Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1906-07-17

The majority of farmers who are keep
ing cows have at this season Of the year
usually a large amount Of skinned
milk, which they turn to good account
by feeding it to calves and hogs. There
is also another portion who do not wish
to be bothered with young stock, and
for them it is sometimes a problem
what to do with all this slop." have
known cases in my immediate vicinity
where the SKINNED milk was thrown
out. A farmer can hardly afford to
throw away this valuable product of the
dairy. He should utilize it for some
good purpose. My experience along
this line may be a help to some one.
With this hope write these lines.
Our horses are very fond of milk,
even when slightly sOured. l am not
sure but what they might become
accustomed to take quite sour milk, and
am sure it is beneficial to them. We
could dispose of much more milk, just
feeding it to the two horses which we
keep, than our two or three cows give.
Even the cows themselves would eat this
milk when not too sour, but the idea'of
feeding back to them their own product
is repulsive to us aud we do not practice
it.
Every one knows, of course, that poul-
try are fond of milk, but there are some
who are afraid of feeding large quanti-
ties to hens; in fact, it is taught by poul-
try authorities not to give sloppy food,
the same being detrimental to the well
fare of the fiocks. Seeking for ways of
of the milk, felt not dispos-
ed to heed this advice and gave my
fiocks all the "slop" they could eat. 1t
it has been my habit for years to use
milk for stirring up soft feed for hens
and chicks, but in this way was not
enabled to dispose of all our milk.
More milk is required to moisten up
given amount of feed when it is sour and
has become thick, so allowed all milk
to become so before using it for this
purpose. also gradually lessened the
amount of feed in the milk till the
measure was only thickened slightly and
could easily be poured from the pail.
Our poultry lived on this slop almost
all summer, only receiving
at night light feed of whole grain.
Poultry will consume quite quantity
of thick milk alone, but our stock did
not eat as much of it as we wanted them
to, so / stirred in the ground feed,
which consisted largely of coarse wheat
bran, with little corn meal and per-
haps some wheat middlings at times;
also, meat meal was added
in small doses. Meat meal is very rich
food, and would be glad if our poultry
would take to it more kindly. 1t is most
food product for hens, and
| have concluded to purchase no more OF
it. 1t is good deal like bean meal and
rye for horses and cattle. Though rich
in flesh-forming elements, these feeds
are objected to by our stock. Horses
will not eat bean meal under any con-
sideration and cattle only with much
reluctance. The same mess that hens
would eat greedily will scarcely or not at
all be touched by them if meat meal is
added.
The reader may now want to know
how our poultry prospered under the
and can only say that
they did well. Egg production was
never better and the growth on young
stock was satisfactory. No derange-
ment of the digestive apparatus of our
hens was noticed, no sickness prevailed.
There was not one case to be recorded.
We are again feeding milk largely now.
Tribune Farmer.