The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1875-10-06
Ansbandrp.
Proper Food and Care for Mich Cows
BY JOHN A. NASH.

BY JOHN A. NASH.
Some families prefer keeping goat to a
cow. In special cases, as when there are
many young children and bus few adults in
family, this may be wise. 1t s general y
thought, whether truly or not we are not
ably to say, that goats milk is better for in
fants and quite young children, than COWS.
But our business at present is with the COW.
If you expect your COWS to yield milk lib
orally, you must feed them on something bet
ter adapted to the secretion of rich milk than
such dry fare as might possibly keep non.
producing animals alive. You must feed
them on something they like, and will eat
heartily. Of the elements of rich milk there
is little in ordinary dry fodder; and the COW
cannot create milk she can only combine
and bring together 10 the form of milk, such
of its elements as you provide for her. To
expect anything more, would be as unrea-
sonable as the miller who put no wheat in
his hopper and looked for fine fur at the
tail of his mill. 1t should be understood
that the cow cannot make something cut of
nothing. She manufactures milk from the
materials you give her for that purpose, just
as the carpenter builds you house from the
materials you supply him with. If you sup
ply bad materials, or supply them scantily,
he cannot build such house as you desire.
If you supply cow with poor and scanty
food, she may give you, aside from quality,
more milk than you desire, more than is for
your interest; because, in that case, the
milk comes not from the food you give, but
from her own body; so that in the end you
will either lose your COW, or will be loser
by her constant diminution in value. A
wise farmer wishes every animal to increase
it's value.
Mich COWS should be fed often. Four
times day is not too often. Their stalls
should be close and warm for cold weather,
but so constructed that pure air may be ad-
mitted at the discretion of the keeper. 1t
is we'll that their quarters should be parti-
toned off from those of other stock. The
withdrawal of milk twice daily abstracts
great deal of heat from their bodies. The
food of fattening oxen is more heating
Hence the reasonableness of warm stalls for
mich COWS, but cool quarters for oxen while
feeding high and laying on fat.
Chopped roots and meal slops may be
given, to mich COWS with a great advantage,
the former in the morning, the latter after
the evening milking. They should also have
Uttered beds, dry and warm. Their stable
windows should be partially opened in any
but the coolest weather, but closely shut
whenever extreme cold prevails; and they
should be allowed to stand in the open air
a part of each day, but longer or shorter &C
cording to the temperature of the air !; and
never long enough to make them cross, snap
pish, and disconnected. Cows must be made
comfortable and about as happy as an oyster
at high tide, beforo they will do their best at
the milkpail.
Cows have no Sundays, no holidays; with
them all days are alike; in all they eat,
drink, sleep, and fill the milkpail twice, if
rightly fed and cared for; the more quietly
the tenor : their lives run, the better they
will subserve the object of their keeper
They should be watered twice day at least,
and always at the same hours.
Their food may be varied, but should be
given at the time they have been taught to
,xpect it, as otherwise they will make them
elves uneasy, and their milk may not come
Town freely at the next milking. Cows will
Jay we'll for the trouble, if curried every
lay. Their bedding should be attended to,
md kept dry and clean by frequent changes.
The more comfortably and quietly COWS |