Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1898-11-15
CARE AND KEEPING OF COWS.
EFFECr oF ENKRCIsE AND LIGHT IN THE
STABLE.

Some recent Investigations on the care
ind keeping OF mich cows, made at the
Agricultural Insiitlte at konigsberg,
Germany, aud reported by Bschhaus, in-
c,ude studies OF the individual variations
Ia milk yield and the utilization Of food
by different cows, feeding and milking
twice or three times day, watering,
fleet OF exercise, light in the stable,
etc, etc.
The record showing the individual
variation In the secretion Of milk WAS
summarized in the case Of eight East
Prussian Dutch cows, together with the
cream Weld Of the milk OF each COW,
number of fat giobules, live weight, etc.
10 order To determine the utilization
ef food by mich cows, close calculations
were made Of the value Of the food con-
sumed and the milk produced by these
eight cows, the record being carefully
kept In the individual case OF each COW.
From the results obtained, the conclu-
sion was reached that the merits OF n
COW can best be Judged by testing the
amount of food consumed and the pro-
duction OF milk, etc, six months after
calving. With view to finding a
practicable means hy which the profits-
ble utilization OF food by a COW could be
determined, studies were made in which
at four different stages OF lsctstion the
grain of the eight cows was increased
aud the effect observed on the produc-
tion. The periods were each seven days
long, the last four days being con-
sidered. There was wide difference
h.. sn hAtf
response To the increased grain. Some
gave no increase, while others in every
case gave a noticeable increase in pro-
duction.
In the matter of feeding, experiments
are made with different lots of cows.
The eouclusio in this particular WAS
that for milk production alone ii was
sufficient to feed twice daily, as feeding
three times gave no increase In the yield
Of milk. Physiologieslly feeding only
twice day Is believed to be preferable,
ss the cows are more quiet under this
system. Where the production Of beef
Is considered, feeding three times a day
was considered advisable, "a there was n
greater increase in live weight under
that system.
The experiments made in the water
ing of cows covered period Of 81 days.
The cows were watered alternately, a
week AZ time. by automatic troughs
and ordinary pals. While there was
practically no difference ia the amount
Of Fat aud Of solids-not fat--produced
under the two conditions, n summary OF
the milk WELD showed that the auto
mstic troughs materially Increase the
production aud are TO De recommended.
The tests made in the matter OF ex-
ercise, lasted tbirty-four days. The
cows were allowed 10 exercise at viii an
hour each dsy on alternate weeks, but
kept quiet In the stables all day the rest
OF the time. An increase OF milk WAS
shown BY sll the cows when they were
given exercise.
In regard 10 the number OF milkings =
day, the experiments were made with
eight cows. milking twice, three times.
aud four times daily, the interval be-
tween milkiugs being divided equally.
The periods were seven days long and
only the last four DAYS Of each period
were considered. Frequent milking was
found 20 increase the yield OF milk, and
this WAS true for fresh cows as well ss
those well advanced In milking. The
results of these experiments were con-
vincing that under intensive conditions.
whsre milk commands high price, the
increased WELD will warrant milking
three times day, dividing the time be-
tween milkings as eguslly as possible.
nder other conditions milking twice
day is considered sufficient except In
the case Of cows giving large quantity
of milk, which should be given two sd-
ditional milsings. Concerning the COM
position Of the milk at different milk
ings. on the average of nine weeks OF
milking twice daily, the mornings milk
contained : ~ per cent. OF fat and the
nights milk 3.49 per cent; the average
Of three weeks Of milking four times q
day gave 3 co per cent tst for the fore
Moons milk and 3 IL for the afternoons
milk. Where the time between milk
ings wss irregular it Was found that a
milk richer In fat was produced on the
shorter interval.
To determine the effect OF light on
cows these experiments were made. In
each experiment the windows were
dsrkeued during the alternate periods
and the stables kept as dark as practi-
cable In general, the results OF all the
experiments showed that excluding the
light had little effect on the milk pro-
duction. but the effect on the live weight
appeared 70 be unfsvorsble. The se-
ventages OF well lighted stables are
spparepr. Maine Farmer.