Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1884-06-06

oOu ID abundant III the spring,
and at that time cows give large amount
OF milk, but the yield diminishes when
!he not and dry weather commences. This
Is generally the case in California and the
southern States, where drought prevails
during large part of the summer. 1t is
oiten the case i'll some of the Northern
states where dairying is carried on most
| extensively. In these States the drought
Is likely to be most severe during the
months of the July and August. The
iced IN pastures becomes short and poor.
and the yield of milk diminishes. The
grass takes fresh start" on the occur
renee OF the fall iains, but the yield of
MIX MI! does not great increase with the adj
ditional feed
In portions of the country subject to
drought, or where the feed in pastures
becomes short from other causes, persons
VINO keep mich cows should make pro-
VISION Tor supplying other food than grass.
oown or cultivated crops should be ready
III cases OF emergency. If they are not
needed for summer food they can be har.
vested at the appropriate time, and kept
Tor feeding animals during the winter.
Calculation should be made to have them
IN condition for cutting during July
ana August, as protracted drought is
most likely to occur during these months.
The same is true of orchard grass, if it
grows on tolerably damp ground Millet
OF hungarian grass is an excellent sub
stltute for the pasture grasses, if it is cut
at the proper stage of its growth. Green
oats and peas are good. The food that
generally gives the best satisfaction, how
ever, is fodder corn. The sweet is pref
cradle to the ordinary field varieties, and
is better relished by cows. Some or all
OF these crops should be planted at diff.
ferent times, so as to have them ready TO
cut whenever the grass in the pastures
begins to fail. AS before suggested. if
they are not wanted for feeding to COWS
during the summer, they may be kept for
winter food. 1t is desirable to raise them
as near the pasture or feeding-yard as
possible, so as to save labor in hauling.
The use of them should commence be-
fore the feed in pastures begin to fail per-
ceptlbly. If pasture grass is cropped
very short Ethe roots are injured by the
heat of the sun, and the growth will be
small after rains occur. By affordipg
feed from outside, the close cropping of
the grass may be prevented, and the best
conditions afforded for its rapid growth
when the soil again becomes moist. Many
find it advisable and convenient to give
their cows liberal feed after milking at
night.
After decrease of milk has commenc-
ed, on account of insufficient food, it is
very difficult to recover the shrinkage.
however well the COWS may be fed. This
Is the experience OF almost all dairy far
mers. Great pains must be taken to pre-
vent this shrinkage. 1t is generally adj
vlsable to feed some cut food before the
pasture begin to fail, so that the cows
Will become accustomed to eating it, A
sudden change from one kind of food to
another generally leads to unfavorable
results. The change should be made
gradually.
Cows, as well as other grazing animals,
relish an occasional feed of something be-
sides grass, even when pastures are in
their best condition. They will eat dry
corn meal, bran, and even old hay, and
appear to derive much benefit from them.
Milk cows should be fed literally during
hot ami dry weather, even if the feed in
pastures is tolerably good. They should
not be required to walk about all day in
search of food. If they are continually
on the move their blood will become
heated and their milk in poor condition.
They should be fed so literally that they
can lie at rest considerable part of the
time.
During protracted drought, milk and
all kinds of dairy products are worth
much more than they are at other times,
and the milk producer should be in a way
to take advantage of the situation. Es-
pecially is this true of those dairymen
who produce milk for city markets. A
drought generally produces an advance in
the price of milk. Experiments made in
many places show that milk is produced
under partial soiling system cheaper
than by restricting cows entirely to pas
lures. Some more labor is required, but
more cows can be kept on the same num-
Der of acres. As land becomes high,
many dairy farmers will resort to soiling
as a means of enabling them to keep a
larger number of COWS.