The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1876-11-10
Agricultural Department.
Feeding for Milk .

| Prof. Dole of Norwich University,
w., gave the result of an experiment
in feeding mich cows, to the Vermont
Chronicle, going to prove the special
value of corn meal and bran in the
| production of milk. We condense his
report somewhat, as follows:
had three COWS, which / was feed.
ing for the double purpose of getting
milk, and at the same time fattening
the animals for beef. They were all
farroW, one of them had been so for
two years. They belonged to the com.
mon breed, and were what are called
good mixers. At the time began
feeding them they did not give enough
to pay for the hay they ate. Nv OBJ
ject in experimenting was to find out.
as nearly as possible, the most profta.
BILE feed. continued the trial for four
weeks, with the following result:
The feed the first week was lbs. of
"shorts,' half bushel of sugar beets,
and 10 lbs. of hay per day to each COW.
| fed the shorts night and morning,
lbs. at time. The beets were given
at noon. They were fed all the hay
they would eat up clean, three times
day. Thus, the first week | fed the
three COWS 2l0 lbs. of hay, 1853 lbs. of
shorts, and 10 - bushels of beets.
The hay was of poor quality. eSti-
mated the cost a follows l6S lbs. of
shorts at $25 per ton, $40; 30 lbs.
OF hay at $l2 per ton, $1.28; II IL
bushels of beets at Is cts. per bushel,
$l.57. Total, S4.93. We got $40 lbs.
milk, making Is 1-3 lbs. of butter, TAX
ing % lbs. of milk to make ID. of but
ter. The butter was of the best quail
ity, and at so cts. ID. would bring
$4.95. There was in addition the
skinned milk, and steady gain of
the COW in flesh.
In the second week the feed was the
same as the first, with this exception
instead of feeding lbs. of shorts, |
gave them lbs. of feed, composed
half each of corn meal and shorts.
This week got 1854 lbs. of milk and
Is - lbs of butter, or one lb. for a lit.
tie over q lbs. of milk The cost Of
feed this week counting corn as | did
50 per hundred, was $3.50. The bat
ter was worth at 80 cents per h., 1856.
The third week was the same as the
first, with the exception of feeding
bran instead of shorts. Amount of
milk this week, $50 lbs; both butter
and milk same as first week.
Fourth week same as second, only
using bran instead Of shorts. Milk this
week, 480 lbs; butter 10 lbs. Cost of
feed same as second week, IS 65; but
ter worth $3.50.
| have not tried corn meal alone
as grain feed. but from former expe-
rience | am convinced that it is not
as valuable for milk as either bran
alone or bran and corn meal mixed in
equal parts.
| have no doubt, from the above re-
suits and my obervations since, that
no better feed can be given cows than
corn meal and bran mixed. The COWS
have not only more than paid their
keeping in milk, but have steadily gain
ed in flesh, and are now fair beef. If
| had only fed my COWS common hay,
such as | had, they would not have
paid their keeping. Perhaps | should
state that all the feed was scalded, and
cold water added, making a pailful at
a time per cow. The butter was made
very nice, far better than it would
have been with only hay for fodder
am satisfied that bran is fully equal
to shorts in value, and to mix with
corn it is better. With bran at $25
ton, and corn at $40, | would use as
much corn as bran, and feed them
mixed. | have said little about root
feed, my object being to determine the
best kind of grain or feed to buy But
so we'll satisfied am | with the result
Of feeding roots that | would not on
any account be without them. Every
farmer will find it to his advantage to
raise from IS to 100 bushels per year
for every cow.