The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1910-12-21
seIemson Extension Work-Artiele XXX.

AS dairy products have, for q LONG time,
been popular as human foods and are
destined to remain so indefinitely, 1T is
surprising that 50 little attention has
been given to the production and
especially is this true In u southern
states. it Is safe to say that there are no
articles so commonly used in our diet,
about which there is such q lack; OF ac-
curate knowledge and such extravaganza
methods Of production as is the case IN
the production Of milk, cream, butter, OF
cheese.
With our peculiar advantages such as
climatic conditions insuring long seasons
for crop growing and eliminating the
necessity for expensive housing Of cattle,
the state of South Carolina should figure
largely as an exporter Of dairy products
instead of relying on other states to sup
ply O considerable portion OF cur needs
in this respect. :
It is not for a moment assumed that
every farmer could profitably engage in
the dairy business, but it is certain that
there is room for many more n that
many Of those already engaged In it could
add materially to their profits by a better
understanding Of the underlying pr1n-
ciples. The first important question to
be decided in starting a dairy farm is
that Of choosing the kind OF COWS to be
kept.
Without entering here into a discussion
as to the relative merits Of certain dairy
breeds it is sufficient to say that there are
certain characteristics which distinguish
the profitable dairy GOV from the profit
able beef producer; that these character
istics are especially found in such breeds
as Jerseys, GuerPseys, Holsteins and
Ayrshires and that the strictly beef type
Of cattle are, as a rule, Improbable in the
dairy. u
Not every man can %proltably handle
the pure BREEDS at the start, but good
grades Of the above are very satisfactory.
No matter how good a start has been
made in the selection Of the cow there
still remains the important question OF
proper handling and feeding. 1t ID q
matter of common observation that dur
ing the season when the pastures are pro
viding an abundant supply OF feed,
succulent and nutritious 1t Is an easy
matter to keep up the milk toWi hence
we cannot do better than to substitute,
as far as possible, these natural conditions
at other seasons Of the year.
This means that during the winter IL IS
necessary to supply some feed that is
s%ucculent or juicy; this again meaps
ensilage, and right here Is agood place
to say that for herds Of ten or twelve
head and over the silo Is a profitable In
yestment. Corn ensilage Is, however,
not In itself rich enough for q complete
ration and should therefore be sup
plemented with some concentrate and IN
this section cotton seed meal should be
used as a basis for the concentrated pol
ton OF the feed. A fairly good ration for
a cow weighing 900 pounds and giving
thirty-two quarts of milk daily would pc
forty pounds corn .ensilage; o U pounds
cotton seed meal two pounds corn meal;
and two and a half pounds wheat bran
along with about six pounds good, bright
slower or mixed sorghum and pea vine
hay.
proftably replaced by dried beef pulp
which is giving very good results as g
dairy feed and can generally be obtained
here for much less than corn meal. Salt
should be given regularly, preferably on
the feed, say about,a small table spoon
full sprinkled on food twice daily.
For best results the COWS should be
kept warm and comfortably housed In
winter and, chiefly because feeding and
watering should be done at regular inter
walls, it is best to supply water In the
stable. The dairy cows a very sensitive
creature and quickly resents I'LL treat.
ment, so that all rough treatment should
be absolutely abolished in the dairy barn.
Treated In this manner the dairy cow will
20 on complacently chewing her cud,
generously pouring out the milk, and
Scarcely noting the difference between
summer and winter. Fed On such a ra-
ton as above described, which is only
one Of many good ones. the cost tokeep
at market prices for the feed for a cow
giving $50 to 900 gallons Of milk would be
from so to 50 per year. Figure out the
profits from such a business for yourself
and when through do not forget that In q
short time after establishing q small
dairy herd the per acre yield OF cotton
and other crops may be doubled and
trebled; in short there is ne more ideal
method of building up a farm than by
establishing 9 dairy herd on It. When
properly handled the losses from disease
in a dairy herd are comparatively rare
though some OF the common diseases will
be dealt with in a subsequent article
1t is safe to say that the dairy 'cow Is
destined to play IN important partfn the
building up Of many of our so-called worn
out farms.
E. Barnett, Veterinarian,
S. G. Experiment Station