Thomas County cat. [volume] (Colby, Kan.) 1885-1891, 1888-04-12
MAMAoeMEMr OF COWS.

~ IL sometimes S0lO that the cow ID
\ machine for the manufacture Of milk
and butter. This is true. with some
important limitations The COW is a
living mechanism. and therefore re-
quires more careful management than
an insensate machine could need.
There is such thing rs wearing out
cows by injudicious feeding. Good
cows have enormous appetites. and de-
mand abundant and nutritious food.
But they should not be forced or
tempted to eat more than they natu-
rally will. While the coarser and less
palatsble 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 for an
imals is almost rs destructive to health
rs stimulation by drink is to men.
The only correct test of cows is their
yearly product Another way in which
good cows are spoiled is by deficient
nutrition during those times when they
are not giving milk. The owner thinks
that less and poorer feed will do them
and so the cow while bearing her calf
is fed largely on straw and becomes
poor.
Either of these extremes is injurious
to the future usefulness of the cow.
Tho strong digestion is injured at
these off times by insufficient feeding,
rs much as by forcing when giving y
full flow of milk. 1t is true farrow
cows or those heavy with calf do not
need SO much or SO rich food as those
giving large yields of milk. 1t is caE-
tainy not best TO: fattcn: thcp. AbunS
.lant food of kind that does not tend
to making fat is what should
be aimed ut. There 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 COW to eat large quantities Of
food to secure the required nutriment.
If properly supplemented. bright. well
cured corn stalks are 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 either overtaxing
the digestive organs or of putting on
fat than. can safely be given with hay.
And if the stalks are cut and steamed.
very few will be left uneaten. 1t is an
important question for dairymen
whether cutting and steaming stalks
and then feeding with meal has not
enough advantages over ensilagc 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 large share of tho
farmers attention.
Excessive breeding is one of tho
means by which cows are prematurcly
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
calvinS. There is strong temptation
to do this If the breed is extra for milk
or butter, rs the calf may be easily
worth more than the butter or milk
product for the year The usual prac-
tice with farmers is TO manage SO that
the COW will drop a calf every twelve
months. This leaves about three
months in each year when the COW is
not carrying calf, but during this
time milk production is usually pushed
as far rs possible. and the poor cow has
really no rest from the heavy strain
made upon her.
1t would be better generally if cows
were left farrow for longer time.
With good feeding farrow COW may be
made to give milk two or more years
without dropping calf within that
time. Yet many farmers condemn
their best cows to the butcher if in any
year the COW fails to get with calf ut
her accustomed time. Instead of being
a loss, this may be easily turned into
u gain. The cow. 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 too
fat. If properly managed she may he
made to give paying yield of milk
and butter. AMI ut last be got with II |
calf so as to farrow 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 much
greater yield of milk without exhaus-
ton of her vitality. than would lie the
case if bred as often as possible. Every
old Aairyman knows this. but the
habit of continuous breeding of cows
has grown so common that probably
many think that there is no other wav.
II 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
mcnt Of the dairy qualities of our cat
tie. Very often. in fact the extra
Eecding If cows, to force the produc-