Vermont farmer. [volume] (Newport, Orleans County, Vt.) 1870-1877, 1876-05-19
Turning Dairy Cows to Pasture.

In turning cows to pasture in the spring,
there is wide difference in the practice of
dairymen. Some allow the stock to range
over the pastures very early in the season
and before grass has started, and no attempt
is made to keep it off the ground at any
time during spring. We have even had it
urged that there is some advantage in this,
as the old tufts of grass left from last years
growth are not wholly wanting in nutrition
that cattle will feed upon the@ more or
less, thus saving food, while at the same
time the grazing Of the old grass gets it out
Of the way and is Of advantage to the new
crop.
There is serious objection to allowing
cows to roam over pastures during the early
spring, while the frost is out Of the ground
and while it is in soft unsettled state.
The land is poached up by the tread Of cat
tie and the grass killed out or very much in
jurcd in these places. Again, the long con-
tinuanco of tho diet of dry food during win
ter renders the animals in spring eager to
get a taste Of anything savoring ofgreen her.
bage, and they gnaw down into the ground
and pull the grass out by the roots, which
is easily effected, as the land is loose and
the roots not held firmly in the SOIL
This practice is fruitful source Of pas.
lures running out, and must be condemned
as altogether too injurious and improbable,
since the small amount of nutrition obtained
from the forage will not much more than
supply the waste of the system from the ex-
ira work of travel and of roaming about in
search of green food
The opposite course practced is to keep
stock yarded until pastures have obtained
good growth of grass, aud the argument
urged for this course is that unless pastures
get fair start, the stock will eat it down
close, keeping it short all the season aud
thus the yield will not only be less, but
during the season an insufhciency Of food is
supplied The objection to this course is
that where cows are kept from the pasture
until it has larger growth and are then
turned in, they overieed, and the sudden
change from dry to green food, affects the
health Of the animal, not unirequently caus-
ing serions troubles. And again; the grass
often gets such start that considerable
portion in places becomes hard and woody
before it is cropped and is left unappro-
priated.
The best results from pastures is where
they are kept in moderate growth, or so that
the animals can get good bite Of grass and
all parts of the field are eaten over from
week to week. The grass must be sweet,
nutritious aud palatable, and this state is
best secured before it has acquired high
growth and is approaching maturity.
The best results obtained is when middle
course is practicable. Let the animals be
kept in the yard until the ground is well
settled and the grasses have made fair
start then allow the stock to 90 to the pas.
ture at first but short time during the day,
but not long enough to fill themselves. THIS
should be continued for several days, or un-
til they have become gradually accustomed
to the change Of food, when they may be
turned to pasture for the whole time; but
hay should be fed in small quantities at least
once a day so long as the cows have desire
for it,
Pastures should not be overstocked, since
overstockiDg not only decreases greatly The
average yield of milk from the whole herd,
but it seriously damages the productveness
and permonency Of the pastures, causing the
grass to be eradicated and leaving the space
thus left to be occupied by weeds which
from not being cropped, accumulate, and
spread with wonderful rapidity. The most
productive pastures are those which art
thicky set with a variety of grasses, forming
a thick, smooth sward, with no intervening
spaces for the lodgment OF weeds or other.
wise, and if proper attention be given tC
such lands, tbs best results will be obtained
not only in the amount of food yielded, bu
also that of milk from the herds grazing upor
thom.-Rlral NeI0 Yorker.