The Bolivar bulletin. [volume] (Bolivar, Hardeman County, Tenn.) 1865-1888, 1888-03-30
MANAeEMENT 81 COWS

Il is Sometimes said that the COW is
a machine for the manufacture of milk
and butter. This is true, with some
important limitatTons The COW is a
living meehanislns and therefore re-
qhires more earef Il s1laEagement than
an inseasate5 machine could need.
There isl such q thing as wearing out
fcOws by injudissious feeding. Good
COWS have epormous appetites, and de-
mand abundant and nutritious food
But they should not be forced on
tempted to eat more than they natu-
rally will. While the coarser and less
palatable'ration should be given freely,
yet grains and meal must be limited.
Some of the great milk and butter rec
ords for short periods have been made
by stimulation with food, which foran.
in1als is almost as destructive to health
as stimulation by drink is to men.
The only correct test of cows is their
yearly product Another way in which
good COWS are spoiled isaby deficient
nutrition dmihgskllose times when they
are not giving milk. The owner thinks
that less and poorer feed win do them
and so the COW while bearing her cali
is fed largely on straw and becomes
lpOor.
Either of these extremes is injurious
to the future usefulness of the cow,
The strong digestion is injured at
these off times by insufficient feeding,
as much as by forcing when giving a
full flow Of milk. 1T is true farrow
cows or those heavy with calf do moi
need so much or SO rich. food as those
giving large yields of milk. It is GER
tainY not best tos fat'senss them. Album
dsnt food of a kind that does not tend
to making fat is what should
be aim ed at. Ih ere is no better
single food for cows not giving much
milk than corn stalks. Their bulk is
strongly in their favor, as they re-
quire the ow to eat large quantities OF
food to secure the required nutriment.
If properly supplemented, bright, well
cured, corn stalks are a. better main ra-
ton for cows in winter when they are
in fresh flow of milk from recent calv-
ing. More grain can be fed with them
without danger Of elf her overtaxine
the Digestive organs % of putting on
fat than can safely be given with hay
And if the stalks are cnt and steamed,
very few viii be left hneaten. 1t is an
important question for dairymen
whether cutting and steaming stalks
and than feeding with meal has not
enough advantages over ensilage to
compensate for the increased labor.
The feed can be given warm, and if
this requires more work it is at a. time
of year when the best care of his. stock
should occupy a large share of the
/ farmers attention.
Excessive breeding is one of the
means by which COWS are prematurely
worn out, especially where the progeny
is more than usually valuable. A COW
carries her young about nine months,
and she may be bred few days after
caIVing. There is strong temptation
to do this if the breed is extra for milk
or butter, as the calf may be easily
worth more than She butter or milk
product for the year The usual prac-
tice with farmers is to manage so that
the cow will drop calf every twelve
months. This leaves about three
months in each year when the cow is
not carrying a calf, but during this
time milk production is usually pushed
as far as possible, and the poor COW has
really no rest from the heavy strain
made upon her,
It would be better generally if cows
were left farrow for a longer time.
With good fe eding farrow cow may be
made to give milk two or more years
without dropping q calf within that
time. Yet many farmers condemn
their best cows. to the butcher if in any
year the COW fa lis to get with calf at
her accustomed time. Instead of being
a loss, this may be easily turned into
a gain. The co W, after being several
months past the time of her greatest
milk flow, may be- safely fed with bran,
roots and other kinds of feeds in order
/ to avoid the danger of becoming toe
! fat. If properly managed she may be
| made to give a paying yield of milk
| and butter, and at last be got with a
calf so as to fau'ow eighteen months
or even two years after her last calf
was dropped.
A COW managed thus is rested, and
! if not too old is able to give a much
greater yield of milk without exhaus-
/ ton of her vitality, than would be the
| case II DE6NL It's OILCIA DIS kBOoSlI1C" 4Af CL y
/ old dairyman knows this, but the
habit of continuous breeding of cows
has grown so common that probably
/ many think that there is no other way
If COW does not get with calf early
! she is condemned, and thus many Of
the most valuable mixers do not do
half the good they might in improve
ment of the dairy qualities Of our cat
tie. Very often, in fact, the extra
feeding of cows, to force the produc-
ton of milk and butter, is itself the
reason of their inability TO breed. Too
! high feeding may bring cows often in
heat, but at the same time prevent
them from getting with calf or cause
abortion, which is the most serious
trouble in many diaries. CaSltaUdtoT.
So
FEMININE FANCGES-
Hints Concerning late Novelties In Dres,
III sUs-s and Je1Velry. Il FGo5t.
Pure white linen is the rule on al
occasions for table linen.
In England the tea gown is of bril-
liant red, whatever the fabric may be.
Russia linen of a heavy quality
makes durable and serviceable dish
towels.
Hemstitched linen sheets are used
by those who can afford luxuries, with
pillow cases and bolster cases finished
with hemstitching to match.
Quite new and very effective is tor
toise shell jewelry set with diamonds.
Brooches, cuff-buttons and earrings
are all represented in designs that
follow more or less closely the patterns
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