The Norfolk weekly news-journal. (Norfolk, Neb.) 1900-19??, 1909-12-31

arg milking period. N they are al.
lowed 10 go dry after i've months or
NO they will never prove profitable
dairy animals. II Is the COW that
keeps up n good milk Gow ten or
eleven months ~ the year that adds
to the dairymans profits.
Kindness IL an essential point I'm
handling dairy cows. Any unneces.
sary roughness causes the COW to hold
up her milk and reduces the profits.
Feeding.
For three days before and three days
after calving there Is no better ration
for the dairy COW than n mash OF two
pounds OF bran and one pound Of oil
meal. fed twice a day. DO not be In
too big a hurry to get the cows on
full feed after calving. The ration
should be increased gradually and
slowly from i've TO six pounds daily
to ali the cows can probably use. An
increase OF half pound every alter.
nate day In sufficient. This increase
should be kept UP as long as the milk
how continues TO get larger. When
the point Is reached where increases In
feed do not produce corresponding in
creases In milk flow the feed should
be gradually decreased again. The
first few pounds decrease will not at
feet the milk tow. When the point
Is reached where n further decrease in
feed causes q lessened milk flow the
most profitable ration for that partc
ular COW has been determined. 1t
takes little extra work TO do this
weighing. but after the best sized ra-
ton for each cow has been determined
the approximately correct amount can
be measured out each time with little
trouble. 1t pays to feed the COW all
she can use protitably. 1t costs just so
much to keep her anyway, and all
the feed that she can use to ad-
vantage over that amount adds to the
profits.
During the summer the feeding prob
lem is a simple one. With plenty of
good pasture. supplemented in dry
times by some forage crop and some
sort OF protection from flies. the milk
flow will be kept up to a profitable
standard. In the absence of forage
crops siage can be probably substi
tuted.
1t is in winter that the highest prices
for dairy products are secured, and If
the cows freshen in the fall the main
part of the years product will come at
this season. The problem of winter
feeding is one of the most important
with which the dairyman has to deal
If you have plenty of good clover or
alfalfa hay and siage the problem is
more than half solved. From thirty to
forty-ive pounds of siiage and ten TO
twenty pounds of clover hay a day
will make up the bulk of the roughage
needed. a rack in the yard filled with
corn fodder or oat straw will add vari-
ETY. 10 the ration. Where siage can
not be obtained plentiful supply of
pumpkins. squashes. turnips or man
gels should be at hand TO supply the
succulent part of The ration. Without
some such feed the cows will not do
their best.
Mixing the Rations.
Although dairy cows can handle
large amounts Of rough feed. they
need considerable grain in addition
during the winter Corn. because Of
its cheapnsSS and high feeding value,
will generally form The basis of The
grain raiions Beca use of its high
percentage Of carbohydrates and fat
some feed rich In protein should be
fed with The corn Oats are good. but
they have only ensuch protein 10