Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1873-10-23
farm uo boustbolo.
Fall and Winter Feed OF Cows.

Fall and Winter Feed of Cows.
A. the cold weather approaches we are
naturally led to con slider the hr>t methods
Of feeding cows TO keep up the flow Of
milk and to keep them In 4 thriving condi-
ton. This year the fall feed will carry
them sloUg into the edge of winter. that
j. late into November.
In winter the best food for COWS In milk
will be good English hay. a part Of which
should be cut and mpi>tencd with water.
a all Inferior hay or straw should be. with
an addition of root-crop,. such a. turnips
carrots. parsnip-. potatoes mansod war
eel. with shorts. oil cake, Indian meal. or
bean meal, IL these can be had.
II i the opinion of most successful dali
ry-men that the feeding OF moist food can
not be too highly recommended for cows
in milk, especially 10 those who desire to
obtain the largest quantity. Hay cut and
thoroughly moistened becomes more sue
culent and nutritive, and partakes more OF
the nature Of the green grass.
During the winter season. a. already re-
marked. frequent change OF food is es-
pecially necessary. both AZ contributing To
the general health of animals. and "a a
means Of stimulating the digestive organs
and thus increasing the secretion of milk.
\ mixture used As cut feed. and well
moistened. i now especially benificial.
since concentrated food. which would 9TH
erwise be given in small quantities. may
be united with larger quantities of coarser
assimilation OF the whole be better secur-
ed. The most nutritious kinds OF food
produce little or no effect when they are
not digested by the stomach. or il the di-
gested food i not absorbed by the lynn
phatic vessels. ami not a->nnilaicd by the
various parts of the body. Now. the nor
NAL functions of the digestive organs no
only depend on the composition OF the
food, but also on its volume. The volume or
bulk of the food contributes to the healthy
activity OF the digestive organs, 10y ex-
ercising stimulating effect on the nerves
which govern them. Thus the whole or
ganization of Illuminating animals necessi-
ties the supply OF bulky food, to keep the
animal in good condition.
Feed sweet and nutritious food, there
fore. regularly. aud change it eften, and
the best results may be confidently expect
ed II the cows are not in milk. but are TO
come in. in the spring. the difference in
feeding should be rather in the quantity
than in the quality, if the highest yield i.
to be expected from them the coming sea
son.
The most common feeding is hay alone.
and ofteutiines very poor hay. at that.
The main point i to keep the animal in Il
healthy and thriving condition. and not to
suffer her 10 fail in flesh; and with this OBJ
iect some change and variety OF food i
highly important. And here Il may be re-
marked that COW, in calf should not. as a
general rule be MIXED the last month or
six weeks before calving, and many pre-
fer to have them run dry eight or ten
weeks. The Weld or milk is better the
if they are MIXED up 10 the time of
calvlng.
The most elaborate and valuable expert
ments in the feeding and management of
mich cows are those recently made by Mr..
T. Horsfall. of England. His practice is
of such general application and Importance
"a. to be worthy of attention BY his
course Of treatment he found that he could
produce as much and a. rich butter in win
ter as in summer.
The first object was to afford a full sup
ply of the elements Of food adapted TO the
maintenance and also TO the produce of the
animal; and this could rot be effected by
the ordinary food and methods of feeding.
since it is impossible to induce a COW TO
Consume the quantity of hay requisite to
supply the waste of the system. and keep
up at the same time. full yield of the
best quality of milk. He used, to some
extent, cabbage, kohl rabi. mangolds,
shorts. and other substances rich la the
constituents of cheese and butter. My
food for mich COWS. says he, after ha-
ing undergone various mod ficatiOns. has
for TWO seasons consisted OF rape cake five
pounds and bran two pounds, for each
COW. mixed with a sufficient quantity of
OF bean straw, cat straw, aud shells of
oats. in equal proportions, TO supply them
three times a day with as much as they
will eat. The whole of the materials are
moistened and blended together, and after
being well steamed, are given to the ami
mails in a warm state. The attendant is
allowed one pound TO one and half
pounds per COW, according TO circumstan-
ces, of bean meal, which he is charged to
give to each COW in proportion to the yield
of milk; those in full milk getting two
pounds each per day, others but little. 1t
is dry. aud mixed with the steamed food
on its being dealt out separately.
When the food is eaten up, green food is
given. consisting Of cabbages from October
10 December, kohl rabbi until February.
and mangold unit! grass time. With a
view to nicely of flavor. l limit the supply
of green food to thirty to thirty-five pounds
Der day for each. After each feed, four
pounds of meadow hay, or twelve pounds
per day is given to each COW. They are
allowed water twice day &c the extent
they will drink.
Bean straw uncooked being found hard
and unpalatable, it was steamed to make
It soft and PUPPY, when it possessed an
agreeable odor, and impaired its naver to
the whole mess. 1t was cut for this pur-
nose lust before ripening, but AFTER the