The Tucumcari news. [volume] (Tucumcari, N.M.) 1905-1907, 1906-02-17
Winter Feed for Dairy Cows.

b,ra nasture and June air are the
ideal combination for milk production'
The only drawback to producing MIN
at this time Is that the price Is too
low for the milk produced. Wln'ei
milk will bring from so to 10 per cent
more than summer milk. The cost ol
production is also greater in winter
than in summer and unless care Is
taken in the selection and corDiha'
ton of the winter feeds, the profits OF
winter feeding will not be as great a'
those of summer. After twenty years
of winter dairying | have found time
and time again that the nearer one
can come to summer conditions IN inc
winter, both in regard to the warmth
and purity of the atmosphere and the
feeds giveh, the more milk the COWS
will give.
For winter dairying the cows should
drop their calves between the middle
of September and the first OF Deem
Der. the earlier the better. After the
nights become cold keep the cows in
the barn nights. This time between
summer and winter feeding Is one OF
the most critical periods in the feed
ing of the dairy COW that is to give
iatlk during the winter. II the after
growth on the meadows and grain
Feds has been abundant, well and
good. This, with a liberal feed OF
c~orn.fodder or cane in the barn, will
make a good ration at this time. If
the dairy COW has been neglected, as
she is apt to be at this time, when
the farmers are busy with their fall
work, it will be hard to make a profit.
able COW of her during the winter.
For nineteen years | used a silo,
but fCf the last two seasons have not.
did not discard it because | did not
like the feed, but because it was built
on the old style and too much feed
spoiled In the corners and sides; and
as it was not convenient to build a
new one, we have used dry feed for
the past two winters. In the selec.
ton OF the winter feeds we must first
consider the kinds and qualities Of the
coarse feeds we have on hand, next
the grains we have grown and then
we will be in a position to see what
mill feeds it will be best to buy.
rms season we have an abundance
OF clover hay and good corn and oats,
so it will not be necessary to buy
much mill feed. If we can get good
bran for less than S14 per ton or mid.
lings for less than SIS we will feed
about one-third OF the grain ration
or one or the other Of these. 1t the
present time We are feeding our cows
as follows: In the morning immedi
ately after milking they are given q
leed OF mlllet hay. Then after break,
last they re turned out in the ward
10 drink. The water is drawn into q
small tank from a large reservoir thai
holds about enough for three or four
days, While the cattle are drinking
the hay that is left is taken away ant
the managers swept clean and then the,
are given their grain ration, which
consists OF a mixture of three mart,
OF corn cob meal, two parts of oatmea
ana Two parts Of bran by weight.
Each COW gets about four nouons ~
ms mixture at this line. When mi,
Is eaten they are given a feed of Glove
nay, all they will eat with q relish
lhey are then left in the barn unti
noon on pleasant days and until ON,
O'Clock on stormy or cold DAYS. Tho,
are now turned in the yard and al
lowed to drink as before. The stahI,
Is now cleaned and the hangers ar,
hlled with fodder corn n the oattl,
are turAed in usually at three O'clock
The fodder corn is eaten I'D in ahon
an hour and the managers are cIaaro,
ana they are given the same erai,
leed as IN the morning. The milf
Is done at half-past five in the mnrn
ing and evening. After milking in w.
evening they are given hay again Th.
nay given at this time is either nm
lahd meadow or mixed Glove an,
timothy. like to give them as Iare,
a variety OF feeds as possibla.~-W +
SUES Jefferson Co., Wis. In Farmer.