Warren sheaf. [volume] (Warren, Marshall County, Minn.) 1880-current, 1907-10-10
FEEDING COWS
IN WINTER
Important Subject Discussed by
a Prominent Wisconsin
Dairyman.

Mr.. W. F. Stiles, we'll known
dairyman, of Lake Mills, Wis, has
written the following article on
winter COW feeding. AS it gives
many good suggestions, the Sheaf re-
produces it for the benefit of it's
farmer friends:
LAS friend Goodrich has just fin
lshed feeding these COWS for the
summer, we know that they are in
good shape to enter The winter. If
a COW is not in good condition to
start the winter, it will make good
deal of difference in regard to the
profits of the winter feeding. The
old saying, an animal we'll summered
is half wintered, is very true.
especially when it applies to dairy
COWS. AS the summer feeding is al
ways the cheaper, it behooves US
we'll to see that our COWS enter the
winter in good condition of health
and flesh.
Best Feeds for Dairy Cows.
In feeding all classes of stock, the
farmer should try to produce as much
of the feed as possible on his own
farm. Now, what are the best feeds
for dairy COWS that most Wisconsin
farms will grow abundantly? Of
all folders, the crop that will
produce the most feed per acre is
corn. Next comes clover. then clover
and timothy and the upland meadow
hay. We hope that we will soon be
able to add to this list alfalfa.
When we come to consider the
grains, the best of these are oats,
then oats and wheat, then corn, and
in some sections of the state oats
and peas, or peas alone. Where peas
can be grown successfully, they make
a very rich COW feed.
g AS the dairy COW does her best in
the month Of June when on good
pasture, we should take lesson from
this and give her as near these COLI
ditions in winter as possible. both in
regard to feed and surroundings.
What are some of the characteristics
and qualities of the summer feeds?
In the first place. this feed is very
palatable; next, is easily digested; !;
third, it contains all of the elements
of nutrition in the right proportions
for summer feeding. and last, but
by no means least, it is very
succulent. For instance, in mixed
pasture grass there is three per cent
of protein, thirteen per cent of car
bohydrates. eight-tenths of ole per
cent of fat. two per cent of ash and
seventy-ive per cent of water. Now,
we have heard all about the balanced
ration. What is that? 1t is the
ratio which should exist between the
digestible protein and the digestible
carbohydrates and fat in the feed.
In this we have just mentioned we
find that the ratio is one part of
protein to four and nineteenth OF
carbohydrates. This is somewhat
narrow, but we must remember that
grass is a summer feed. In winter
feeding. we can add more of the
carbohydrates, for it will require
more heat formers to maintain the
warmth of the body. BY number
of tests it has been found that in
winter feeding it is safe to feed a
ration as wide as one to six. This is
what We call a balanced ration for
dairy COWS in winter. Let US now
take these various feeds that we have
on our farms and see which is the
best way to combine them so as to
approach as near as possible all of
these qualities of the summer feed.
Best Combinations for Winter
Feeding.
In selecting winter feed, one should
first select the coarse feeds, as they
are usually the cheaper. OF these,
hay of the various kinds should be
considered first: then corn fodder in
it's many preparations, and in some
cases, but rarely, straw may be used.
Then from the grains which are
grown on the farm and the concen-
trated feeds that are on the market,
the feeder must select those which
are the best and cheapest compared
with their feeding value to feed in
connection with these coarse feeds.
When the difference in the price
is not too great, I believe that it is
always best to feed homegrown
grains in preference to the by-pro-
ducts of the mills. There is flavor
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