Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1896-05-26
FEEDING POTATOES TO MlLcH cows
AN INTERESTING AND IMPORTANT CON-
MUNICATIoS FROM SECRETARY NC
KEEN OF THE MAINE BOARD OF
AGRICULTURE.

As we were one OF the unfortunate-
who planted largely of potatoes In 1895,
We found ourselves with quite large
amount OF them on our hands when ths
market entirely failed, and they wen,
begging at 10 cents per bushel. The
problem which then confronted Us, wa;
how we were 10 get the most out OF
about 700 bushels of them then In ouI
cellar. As We were feeding cows fol
the production aud sale of milk, OUT
only recourse seemed to be 10 feed our
potatoes 10 them, which We began To do,
not without some fear and trembling, as
We had often heard IL asserted, by good
authorities, that the cream was sure 10
be ewitched" IL COWS had been fed on
potatoes.
Now, after nearly three months oil
continuous feeding, we believe we are In
condition 10 report results. certaialv as
far n our own herd Il concerned. Is IL
unwise 10 assume. that similar results
would follow similar feeding, 10 other
herds! We believe not.
Our first thought was Ia ascertain rs
far as possible, the amount and proper
tions Of the food contents OF these pota-
toes, which we did, by carefully study
ing all the analyses We could find. Our
first surprise was TO find that potatoes
contained less water, and consequently
more organic matter than any other
vegetable commonly raised on our
Maine farms.
This fact established, then came the
problem OF how best 10 feed them, what
combinations OF other foods To place
with them. and which one of the feeds
We had been using they should take the
place Of.
\ few days Of experimental feeding
convinced Us that we should drop out all,
or most of our ensilsge, which we did
with excellent results. We had been
feeding thirty pounds day, which was
giving u not far from 1.a6 pounds of
organic matter, 30 OF pound OF digesti-
blc protein, 20pounds OF carbohydrates
and ~ Of pound of TAT.
Dropping this out, We fed 20 pounds
of potatoes day, which gave u not far
from o. pounds of organic matter, p
of pound OF digestible protein, 3.22
pounds of carbohydrates, and .U3 OF Il
pound oi fat, the remainder being made
good TO the CONS, In an increased hay
ration. with slight addition of cotton
seed meal. Now for results. A. We
were selling milk by the pound, we had
A good opportunity 10 observe the guam
ti;y, which remained very nearly the
same, there being no increase, but no
particular decrease. We should state
here. that these changes were made
gradually, as all changes of feed should
be.
Several tests with the Babcock tester
failed to detect any change in the quality
of the milk. the herd running Just about
the same as before the potatoes were led.
We remarked 10 several that we were
getting good results from feeding pota-
toes 20 our cows while selling milk, and
were met with the clsim that potatoes
might do 10 feed when selling milk, but
IL We were raising cream or making but
ter We should have trouble az once. The
first OF April we stopped selling milk,
and began 10 sell cream, setting the milk
In Cooley cans. Several tests OF the
skim milk showed that II Was cresming
IS well As when no potatoes were fed,
and as result the usual amount OF
cream was obtained.
The condition OF the cows was care
fully noted, and IL was apparent that
they were holding their flesh full up 70
where they were when we began feeding
the potatoes. Now came the all-im-
pOrtSnt point of ascertaining whether or
not The cream Was "bewitched," which
we did By taking four gallons, which We
got from one days milk, ripening IL and
churning IL ourselves. The temperature
set for churning WAS 62 degrees, the
churu, small old fashioned one with
dash, the motive power, our own hands
with this crude work, in twenty-siN
minutes the butter had come" After
working and sailing, we found IL To
weigh seven and oue-hslf pounds. IL
passed on our own and on our neighbor's 5
tables as good butter" The grain WAS
good, the flavor certainly an average,
aud il was firm and quite wsxy.
Not fully satisfied with our trial, We
directed our man 10 try his hand at
churuing batch, which he did with
very similar results, only he did not
churn as long ss we did.
Since then We have churned several
times, and have churned all the butter
used In Two families, aud with excellent
satisfaction.
We are making no especial claims for
potatoes a food, a. against ensilage,
but wish 10 give this statement, as au
argument 10 prove, what has for long
time been our belief, that any palatahle,
nutritious food may be fed with safety
and TO advantage 10 cows, whether their
product is sold as milk or as butter, and
that variety will help out in income,
and Ia the health OF the COWS.
The advantages We have received from
feeding potatoes are, first, they furnish
I'd Us suceulenee when other foods were
dry; second, they enabled Us 10 keep up
our tiO~ of milk without reducing its
quality for food or for butter; third,
they saved Us our ensiiage, so that now
we have enough left % carry our stock
20 the middle OF June NJ least, "a very
important matter for us, as We depend
almost wholly upon soiling crops for
our cows in summer.) Our yield of food
nutrients per acre in potatoes Was ,s9i
pounds of organic matter. and 20l.t
pounds Of protein, 2,3lS pound OF csrbo-
hydrstes aud IA pounds OF fat. While
in our ensilage we got 5,s0S pounds OF
organic matter, and 3l2 pounds OF
protein, 1850 pounds of carbohydrates
aud 50.4 poaads of fat. IL goes without
saving that on land where corn can be
grown 20 advantage, we have yet to find
a plant that will anywhere begin TO Ill
its place as producer of food for farm
animals.
We would like TO draw a moral from
the results OF our experiments as here
outlined, and il il this: In New England
and particularly in Maine, We find the
balance in sales Of our agricultural
products against Us, that is, we buy
more than We sell. This Is not as II
should be, for with our large area OF
arabic land, much of il still possessing
its virgin fertility; and with the worlds
markets at our very doors, We ought to
raise enough of the various food product;
for which our soil and climate are vel
adapted, so that We can supply our OWL
needs and have surplus left for sale
Let us bear In mind the fact that we can
produce great variety OF stock fodder:
10 advantage, all of them at less cost
than they can be purchased In any
market, and that whether they be oul
rich pasture grasses, nutritious hay, oul
grains, corn fodder or ensilage, roots ol
vegetables, they can all be fed TO ou'
animals to advantage and with profit, Il
fair amount of skill and common judg
meut is used In the feeding.
B. WALKER MCkEEN.
Augusta, May 20, 1896.
Our annual yield Of apples Throughout
tbe couutrv. III handed round. would Civ,