The Bolivar bulletin. [volume] (Bolivar, Hardeman County, Tenn.) 1865-1888, 1877-11-08
AGRICULTURAL.
,sII.tne ntocn ror the Dn,rr.

SsIIEiDg stock for the Dairy
In one of the discussions held during
the evenings Of the New York state fair,
which hy the way, are one Of the most
valuable feat ures of the fair, some in
teresting. al useful experience was
brought out. Prof. l.. B. Arnold, we'll
known rs an intelligent writer on dairy
subjects, said
Two points are of prime Importance at
the outset, the securing of proper milk
ing stock (having the highest possible
capacity for converting food into milk,
and the furnishing of an ample supply OF
the lest food We are slow to change
old practices in either respect, and there
IS a vast loss every year from our indif-
ference. In regard to feeding, very few
people appreciate how small proportion
OF the ICED is converted into milk, and
how large q proportion goes to the sup
port of the COW. During the season OF
laCtatiOn alone, it takes fOur-tifths OF the
food to run the machine Now cannot
we Use less in this way, or else give more
food TO the same animal in excess of
what she needs for her support, ard have
IL turned into milk We do not Ordi-
narily give our COWS al the food they
can digest. Almost every year there Is
a dry time in July, and grass Is scarce.
Then the cows machinery uses up at
least seven eights of the food for its own
support, and the profits are almost an
Rihilat ed. This is all wrong (; cows
should never at any time lack a full
supply of food and water We must also
remember that the habit of milk. giving
Is diminished and permanently injured
when a COW is starved, besides diminish
ing naturally as the time of calving be-
comes less distant.
The quality of the feed also makes an
important difference. One kind will not
take the place of another. II you give
the COW three times as much of the albu-
minoids as che needs, aud only half the
quantity of the supporters of respiration,
there will be a waste of the former. TIC
be sure, the first may be converted into
the second to a certain extent, but the
reversed process will not occur. a
proper proportion should be maintained
Often it is overlooked that food should
be easy of digestion. Give a COW all the
straw she can consume, and she cannot
digest enough to keep herselfuD and give
milk If she does give milk she will
use herself up and become poor. " Al
the good hay a COW can eat in the
spring will not do; she cannot digest
enough of it. 1t is like wintering pig,
on raw potatoes they can just barrel
keep alive, which Is not what we want
Boil them and the pigs grow fat. The
food of a mich cow should be young and
tender, or else so cooked as readily to de
compose Grass is most excellent, being
quickly digested, and in fact needing
very little alteration TO convert
into milk, which it very ClOsel!
resembles in composition, chang
ing the tibrous matter to water
Steamed hay apprOXimates quite nearl
to grass, but Is harder to digest, espeCi
ally if cut too ripe. For milk prOduC
ton, the earlier il is cut the better, bu
very early cutting may not always pa
quite the best. Perhaps the best Tul
for ordinary practice Is TO cut Just as
is heading or approaching blossom
would not let 1t head, anyhow. TIL
speaker has q high idea of fodder cor
fed green, in a dry time, if properl
grown and properly fed. Cured /
winter, it is also most excellent, fed DIR
has never steamed it. 1t should /
cut when lust tasseling out. Green-CU
clover is better than late-cut timOth,
but green-Cut timothy is best of all thre
Would not steam any cut at the prOpt
timc-it does not pay II dIgests we
enough without. There is great loss
feeding meal. IN regard to the kind
feed, German or golden millet is de
tined to come into general use. Tt
seed may also be matured for fowls Ct,
which purposes it Is e1cellent), or Il
horses, cattle or pigs, if the millet is NJ
wanted for soiling. II is better tha
corn fodder, and more OF it grows on a
acre. The drink of a dairy COW IS all
very important. Good milk is 81 "a
cent. water, and some milk 80. So II
water must be pure and abundant il y
would make any sort of milk.