St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1884-11-01
Extraordinary Tests and Extraordinary
Consumption Of Food.

An interesting feature in number OF
recent tests of cows for butter or milk
products is the great quantity of food
consumed. In some cases the state
mentS made have been received with
openly expressed incredulity, even when
they have been accompanied by affida-
Wits to their correctness. Regarding at
least one case there has been a number
of newspaper articles to show that the
quantity of food stated to have been
consumed each day was really the
quantity eaten in week. There is. how
ever, abundant evidence of the truth
fulness of some of the statements OF
surprisingly large quantities eaten even
by small Jersey cows. Great skill has
been shown by some of the men in
charge of the feeding in apparently
going to the last extreme without over
stepping the limit of safety. In many
cases the appetite of the animal is
skillfully stimulated by the use of con.
diments, by offering the food in small
quantities at frequent intervals, and by
changes of food. Close watch is kept
over the animal, the thermometer being
frequently used to test the temperature
Of the body and show the first signs o.
fever.
With the most careful management
there is undoubtedly an element of
danger attending very high feeding; but
possibly we have over-estimated the ex.
tent of this danger. Many animals fed
to lay on fat are carefully fed all they
can be induced to consume, month after
month, sometimes year after year, and
frequently with no apparent injury to
health. The writer hereof saw Mary
Anne, of st. Lambert, soon after the close
of her wonderful test, extending over
nearly year, during which she had
been highly fed, and on the same day,
the two noted fat show cattle at Bow
Park, one of which has been crowded"
since his birth, the other more than a
year. All three seemed in good health.
Was the strain on the milk cow much
greater than that on the fat animals?
She gave much greater quantity of
product, in her milk, than did the
Others in accumulation of flesh; but is
it certain that there was a greater tax
on her system? 1t has frequently been
pointed out that the cost of the food
eaten by the cow, in some reported tests,
exceeds the value of the butter pro-
duced. If we count the cost of super
and of the extra labor in
volved, it is not probable that the value
of the butter equals the total cost in any
''official test" 1t is equally true that
the cost Of preparing a good many ami
mails which have won hOnors at our fat
stock shows have been greater than
their value: but there is an interest and
value in ascertaining the possibilities of
production, and we would not discour-
age reasonable number of tests made
for this purpose without reference to cost
1t is clearly true, however, that re-
suits reached by methods reasonably
,pproximating those which practical
feeders and dairymen find profitable in
practice have a more direct value than
hose which are the result of extra feed
ng. There is as much pleasure derived
n chronicling the result of a remarka-
de test where the milk cow how has
,een fed only indicate rations as where
! still greater product has come from a
.reater consumption OF food. Results
where remarkable product has been
ecured at q profit to the feeder are the
most desirable to record. Breeders
'axes.e.