The Farmington times. (Farmington, St. Francois County, Mo.) 1905-1926, 1907-10-04
COWS FROM GRASS TO HAY.


some time during the late fall when
big storm is in progress and It be.
comes necessary to house them. This
method, while very natural Is not to
| be recommended, as the chances are
| the barn will not be in condition to
| receive the animals, and such little
| matters as bedding, feed. stalls. etc,
viii hardly be in shape for this new
| condition
| The best method, In my experience,
to change stock from pasture to win.
| ter feed without causing n shrinkage
| in the milk flow or loss in body
weight of the animal is to make such
| change gradually. A week, at least.
| should be taken to shift the animal
from grass to dry feed or from pas.
| tufc to winter. Very often during
| the season of the year when cows are
| changed the pasture Is rather short
ana sometimes tough and dry. though
II fall rains have been plentiful the
grass may be in fairly good condition.
but somewhat frosty The cows If
allowed access to rack well filed
with hay will begin eating the hay
even while the pasture is good They
VIII In this way become accustomed to
the change gradually and will not suf.
Ter as result of the new ration.
One Of the best foods to give i'm.
medtately after removing from pas
ture is roots. Beots. turnips or man.
giles may be fed at this season to the
very best advantage Bcots are, as
rule, in the best shape at this sea.
son OF the year, and may be fed in
large ratiuns as silagc or hay would
be. 4 beet ration tC a COW on full
milk can be- made from - to 30
pounds daily from four to ten pounds
of grain, according to the amount az
milk the animal is producing, and it,
capacity.
When forage or hay is given. it
should be to the best quality At this
time OF the year, for the animal must
pr tempted with rations of the most
paIatable kind II there is some
spoiled hay In stack or barn do not
feed 1t at this time, for 1t will come
In much better during the cold win.
ter months, when the animal has nat.
urally good appetite and is we'll ac.
customed to dry food Keep the COWS
out of doors AS much as possible, that
Is, stable only when necessary. II
the general custom Is to stable nights.
see To 1t that the windows and doors
are left open. for the season is gen
orally mild during the late fall and
early winter and animals will suffer
moro from close confinement than too
much ventilation. Remember that a
COW requires as much fresh air as
ten people. Then If you are stabllng
20 cows In "A barn. consider what 200 |
people could stand in the way OF con.
fnement. tuberculosis would be un. |
known II this were duly considered |
and made allowance for.
Several years ago we made a little |
test to ascertain the effect of stablng |
as compared with allowing the animal |
access 10 the open yard with sheds ad.
joining The test was carried on dur.
ing November, when the nights were
cold and frosty. We found in this
short test that in every instance
where the cows were compelled to
sleep in the barn in stalls they did
not give as large a yield of milk as
when allowed the open air. We were
quite surprised about this for the
nights we're quite cold, though dry.
The barn was well ventilated and the
animals had plenty of good, dry bed
ding and were In clean stalls Never.
theless, stall Is not as comfortable
for an animal as the ground, pro.
viding 1t is not muddy or disagree
able
We make 1t practice, when chang
ing from grass to dry feed Of allowing
the cows as much liberty as possible
in yards or paddocks about the barn:
also to put them In the barn only
when the weather is bad or at milk.
ing time. until they are well accus-
toned to the new condition. While
cows are on pasture they naturally
take considerable exercise. In graz
ing they walk many miles. The
change from this condition to mar.
row stall is naturally rather severe,
and due consideration should be made
in allowing the COW at this time as
much freedom and open air as pos.
sibe. -Orange Judd Farmer.