Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1910-12-20
CARE OF THE DAIRY COW.
Subject Is Interestingly Discussed BY
Prof e. Barnett of Clemson.

AS dairy products have, for a long
time, been popular as human foods
and are destined to remain so indefi-
nitely. 1t Is surprising that so little
attention has been given to the pro-
duction especially Is this true In our
southern states. It is safe to say that
there are no articles so commonly
used in our diet about which there
Us such a lack Of accurate knowledge
and such extravagant methods of pro-
duction as Is the case in the produc-
ton Of milk. cream, butter or cheese.
With our peculiar advantages such
as climatic conditions insuring long
seasons for crop growing and elm
mating 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 supply a
considerable portion Of our needs In
this respect.
1t Is not for moment assumed that
every farmer could profitably engage
in the dairy business, but 1t Is certain
that there Is room for many more
and that many of those already en-
gagged in it could add materially to
their profits by a better understand
ing Of the underlying principles. 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 dis
cussion as to the relative merits Of
certain dairy breeds 1t Is sufficient to
say that there are certain character
istics which distinguish the profitable
dairy cow from the profitable beef
producer;. that these characteristics
are especially found In such breeds
IarcQvQ I1arnQQua
Ayrshires and that the strictly beef
type Of cattle are, as a rule, unprofit-
able In the dairy.
Not every man can profitably
handle the pure breds 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 re-
mains the important question of
proper handling and feeding. 1t is
a matter Of common observation that
during the season when the pastures
are providing an abundant supply of
feed, succulent and nutritious, IT Is
an easy matter to keep up the milk
flow; 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
1t Is necessary to supply some feed
that is succulent or juicy; this again
means ensilage, and right here Is a
good place to say that for herds Of ten
or twelve head and over the silo is
a profitable investment. Corn ensilage
Is, however, not in itself rich enough
for a complete ration and should
therefore be supplemented with some
concentrate and in this section cot
ton seed meal should be used as a
basis for the concentrated portion Of
the feed. A fairly good ration for a
cow weighing 900 pounds and giving
thiriy-two pounds Of milk daily
would be forty pounds corn ensilage;
four pounds cotton seed meal; two
pounds corn meal; and two and half
pounds wheat bran along with about
six pounds good, bright stover or
mixed sorghum and pea vine hay.
The corn meal may frequently be
profitably replaced by dried beef pulp
which Is giving very good results as
a dairy feed and can generally be OBJ
tanned here for much less than corn
meal. Salt should be given regular
ly, preferably on the feed, say about
small tablespoonful sprinkled on
food twice daily.
For best results the cows should be
kept warm and comfortably housed
IN winter ana, cnlely because IeeQ-
ing and watering should be done at
regular intervals, 1t Is best to supply
water in the stable. The dairy cow
Is a very sensitive creature and
quickly resents i'll treatment, so that
all rough treatment should be abso-
lutely abolished in the dairy barn.
Treated in this manner the dairy COW
will go on complacently chewing her
cud, generally pouring out the milk,
and scarcely noting the difference be-
tween summer and winter. Fed on
such ration as above described, which
is only one Of many good ones, the
cost to keep at market prices for the
feed for COW giving $50 to 900 gal
Ions Of milk would be from $50 to $50
per year. Figure out the profits from
such business for yourself and when
through do not forget that in a short
time after establishing a small dairy
herd the per acre yield Of cotton and
other crops may be doubled and
trebled; in short there Is no more
ideal method Of building up a farm
than by establishing a dairy herd on
1t. When properly handled the losses
from disease in a dairy herd are COM
paratively rare though some Of the
common diseases will be dealt with
in subsequent article.
1t Is safe to say that the dairy COW
is destined to play an important part
in the building up Of many of our So
called worn out farms.
f. Barnett,
Veterinarian s. c. Experiment