The National tribune., 1893-09-21
OUR RURAL TOPICS.
Some Practical Suggestions for Our
Agricultural Readers

oy the department. OF Agriculture, Washing
ton, ID. C., in relation to food for the dairy COW,
referring TO tables given. not necessary to be
reproduced here. says:
From the large amount Of protein repre-
sented by the cheese part Of the milk aud the
aioumen, it is certain that a very considerable
amount OF protein should enter into the COM
position of the food. The carbohydrates sup
ply the material out Of which the miIk-sugar
and the fats are elaborated. though of course
these can also be made from the protein sub
stances. The protein and fat of the foods are
the more expensive portions, and for that rea-
son we should be careful not to feed them in
more liberal allowance than is actually needed.
Among grain food for the dairy the following
are worthy of special mention:
Corn.-Indian corn is a most valuable food.
and one of the cheapest used in the dairy, and
the quality Of milk and butter produced from
1T usually above question. COrnmeal is 8 very
concentrated food and packs too closely in the
stomach, and should be extended with some
thing eoarser, like bran. if possible. Corn does
not furnish much protein.
Oats are probably the best single food on the
list, and are just as valuable in the constable
as in the hOrse-barn. At this station we have
found oats to have the value OF about 10 per
cent. in excess of an equal weight of bran for
producing milk sBd butter fat. Oats contain
much ash and larger proportion Of protein
than corn, and should have a prominent place
in the feed-bin of our dairy farms whenever
the cost is not too high.
Barley is very common food for cows in the
Old World, aud is used to considerable extent
on the Pacific Coast. 1t should be crushed by
rolling rather than grinding.
Wheat is sometimes so low in comparison
with other grains that it eau be fed very profit
ably. Frequently on the Pacific Coast it Is the
cheapest food in the market
Pess.-Psas contain very large amount Of
portein, and they are an excellent food fog
dairy cows. Being very rich in protein. but
few pounds should be used in a ration
Cotton seed.-The progress of Southern live
stock interests depends largely upon an intel
ligent use of cottOn-ssed. cotteu-seed meal and
cotton seed hulls. Cotton-seed boiled is used
at the South with good results, if fed in reason
able quantity. Cotton-seed meal is very rich
and heavy, and should be fed with care; il
should be extended with some other food like
bran and mixed with roughsge. Cotton-seed
and eottou-seed meal have deIeterious effect
on butter if fed in large quantities but with
care they can be fed at any season of the year
with profit. Cottou-seed meal should be used
more generally at the North, its high-fertiliz-
ing value after passing through the animal
often being worth the first cost
Oil meal or oil cake.-This by-product of the
linseed- oil factories is most valuable food in
the dairy barn, though it should be used in
limited quantities. It is especially useful for
calves aud couple OF pounds day may be
fed to dairy cows with profit. 1t is very rich
in fertilizing elements. Oil meal to the value
of 100000 is annually shipped to the Old
World. For the fertility it contains, il for no
other reason, it should all be fed in this coun-
try and dairy products instead shipped abroad.
Bran is one of the most valuable feeds in the
dairy. From its loose. husky nature and cool
ing effect on the system. It can be given in al
most any quantity, with little danger to over
feeding. It is the safest food in the dairy
barn, and should always be in store to mix with
corn meal or the ground grains, cotton-seed
meal or oil meal We know that wheat
rapidly depIetes the soil of its fertility, and the
chemist has found that the larger part of the
fertility that goes into the wheat grain is stored
near the outside of the grain in what becomes
The bran on grinding.
A few farmers still hold that bran is little
better than sawdust. Such notions belong to
The past generation. Exporters are studying
low to compress bran in order TO ship it abroad.
This movement should be stopped by lively
nome demand.
Shorts and middlings are now but finer
orm of bran. Sometimes they contain much
tarch and form frst-class food, but, again,
hey carry the dirt and dust of the mill, and
re not SO pslatable as bran.
Malt sprouts and brewers grains, either wet
II dried, are valuable foods rich in protein,
md often sell at such very low prices as 10
Omit of very profitable use in the dairy barn.
Vet brewers grains, because of their cheap
less and abundance, are often misused. The
loppy DRAWINGS saturate the feed-boxes and
hangers and become Putrid. endangering the
ives of the cows and those who use the milk.
t fed when fresh, and in reasonable quantity,
nd the surroundings kept perfectly clean and
wholesome, brewers grains are an excellent
pod for dairy cows.
dIuIen meal, d Dy- prOuucb IN Ln6 maQuIac-
ure of starch and glucose is very rich in pro-
Elm. The heavy forms of this meal should be
ID cautiously, and extended with some light
INSTANCE like bran.
Cora slower and corn fodder is an excellent
nd healthful cattle food, being quite free from
ust and very palstsble to the. cow. The
mount of nutriment which be gathered
rom a cornfeld, and a portion which remains
q the stalks. has already been discussed.
Clover hay, when well cured and bright, is
specially valuable for dairy cows, since it fur
ishes large amount of protein.
Timothy hay IS at best poor feed for dairy
ows; it should be left for horse feeding
Wheat hay, oat hay, or barley hay, If cut
srly, are all excellent dairy foods. and their
So should become much more common than
is
Millet hay is satisfactory if cut very early
efore the seeds form.
Pigs can turn skim milk into profitable
eat unless there is market for it at moro
ian one cent per quart, aud for most dairies
lere is no such market. Large creameries
spose of q good deal of skim milk and
lis can be turned to great account in feed
e to the pigs mixed with cornmesl, gluten
cal, wheat bran and similar food In
ulletin AZ of the Massachusetts, Station the
hole matter has been figured out, allowing
much for skim milk and the different
cal mixtures, and then estimating how
UGH pork 100 pounds of the feed would
ale The skim milk found Tn opcunv