The Toledo chronicle. [volume] (Toledo, Tama County, Iowa) 1873-1924, 1876-05-25
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 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 heard 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 them more or less,
thus saving fodder, while at the same
time the grazing Of the old grass gets il
out of the way, and is of advantage to the
new crop.
There is serious objection to allowing
cows to roam over pastures during early
spring, while the frost is out of the
ground and while it is in soft and un-
settled state. The land is poached up by
the tread of cattle and the grasses killed
out or very much injured in these places
Again, the long continuance of the diet of
dry fodder during winter renders the ami
mails in spring eager to get taste of any
thing savoring of green heritage, 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
pastures running out, and must be con-
demned 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 extra work of tTav
ell and of roaming about in search of green
food.
The opposite course practiced is to
keep stock yarded until pastures have OBJ
tanned good growth of grass, and 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, and thus the yield will not
only be less, but during the season an in,
sufficient amount OF food is supplied.
The objection to this course is that where
cows are kept from the pasture until il
has larger growth and are then turned
in, they overfeed, and the sudden change
from dry to green food affects the health
of the animal, not unfrequently causing
serious 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 and palatable, and
this state is best secured before it has ac-
quired high growth and is approaching
maturity.
The best results obtained is when
middle course is practical. Let the ami
mails be kept in the yard until the ground
is well settled and the grasses have made
a fair start; then allow the stock to go to
pasture at first but a short time during the
day, but not long enough to fill them
selves. This should be continued for sew
eral days, or until 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 day
so long as the cows have desire for it.
Pastures should not be overstocked,
since overstocking not only decreases
greatly the average yield ofmilk from the
whole herd. but it seriously damages the
productiveness and permanencv of past
ures, causing the grass to be eradicated
and leaving the space thus left to be occu-
pied by weeds which, from not being
cropped, accumulate, and spread with
wonderful rapidity. The most productive