The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1877-01-06


DdiIymdn's association, BY Francis Tho
mas.
In What Kind of Feed is it Most Profitable
to Invest Given Amount Of Money for
the Cows Of Butter Dairy?
A popular notion once prevailed that
the breed of the hog and COW, was to be
found in the corn crib and meal chest
Latterly the introduction of Berkshires,
Poland Chinas, Jerseys and Short horns,
has, to great extent, changed this view,
so that modern farmers prefer thorough
bred stock having qualities suited to
special purpose. But, at the same time,
they do not forget the vast Importance of
high feeding. Indeed, the art Of feeding,
as will be seen by this question you have
referred, not only still claims attention,
but will be more and more closely scruti-
nized and experimental upon, as enlight-
ened competition in dairying and meat
producing narrows down the margin of
profit.
The COW, in the eyes of dairyman, is
only machine by whiehshe converts feed
into milk. And as she requires consider
able quantities of food for the mere sus-
tenance of the body, this portion of food,
it would seem, should consist of those sub
stances known to contain the elements Of
the animal tissues. On the other hand,
the surplus food given with special refer
ence to producing milk, should, Of course,
to carry out the theory, be principally
composed Of the constituents Of milk SO
simple is this in theory, that novice
might suppose it equally so in practice.
But, as declared in the report Of the
American Dairyman's Association for
1870: "a thousand circumstances in
the condition of the material fed, the man
ner of feeding, and the vital forces of the
animals themselves, must modify in some
degree, every experiment made"
Therefore, while it is possible for the
scientist to theorize intelligently in this
matter and point out the probable result
Of given article Of food, it must ever re-
main with the dairyman to ascertain for
himself, by actual experiment, what is
most profitable in his individual case. For
instance, Mr.. Smiths COWS that are not
expected to calve until next summer, have
good shelters, and are in fine condition on
the approach of winter, need entirely diff
ferent feed from mine, that are thin, have
poor shelter, and are to calye in two
months. The latter need heat and fat
producing substances, such as corn meal
and oat meal, with some phosphate feed
like bran, to aid in the development of
the calf. While the former need only
suficiency of those oleaginous substances
to prevent actual loss of flesh, leaving the
bulk of the feed to be made up of sub
stances to stimulate the milk organs, pre-
eminently among which, 10 the absence of
grass, are clover hay and mill feed Some
Old-fashioned farmers scout at the idea Of
thus varying the feed to meet varying cir
cumstances, believing that if you feed
enough Of any thing it viii be sure to
make milk. This cannot be so with corn
meal as | have seen cows that were gain
ing flesh and losing in milk upon corn
meal, reverse the process Immediately when
changed to strictly bran feed. That is,
they gained in milk and lost in flesh.
Aud to be more sure 10 the experiment, |
have changed such cows back to corn meal,
and have invariably found that their coats
would slick up in few days with cor.
responding shrinkage in the milk pail
The action of wheat offal on the milk
glands of COW, are just as decided as that
of apples or pumpkin seeds on their kid
neys; it turns the tide of the secretions
directly to those glands, and by well es-
tablished principle in the institutes of
medicine, conveys with it the milk con-
stituents Of the blood.
The importance of distinguishing be-
tween articles Of food, and their profitable
uses is scientifically commented upon 10
an article from the English Live Stock
Journal. 1t gives tables Of analyses show
ing the specific values of various articles,
and also the practice Of English feeders,
who are VIGOROUSLY successful in their at
tentious to stock. Il claims that sound
oats and beans in due proportion, at least
a year old, are the very best food for a
galloping horse, the only one on which it
is possible to get the very best condition
out Of q race horse or hunter.
It has also recently become known, the
article continues, that horses do slow work
and get fat, indeed too fat, on Indian corn,
which is frequently one.tbird cheaper than
the best oats. 1t shows that oats has 81
per cent. more heterogeneous or muscle pro-
duciug compounds than corn, while corn
has over per cent more Of starch and
other heat and fat-produeing compounds
than oats, and these properties in corn and
oats when fed TO animals, exhibit the
identical phenomena that chemistry would
Indicate. Hence, reasoning by analogy,
il seems perfectly clear to me, that the
oifal Of wheat not only stimulates the NAM
mary functions, as stated before, but con-
stiSutes the most economical source Of the
milk itself. A comparative analysis in
DougIesobs Medical Dictionary shows
wheat and milk to be formed Of almost
exactly the same chemical elements, and
4 cannot see why it is not as consistent
with the Physiology Of animals for wheat
20 20 to milk as well as corn to fat or oats
TO muscle. Practically, dairymen do not
wish 70 produce much fat. For as Fowne
defines In bis article on nutrition, "fat
appears to be only provision of Nature
for the maintenance Of life during a GER
tain period under circumstances Of priva-
ton and i IS evident that no thrifty
daiFyman viii permit such privations to
occur.
In this neighborhood with cornmeal at
So gents per bushel, bran and middlings
4 thEee-fonrths Of q cent per pound, and |