The Bon Homme County independent. [volume] (Tabor, S.D.) 1904-1913, 1905-03-09
ECONOMY OF LIBERAL FEEDING.

ECONOMY OF LIBERAL FEEDING.
A COW giving q large low OF milk
10 a hard working animal and needs
10 be fed accordingly. II Is estimat.
ed. says Prof. ID. II. Otis OF the Kan
sas experiment station. that about
co per cent. Of what a COW Is able TO
consume goes to maintain the wear
and tear on her system, and the profit
In milk and butter fat production
comes from the feed she consumes
outside OF this amount needed for
support. The COW is selfish enough
TO take her share OF the feed first.
and then what Is left over goes TO the
owner for his profit. n this per cent
needed for maintenance Is correct. II
stands to reason that a COW fed 20
per cent OF what she will eat Will re-
turn 10 per cent profit: while the COW
fed 100 per cent will return 10 per
cent or four times as much. or
course Il IL possible TO overfeed.
and n man should watch his feed bin
and milk scales at the same time. IL
ne suspects that the COW Is not get
ting enough then he should increase
the feed, and II she responds In the
form of increased yield OF milk per-
haps the feed should be increased
some more; but II she fails 10 re-
spond, then withdraw the extra feed.
Our experience indicates that the
cows must be studied individually.
and the amount OF feed given them
must vary according 20 the individual
capacity. II took very little more
feed for our best cows than II did for
our poor cows. II we had withheld
the feed from the good cows. the
amount realized would have been ma.
terlally decreased. II does not pay
TO feed a poor COW, nut II does pay
10 feed n good COW literally.
When feeds are nigh It sets the
dairyman TO thinking how he can
combine them In the best possible
form TO get the largest results from
the value OF the feed used. This
means that the man must size up his
herd and not feed the cows more
high priced feeds than the value Of
the products they will turn out.
Mature dry cows and those so near
dry that their milk Is not paying for
their feed can be put on maintenance
rations. 1. e.. enough feed TO keep the
animal In good health and enable It
TO maintain It's present weight with
out making gains. The following
may serve as n guide 20 the amount
OF different feeds required per thou.
sand pounds live weight:
/. Wheat straw Is TO 20 pounds
tfeed all cattle will ea). corn chop or
bran 4 or pounds.
2. Corn fodder (stover is TO 20
pounds feed all the cattle will eaO.
corn chop of bran or pounds. Dat
straw can take the place OF corn fod.
der by increasing the grain allowance
one-half pound.
3. Sorghum hay 20 pounds. corn
chop or bran az pounds. Fodder.
corn and timothy hay can be used
in place OF sorghum hay. and the al
lowance OF grain increased a trifie.
4. Dat hay. millet hay and orchard
grass hay will probably maintain an
animal without grain. Prairie hay
may require n little grain. Alfalfa
and clover hay will not only main.
tain an animal but will enable II to
grow or gain In live weight. When
alfalfa forms a part OF the ration with
other roughage an animal can be
maintained without grain.
In the above ratlons, corn chop and
bran have been used for the grain
because In many localities they are
the cheapest. Where ground wheat
and oats can be had at the same
price they make excellent substitutes.
Kaffir corn or sorghum seed can also
be used. by slightly increasing the
allowance.
In an ordinary herd cows will be
found that vary considerably in their
milk yield. II stands 10 reason that
COW giving ten pounds OF milk daily
does not need the same quality and
quantity OF feed rs a COW giving 20
or 80 pounds daily. The rations fol.
lowing indicate the amount needed
daily per head where different
amounts Of milk are produced. When
cottonseed .nSal Is used cows should
be accustomed to II gradually. Al
low one-half pound the first day, and
increase not over one-fourth OF a
pound per day.