The times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1882-1897, 1895-07-05
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winter Dnirying In Central nlinoIs.


The following address was delivered
before the Illinois Dairy association
by Ralph Allen, a dairyman wei
known to many readers of the Farm
ers' Review:
The money crop of central Illinois |,
corn. There is no crop that will com
pare with it in profitableness. Every
acre that is likely to grow forty OF
even less bushels Is planted to corn
The other crops, wheat, oats and clio
yer, are grown for the double purpose
OF filling up the working season anC
to change off," or give the land resi-
from corn. The live stock is mainly
such as make a market for the corn
fat cattle and hogs being generally
used for this purpose. These are fec
together with remarkable success
The method of feeding them is very
simple, consisting of keeping a full.
supply of grain and roughness before
the cattle, while the hogs fatten on the
refuse corn and droppings from the
cattle. The corn is fed in the ear
usually broken in two three pieces
and sometimes shelled. There is nc
previous preparation of the feed sucE
as grinding the grain, cutting the hay
or fodder, mixing, steaming, etc., such
as practiced or advocated in feeding
cows for milk or butter. The cattle
are usually confined in lots without
stables, though open sheds or wind
breaks are usually provided.
During the time l have been in the
dairy business, l have fed and shell
tered my cows in the customary man
ner of other dairymen, fastening then
in a warm stable at night, giving
them few hours exercise daily, grind
ing the grain, often cutting the fodder
and using considerable bran or other
feed foreign to the farm. have plain.
ly seen that such a system of feeding
and caring for dairy cows involved a
great expense.
1t costs nearly one-third the value
of a crop of corn to husk, shell and
grind 1t. 1t costs nearly one-fifth OF
the value of a crop of oats to thresh
it. The cost of properly taking care
OF cow stable is considerable. The
manure must be removed and fresh
bedding supplied daily, and the cows
cleaned frequently. 1t has often oc.
Cured to me that the greatest profit
with the least labor or expense in
converting a crop of grain into butter
would accrue when the crop was
moved directly from the field to the
manager without any intermediate
handling. There is no better example
OF this direct method of feeding than
that of my neighbors, the cattle feed.
ers, such as 1 just briefly de.
scribed. This question has repeatedly
presented itself: Why may not dairy
cows be used in place Of steers for
making market for the corn crop
and why may they not be fed and
cared for in much the same manner:
Last fall concluded to adopt such
system as nearly as would apply tc
mich cows. I put the cows in feed
lot adjoining the barn and also put
in three pigs after each two cows
The cows were taken in the barn twice
a day and fed ear corn broken up
after being MIXED they were let out
into the lot again and given a feed OF
unshucked corn fodder. In this way
l fed about one and one-third bushels
OF ear corn per week and one bushel of
corn in the fodder. The fodder was
fed on the ground so that the pigs
had part of that corn. The pigs had
the buttermilk and some skim milk
In return for this feed / received about
Az pounds of butter and 10 pounds
OF pork per cow fed, or about pounds
OF butter and 4 pounds of pork per
bushel of corn fed.
The cows had a good shed that they
could go into; once week this shed
was covered with a thick layer OF
straw. This has made a clean, soft
bed for the cows to lie on. l also pro.
vided them with a nd-break, the lee
OF which has been very comfortable
on sunny days They grew a much
thicker coat of hair than when they
have been stabbed in the barn, which
of course has kept them warm, and
judging from their appearance and
actions the cows have been more
comfortable than when wintered in
the barn. They have been as clean as
in summer on pasture and there have
been no stables to clean out.
The pigs have lived upon the drop
pings of the cattle, the refuse from the
hangers, the buttermilk and part of
the skim milk. This plan of feeding
is probably as profitable as any az
might be adopted in the corn growing
part Of the state and certainly has the
merit of eliminating large part of
the drudgery usually connected with
dairy farming.