The Ohio Democrat. (Logan, O. [Ohio]) 1886-1906, 1888-08-25
FEEDING MlLCH COWS.
A Problem Which Requires Constant an
Careful Consideration.

Careful Consideration.
In feeding milch COWS particular at
tention has to be given to furnishing
muscle e-sustaining food. 1t is easy
to select the fat-forming. 1t is in the
corn crib, and is valuable in milk pro-
duction, but should be fed with such
other foods as are rich in the elements
in which corn is deficient This def
cheney may be largely supplied by
feeding good hay or good corn fodder.
Many feed nothing else than hay and
corn meal, but we must remember that
it is the albuminoids that are most eX-
tensively drawn upon in the formation
of milk. The grains which are most
common, and the best for feeding in
the dairy, because they contain from
ten to fourteen per cent of the flesh
forming elements, are oats, rye and
barley. If they are ground and mixed
together in equal quantities, they fur
nish not only an excellent food, but
taking all things into consideration,
generally about as cheap food as can be
had and thal will produce any thing
like equal results. There are some
dairymen who think there is nothing
equal to nnseed meal, and feed it in
much larger quantities than we should
do if we could get it for nothing. We
think their mistake is not carefully
considering it's comparative value. A
man who lives right along side of u
mill from which he can obtain plenty
of millstuffs, and get his grain easily
ground, is not wise. according to our
way of thinking, to send long dis
tance for linseed meal. On the other
hand if the meal can be easily obtained,
it might be advisable to feed it, under
almost any circumstances, but es-
pecially if other foods We're difficult to
get were high in price.
No invariable rule can be laid down
for feeding. There is too much de-
pendent upon circumstances to make
that practical. Nothing more than gen
eral rules can be given. When the
dairyman or feeder is fully informed as
to what he wishes to accomplish, and
as to the composition of different foods,
he must then be left to his own Judg-
ment. Circumstances may be of such
character as that it will pay him best
to feed very poor food considering the
object he wishes to accomplish, than to
feed good food. Results may not be so
good, and yet the profits may be better.
Suppose, for instance, to make use of
an exaggerated illustration, he could
get all the corn he wanted for nothing,
and all the poor hay on the same terms.
but must pay u very extravagant price
for millstuifs, oats, barley, rye, oil mes,
and roots. He would have to, or ought
to go to sufficient expense to guard
against the destruction of the health Of
the COW, but it would be clearly to his
interest to stick mainly to his corn and
poor hay. He would not get as much
milk or as good or as much butter, but
what he did get would cost sea, cely
any thing. This will serve to point out
the rule by which we should be guided
in our feeding operations.
But we need to Judge OF such mat
ters, and indeed of all matters pertain
ing to feeding, critically and not care
lessly. Often conclusion us to what
Is best to feed can not De jumped at,
but necessitates careful consideration
and good deal of feeding. The
amount OF money that is annually
wasted by feeding just what comes the
handiest regardless of its appropriate
ness or money value, is very gr.a., and
the amount wasted in the sliape o.
animals in poor condition in the
spring, by lotting them shift for them
selves during winter, browsing around
strawstacks, eating weather beaten
straw, etc., is also very great. Every
man who has Il milch COW or other ami
mails to feed, should sit down and
figure the cost. If he does not know
the feeding value of food, he should
make inquiries, as our correspondent
has done in this Instance; and with
full understanding of the comparative
values, and knowledge of the prices
OF the various grains, millstuifs, oil
meal and roots he can easily decide
what is best for him to feed.- Western
Rurai.
L<,.. 4. a