The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1883-08-30
FEEDING FOR MILK.

CORRESPONDENT Country Gentleman
To the milk producer the quantity
of milk each COW produces is an i'm
portant item, and how he shall obtain
that result is the question for him to
solve. Can quantity be obtained or
increased except at the expense of
quality? Every experienced dairy
man will answer this in the affirma-
tive. a COW may be considered a
machine for producing milk. She
must be properly fed and cared for, or
the result is unsatisfactory it is as
vain to expect COW will give milk
without sufficient and proper food as
to expect the steam engine to afford
power without sufficient fuel and wa
ter. If we feed the steam boiler with
water in excess, or in insufficient
quantity, and only fuel enough to
merely keep the boiler warm, it is vain
to look for power and so it is to give
the cow only just food enough to keep
her alive without starving. If milk
is desired in quantity the COW must be
fed surplus beyond the other needs
of the system, or all the rest is loss.
l think it is calculated that about two
thirds OF all cow eats is needed 10
maintain her existence all the profit
comes in from the other one-third, and
too often this is withheld entirely.
The best ilk-producing food should
be provided and fed in abundance
while the COWS are giving milk; roots,
grain and the best of hay and fodder
during winter, and good pasture, with
partial soiling during summer. This
will neceSsitate the growing of green
crops like a mixture of peas and oats,
Hungarian grass, corn and clover for
summer and Il dry time. Corn meal
is good for quality, but bran and mid
dlings should make the larger half or
| two-thirds of the grain ration. l
would leave cotton seed meal out, or
not feed over half a pint mixed with
the other grain at a feeding. Corn and
oats ground together make an excel
lent grain ration. In feeding green
fodder l would cut the stalks finely
and mix with it the meal and grain,
and allow them to soften somewhat
before feeding. Hard glazed corn
stalks, fed whole, are apt to make the
teeth sore, fed freely.
KINDNESS TO HORSES.
Under this heading a correspondent
of the Germantown Telegraph gives
a very seasonable sermonette, and one
which ought to be widely and wisely
needed. He says: "As we are now
passing through the warmeSt portion
of the year, and farm horses have
much work to do, 1 want to say a
word about them. If you want a
horse to WORK well, you must endeav-
or to make it happy; happiness in
creases it's strength and energies, aud
unhappiness diminishes them When
you find that it is weak in any partie-
ular point, do not press and harraSs
the weakness, but show it indulgence.
Do not urge it do more than it is well
able, as the more it is compelled to dc
to-day the less it will do tomorrow
When he begins to slacken his speed
do not recklessly compel him to main
tain it, but think how yourself would
like to be thus urged beyound your
strength. Do not worry your horse
by repeating whip strokes; as every
blow robs the animal of some of his
strength, and continual blows rob il
also of the motives to exertion by the
| violence of the blows on the skin
and also affect the muscles under
meath on which the motions depend
If any person doubts this, a slight
blow on his arm or leg will soon con
vince him of the truth. If you have
two horses working together, and ont
horse is slower or weaker than the
other. do not force it to do as much
as the other, but rather slacken the