Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1901-11-12
GROWING PROTEIN FEED FOR DAIRY
COWS.

Later experience and experiment 40
not fully endorse the standard rations
for stock handed over to us from the
German Investigators. Intelligent dairy
men all about us, as an example, lind
better results from the use of more pro-
tein material than the German schedule
calls for. One of the largest dairymen
in Kennebec County for the winter feed
of his cows full in flow of milk secures
best results from the feeding of cotton
seed and bran exclusively with his hay
folders. Another large dairyman, who
is making a critical study of these prob
lens in his own barns, states that with
corn stover ensilage and hay folders
only protein meal feeds are wanted to
bring liberal flow of milk, and keep
the COWS in proper condition at the same
time.
Accepting the above as sound practice,
farmers should give more attention to
the growing of more protein crops on
their farms. The general effort among
dairymen now is to grow carbOnaceous
crops almost exclusively. Corn, for an
example, which is now receiving so wide
attention as a fodder crop, both in grain
and in the stock, is chiefly carbonace-
Gus fodder material. So are Hungarian,
oat hay and the English grasses. All
these, to do good work with dairy cows
must have meal feeds specially rich in
protein elements TO go with them.
While such feeds are within reach in the
form of cottonseed meal, gluten, wheat
bran and linseed meal, yet such is the
demand for these products for the pur-
pose indicated that they are high in
cost. If they can even but in part meas
ure be grown on the farm where needed
in the form of some product that will
supply measure or all of the elements
that go to supply this deficiency, the
farm will be that nearer self-supporting
in its fodder supply.
Clover hay is material rich in the
elements needed. 1t is move in the
right direction that farmers are giving
clover greatly increased attention
through the agitation which has been
given it of late in our columns and else
where. Peas are another fodder in the
same line both in grain and straw. The
production of these, too, has been
somewhat on the increase of late, but
just now is receiving setback on &C
count of insects. Whether the obstacle
met is to prove continuous one remains
to be seen, but Maine, and all this north
ern vicinity, is specially adapted to the
successful production of this form OF
protein fodder material.
Two other kinds of protein fodder
products have been brought to the pub
lie attention of late. We refer to the
sofa or soy bean and the southern cow
pea, which is not in fact pea at ali but
rather kind of bean. The latter of
these plants where it can be successfully
grown is proving specially rich as pro-
tein product. Several of the stations in
other states have been growing this
quite successfully. If our own station
has been experimenting with it we are
not aware that results have been report
ed. Confident we are that the produc-
ton of more of these protein fodder
crops on the farms should receive in
creased attention, especially by our
dairymen, and that it would be step in
advance that would tend to greater
profits out of the business. The coming
winter will be favorable time to further
study up the matter in preparation fol
another growing seasOn.-Maine Farmer.