The Evening statesman. [volume] (Walla Walla, Wash.) 1903-1910, 1909-09-28
With the Small Farmer
Salt for Dairy Cows

Some experiments to determine the
value of salt for milk COWS and the
| amount that should be given them,
were recently conducted. The expert
ment not only showed the necessity of
| salt, but it also showed the fallacy of
short time tests in obtaining definite
results. for it was over six months,
| in some cases. before the COWS showed
any noticeable effect upon their ply
steal condition.
In every case the cows exhibited an
abnormal appetite for salt, after hav-
ing been deprived of it for two or
three weeks, but in no case did the
health of the animal, as shown by the
general appearance, the live weight, or
the yield of milk. appear to be af-
fected. until a much longer time had
elapsed. This period of immunity var
led with the individual! COW from less
than one month to more than one
year
In every case there vas finally
reached condition of low vitality in
which a sudden and complete break
down occurred from which recovery
was rapid if salt was supplied. This
stage was marked by loss of appetite,
a generally haggard appearance, luster-
less eyes, rough coat, and a very
rapid decline in live weight and yield
of milk
The breakdown was most likely to
occur at calving or immedia tely after
when the system was weakened and the
flow of milk large In general the cows
giving the largest amount of milk
were the first to show signs Of dis
tress They all suffered less in pasture
than when confined to the stable.
The behavior of the cows in these
trials indicates that their food con-
tanned sufficient CHLORINE to maintain
them in good health, while dry, for an
able that. under conditions existing in
Wisconsin, dry COW or steer would
suffer no great inconvenience if given
no salt, except that contained in the
normal ration. 1t is calculated that the
ration given in these experiments
contained chlorine equivalent to about
rs of an ounce of salt per day and it
is assumed that this is the minimum
amount of salt required per 1000
pounds live eiaht to sustain an mai
NAL that is not producing milk If this
amount is not present in the food, it
should be supplied directly.
In addition to this. a COW should
receive enough salt to compensate for
produced. In general this will require
about 6 of an ounce of salt for each
20 pounds of milk given slight ex-
cess will do no harm and it is rec
commended that dairy cows be given at
least one ounce of salt per day. EX
ceptionally heavy mixers will require
! more than this.
The uniform results obtained with
all cows employed in these trials in
dictate beyond question that in Wis
consin, and in other regions similarly
located. salt in addition to that OBJ
tain in no ic
tial to the continued health of a
| dairy cow while producing milk
| 1t is evident. moreover, that the
amount of salt which must be sup
piled directly will vary greatly, in diff
ferent localities, it being more at high
| elevations and at places remote from
| the sea.
The success of these experiments
| must be chiefly attributed to the ex-
ceptionally long periods during which
salt was withheld. In no previous tests
so far as the writer knows, have COWS
been deprived of salt for more than
thirty consecutive days, which period
is shown to be entirely inadequate, I'M
der conditions which exist at this sta
ton. The twenty three cows that We're
deprived of salt in our trials all con-
tinued for more than sixty days. and
several of them for more than six
months, before any noticeable effect
upon their physical condition or yield
of milk occurred.