Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1906-05-17
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Growing Green Feed for Drout'.
Every dairy farmer is familiar with
the short pasture problem that causes
him so much trouble and loss OF nlih
In midsummer. And the worst of 1t Is
that this large shrinkage in production
cannot be regained when grass or
green feed comes on again. The marx
ed reduction of milk during the few
weeks of such drouth is a serious loss
in itself but this is but small part Oh
the total shrinkage. 1t inevitably eX-
tends to the end of that milking period
with each animal. This is the season
TO consider how green feed shall De
supplied against the time of short pas
ture.
This shortage of feed comes at
very critical time since the COWS are
already beginning to feel the effect OF
the heat and flies, which of themselves
quite perceptibly lessen the flow OF
milk. If the feed is cut short at the
same time, the shrinkage is certain to
be large.
A continuous supply of green feed
turnout the summer is equally essen
tial to the successful development or
young and growing animals.
The common objection to complete
soiling is the great amount of labor in
volved, which in this country is both
expensive and difficult to obtain. How
ever, il one is to attempt to produce
milk economically the soilng question
cannot be overlooked entirely.
1t is the purpose of this article to set
forth some Of the points in favor OF
partial soiling over complete or no soil
ing.
Pastures, especially bluegrass, grow
very luxuriantly in spring and furnish
a great amount of feed, and then are
largely dormant during July and Au-
gust, especially if the moisture is cut
short. Thew start up again when the
fall rains come and furnish much feed
for a time. Since this is the nature Of
grass, pasture will carry much
more stock during spring, early sum-
mer, and fall than in the dry weather
of midsummer.
Every argument that can be advanc-
ed for providing feed for winter Will
apply to supplying feed for this crlti-
cal summer period. This is indeed the
severest time of the year to maintain
the milk flow.
Rye sown in the corn after the last
cultivation will furnish an abundance
of feed late in the fall and early in thu
spring, and in this way saves the pas
ture.
Feed may be supplied for this criti-
cal period in two ways, either by grow
ing some crop that can be pastured Off
by turning on the cows short time
each day or by cutting the crop and
hauling to the cows in the stable, yard,
or pasture The former method is the
more economical of labor, but there is
greater waste of feed and it requires
either a small field or some temporary
fencing.
Such crops should be planted as will
mature in proper succession with each
in it's best stage of growth, insuring a
continuous supply of green feed dur
ing the dry season.
For central and northern Illinois
there is no crop generally grown that
will produce more feed to the acre than
corn, and by planting small quantity
of a very early variety, together with
49,
the proper condition from July Is I'M
til frost.
There are several early varieties that
will mature for feeding in from 60 to
rs days after planting. Corn should
not be fed too young. When it is near
ly full height it contains only one
third as much nutriment as when in
the roasting-ear stage.
To plant a very early variety of corn
for the first feeding, and later to feed
from the general crop, seems to be the
easiest and most practical solution Of
this soiling question on most farms.
Some other crop should be fed in
connection with corn, to balance the
ration and afford variety. Leguminous
crops as clover, alfalfa, Canada peas,
cowpeas, soy beans, ETC., are especially
valuable for this purpose, being unus-
ually rich in heterogeneous ingredients
which are SO essential to dairy cows.
Cowpeas and soy beans give large