A calf should be kept growing all III
time alike. but IL there is any time when the
REQUIRE extra feed II is from grass TO In.
This feeding the hest early cut hay to cows
D. absurd Why should we feed them bett'
le than they have In good pastures, which
the case II we thus feed them and add mea