Northern Wisconsin advertiser. [volume] (Wabeno, Wis.) 1898-1925, 1903-09-10
Summer Care of the Herd.

Prof. F. S. Cooley of the Massachu-
sets agricultural college discusses the
question of summer dairying in the
crop report of the state board of agri-
culture. He 5: 1.-THE severe early
summer droL(h the present season
has served to emphasize the need of a
better average among our dairy cows.
Probably the average cow in Massa-
chusetts yields about 1000 quarts of
milk or 200 pounds of butter, worth
from $50 to $50. With the present
high prices for feeds, this leaves little
if any margin for profit. This aver
age yield should be increased to 800
or 400 pounds, or 5000 to 1000
quarts, the feasibility of securing
these higher yields being amply DEM
onstrated by many carefully kept
records. Compare the value of the
annual product of dairy of Is cows
of average quality, amounting to $3.50
to 5000, with the possible $1,400 or
81 SEQ from those of better grade.
The latter class would certainly leave
handsome margin for profit, after
paying for the extra feed and care"
Prof Cooley says that the problem of
securing the better grade of cows is
| for the breeder to solve, and places
special emphasis on the necessity of
using a purebred sire that inherits
dairy qualities of superior order, with
out which he is of little value, though
his blood be as blue as the sea and his
pedigree as long as the moral law.
Prof. Cooley emphasizes the neces-
sity for perennial dairying, or produc-
| ton throughout the year. as opposed
to the old method of production mainly
! during the summer. He points out
the disadvantage of producing the
greatest quantity at the time of gen
eral surplus, and the impossibility of
/ securing the best prices under that
method. He says that in whole dis
tricts in western Massachusetts there
are Quotations of from 80 to 60 per
cent. between the output of the high
! est and the lowest months, and the
same is true in less degree of the
receipts of the leading milk companies
/ in our cities. This means that from
one-third to one-half of the entire
product must be sold at the general
market prices, which rule from Is to
rs per cent. lower than those obtained
by constant perennial trade.
The problem is to transfer the ordi
nary June surplus to the September
deficit. When severe drouth over
takes us at the commencement of the
summer, as during the present sea
son. the only way to overcome it's eff
fects is by drawing on the reserve
supplies or by the liberal purchase Of
feeds. For forage crops for early
spring, winter rye and the clovers are
the standard crops. The season o.
drouth commonly begins in July, ant
it's effects are most apparent between
that time and October. Drouth may
safely be anticipated four years il
five, and every dairyman should be
prepared to meet it. Two genera
schemes may be considered to this enc
-soiling and summer ensilage.
Prof Cooley considers that the prin
cipal crops of this section in a soiling
scheme of summer are oats, millet
corn, clover, peas, barley and rape
He discusses each of these crops al
some length, giving directions as to
the time of sowing, management and
feding of each. Taking up the ques
ton of summer silos, he favors them
for the reason of the cheaper cost OF
production and the more uniform sup
ply and quality of the feed as com
pared with green forage, although the
first cost of the silo will be consider
able. In closing, he points out the
improvement in pastures that goes
with supplementary feeding, pastures
being able to carry large number Of
cattle in this way, which will check
wild growth and also enrich the soil.