Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1903-11-09

couple Oh pOuUuS Jay was led IN
some cases Under conditions D.
limited pasturage it was found neceg-
sary TO feed some grain through the
entire year, except when cows were
dry or, IN case OF very persistent
mixers, when they were being dried
OF.
System of Feeding.
The system of feeding practiced has
underwent important changes during
the years covered by the investigation
During the first year after the found
ing OF the herd all the cows received
practically the same kinds aud
amounts of roughage and grain feed
while in full flow of milk, and tie
amounts of roughage eaten by the
different COWS were estimated from
frequent weighings during the year
With a herd composed of COWS o.
different breeds and types, it was
found That the individual COWS require
not only different amounts OF the
various feeds, but also widely differing
combinations of these feeds in order to
produce large and economical returns
in milk and butter in all cases. Ii
naturally required some time to be-
come familiar with the different cows,
since these were brought into the her.
from various sources and their in
dividual characteristics we're there
fore unknown. During the first year
certain COWS in the herd maintained
2 normal weight and gave large and
profitable return in milk, while others
receiving the same feed gained rapidly
in weight and produced only a small
yield OF milk.
During the second year the system
Cf feeding was changed in such a
way that each COW was given all the
hay, silage and other rough feed tha;
she would consume, and a sufficient
amount of a grain mixture adapted to
her inherent tendencies, to produce
the largest milk flow possible without
at the same time causing an ap-
preciable increase in live weight 1t
was found necessary, in order to &C
cOmplish this, to make frequent
changes in the character and amount
of grain feed given certain COWS
since some mixtures caused these cows
to gam rapidly in weight, which IN
crease was nearly always associated
with a pronounced tendency toward a
decreased production of milk In
carrying out this system of feeding it
was found very desirable to make
frequent and regular weighings of the
COWS, and weekly weighings were,
therefore, practiced of late years
The COWS were weighed on a stock
scale in the barn twice a month up 10
1900 and after that time they have
been weighed once every week, viz =,
Monday mornings at 500 o'clock. In
a general way, the tendency of a cow
to lay on flesh may be observed with.
out the use of stock scales, but smaller
changes in the weight of COWS cannot
be detected by a mere inspection, AMI
in careful work in COW feeding where
the effects of the different combina-
tiCns or amounts of feeds are being
studied, facilities for accurately de-
termining the weight of the COWS arc
indispensable.
Milk and Butter Fat Records.
The cows were MIXED at the same
hour morning and evening during the
year, and the milking was proceeded
with as rapidly and thoroughly as
possible. The milk from each cow
was weighed and the weight recorded
on the milk record sheet as soon as the
milking was done; a small sample Of
milk was placed in pint composite
sample jar bearing the name of the
particular COW, and weekly tests were
made of the samples thus obtained.
The per cent. of butter fat found ia
the composite samples, multiplied by
the total quantity of milk produced by
the different cows during the week
was taken as their weekly production
of butter fat, and these data, together
with the amounts of the various kinds
of iced eaten during the week, were
enterd in the herd record book. The
annual production and feed cOnsump-
tiOn Of each COW in the herd for the
past four years is given in the tables
appended TO the reports. The yearly
records as given in this bulletin be.