The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1891-06-08
Feedine Tor the Dairy.


Feeding for the Dairy.
I don't propose, said John Boyd before
the dairymen's convention, to give you a
learned dissertation on the subject of the
relative nutritive ratios of carbonaceous
and heterogeneous foods, but simply to state
In plain English few propositions on the
subject of feeding for the dairy, in hope of
calling out a free discussion that may de-
velop some useful, practical pointers of
value to the dairymen.
Idont believe In cast-iron rule for feed
ing. If there is any rule that can be relied
upon have never been able to find it; in
fact, all my experience points in an opposite
direction.
We are told by scientific men that the
German rule of l to 6 or l to "a, to be
exact, is such rule to be depended upon.
1t may be in Germany; but we do not find
it 50 in this country, although a good rule
to follow on occasions. The proportion of
heterogeneous and carbonaceous foods should
vary according to the seasons of the year,
and also according to the individual ami
NAL, and the purpose of that animal.
1t won't do to feed the same amount of
carbonaceous food in summer that is re-
quired in winter, nor will it pay to feed an
excess of nitrogenus food in cold weather.
In my own case, started out on the theory
that feeding for beef and feeding for the
dairy required different courses, and prac-
tice has CONFIRMED me in the opinion that
this distinction is of prime Importance to
the dairymen particularly. The
system of feeding calculated to
produce the best results in feed
ing for beef or fat, if steadily pursued in
the dairy, invariably changes the character
Of the animal, and in time will ruin the best
mich COWS in the country. This effect of
feeding is more Immediately observed in
the case of young animals, in whom the
milking functions are not already fully de-
veloped. In the case of older animals,
where the milking qualities have been fos-
tered and developed, the change takes
longer time. and is not SO readily observed,
but in either case time completes the
change, which also becomes to a certain
extent hereditary.
First, we take it as an acknowledged fact
that there is no feed known equal to grass
for all kinds Of dairy cattle, male or fe-
male, young OF old, as there is no other one
food that contains all tie elements Of nutri-
ton necessary Co sustain life. Grass is to the
bovine race what milk is to the human
family, the only one that can be classed as
perfect food. containing all the elements
OF nutrition necessary to sustain life. But,
as our climate precludeS the possibility of
grazing during the entire year, we must re-
sort TO substitutes for at least six months
out of the twelve.
Our chief aim, especially in feeding for
the dairy, should be to approximate as
nearly as possible to grass in the substitutes
we use. II the farm does not furnish ma
terial for a balanced ration it is true
economy to supply that which is wanting
from some other source. Every farm should
at least produce the coarse feod, containing
all the carbonaoeous elements necessary,
and most of the heterogeneous eie-
ments also; these latter can be had
in the shape of condensed food,
convenient to almost any farm in the west.
At the present time, considering the high
prices of almost all kinds of feed, these nj
trogenous elements can be bought compar-
atively cheap, in the shape of cotton seed
meal, oil meal. rice meal, etc. The true
economy in feeding lies not in an indiscrim-
mate use of what we have on hand, but
rather in a wise selection, and in judicious
mixture of ingredients calculated to pro-
duce the desired result.
AS general thing we find throughout
the country an almost criminal waste of
cornstalks and oat straw that might be
turned to great advantage by little fore
thought and prudent management During
a recent visit to Nebraska | saw q lesson in
economy being taught the farmers in belt
of country where the drought of
last season produced an almost total
failure Of crops. They were compelled,
through necessity, is feed their
cows on cornstalks exclusively, an arti-
Gle hitherto, IN that locality, considered a
waste product Of little or no value, but at
that time their main stay, as the only thing
they could turn into cash was the milk their
cows produced fed on cornstalks. Had
these cornstalks been harvested, cut and
fed with a mixture of oil meal and cotton
seed meal, it is safe to say their value as
feed would have have been Quadruple1; as
it was, / saw enough to convince me that
the lesson taught the Nebraska farmers,
will never be forgotten. Dat
straw, another waste prod
uc5 of the farm, could and should be util-
lied by our dairy farmers by a little judi
cious management; of itself alone, oat
straw produces the thinnest Of thin milk,
when, IL put through feed cutter and
mixed with heterogeneous food, such as cot
ton seed meal or oil meal, it could be made
available and turned to good account II
oil and cotton seed meal are not available,
oat straw can be cut and mixed with good
early cut clover hay. One ton OF oat straw,
cut and mixed with one ton OF good clover
hay, is equal in feeding value to two tons OF
timothy nay fed whole.
know it is not easy to persuade farmers
to buy feed for their COWS other than that
raised on the farm, but If we study the
economy Of the thing, which we must If we
expect success in the business, such preJu-
dices will quickly vanish. The question is
what food will produce the greatest amount
of animal product for the least cost. The
idea that we must feed only such food as we
raise ourselves has led to much trouble and
disaster. Our great crop in the west is and
has been corn, and we think because we
have the corn on hand we must feed it to
our dairy cattle. 1t is a serious mistake.
Corn fed in quantities to mich COWS is at
once the most expensive and the poorest
feed we can use for that purpose. have
nothing to say against feeding corn during
cold weather in small quantities, but even
then, say. the smaller the quantity the
better to mich COW.
TIE EGGPLANT.