The Republican journal., 1886-07-01
Other Feed with Grass.

Once again the American Dairyman will
urge upon the dairymcn of the country the
absolute necessity for feeding the cows while
Il: pasture. if any hope is had of improving not
only the present yield of the COWS. but the
general condition of the dairy herd. Cows
that are compelled to take pot luck at pasture,
that is getting what they can find, and nothing
more, will be certain to make returns in kind
and give you nothing to be proud Of
There are three ways of supplementing the
grass yield-by feeding corn fodder or other
soiIiny crops in conjunction with the pasture;
by feeding ground food at the stable while
milking, and third by feeding the skinned
milk and buttermilk back to the COWS. Very
little need be said on the subject of raising
fodder or clover and other grasses to supple
ment the pasture, for nearly, if not quite all
dairymcn with years experience have found
that unless their supply Of grass is practically
unlimited and the season ls exceptionally fav-
Orahlc TO the growth of 9r;tSS, the supply i'll the
hot days is sure to run short and play the mis-
chief with the How of milk. The only advice
necessary on this point is to see that YOU have
enough planted to meet all reasonable require
nchtS. This can readily he done, for there is
no danger Of loss from an over supply. aS the
surplus cam be cured for winter feed when
1t J., ju>t about as good aS the best clover
or timothy hay for cows either dry or N
milk. There is, however late objection,
we believe from the pen of that prolific but not
very accurate writer, Mr.. Henry Stewart. This
objection runs to the effect that no COW can
make yield If fourteen pounds Of butter Il
week on grass alone There is not. he says,
solids enough in the grass COW can eat to
make SO much butter; thai is, after taking ont
what She needs for lc>O and bones This
sounds very well IN theory. bat looks little
thin. for many men Of solid regulations have
already claimed to have done this.
Ia relation to feeding -rain i'll conjunction
with pasture. the practice i not 50 common
that it will bc throwing away ink and paper to
urge it upon dairy men in general 70 he sure.
in the hi il flush of june pasture, When the
grass is 1T its best and there is enough and
more than the COWS can consume, We would
| not advise the dairYman 10 impoNeri>h himself
huN ug ground feed. but even in such au>pic
ots times it i> well to give Il handful of bran
to each COW. il for no other purpose than that
Of discipline. In encourages them to come i'll
the stable. and Keeps them quiet while being
mkcd and 50 snIall an amount will certainly
return it, value in holding the quality of the
milk up 10 good standard. When. however,
the pasture runs low and is burnt yellow by
the hot sun and denied the refreshing showers
Of heaven, then. indeed. the mcal-hn should
cut an important figure in the rationS of the
COWS. 1t is such bad weather that PLAYS the
mischief with the average yield of the wear.
The cows act like thermometers in cold
weather. and drop the yield + the lowest
point, and when the gentle showers come
again later in the summer or carly fail. unlike
the thermometer. they cannot respond and
raise the flow again, except in Il very limited
degree, but the ground lost in summer must
stay lost until after the COW calves again.
In regard to feeding the SKINNED milk and
buttcrnilk back to the COWS. this is Il practice
that W. have often urged upon ,iairluen a.
practical ECONOMICAL and entirely Legitimate.
All that i necessary in feeding it is 10 see that
it j. not too old or stale before feeding. The