Sisseton Posten. [volume] (Effington, Sud Dakota [S.D.]) 1902-19??, 1910-09-29
Feeding Dairy Cows
on Scientific Basis.
c. r. Barns. Extension Division,
Minnesota University Farm.
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Dairying is a business enterprise
wherein the quantity and quality o
the milk secured from each COW. anC
! the cost of it's production, are tn,
| factors which determine success o
| failure The standard by which tn,
value of the milk is gauged. and there
! fore the value of the COW which pro
duces II. is the total amount of butte
obtained from the milk This. In turn
| depends mainly on the quantity anC
quality OF the feed given the COW. Coos
feeding is the keynote OF successful
management on the dairy farm.
The study OF the art OF feeding
then. may we'll command the closes
attention by the farmer On II dc
pends the answer TO the question
Shall my cows continue TO yield onll
the present Minnesota average OF l6'
pounds of butter each year. or shal
that average be- raised 10 $50 pounds
per year," Professor Hacker de
clares that the possibilities OF the av
erage COW. under proper feeding anC
management. are about 100 pounds o
butter per year more than our farm
ers are now receiving Mind! this Il
said. not OF high bred. fancy cows. bu
OF the average COW in Minnesota
The addition OF 100 pounds OF butter
per year 10 the product of each ami
NAL. In a herd OF say ten cows. would
mean an increase OF at least 5000 a
year in the farmers gross income The
outlay necessary to secure 260 pounds
OF butter per head II but little more
than is necessary 10 secure the average
OF only 100 pounds The expense O'
labor. shelter. etc. is practically the
same The gain comes from the pro
vision Of an abundant supply OF sue
culent forage during the summer
when there Is often. for want OF II. an
abnormal shrinkage in milk-and oi
feed. all seasons OF the year. contain
ing the right proportion OF roughage
and concentrates. "Roughage" in
cludes all the coarse portions OF a IA
tion. such as hay. stover, fodder corn
silage. ro;.s. etc. while the term
Concentrates" embraces all grains
and mill products "Roughage" ordi
narily contains but a small proportion
OF protein or heterogeneous substances
concentrates" larger proportion
The latter heiug expensive, farmers
naturally try TO avoid their use so far
as possible. But. while only one pound
OF protein is necessary 20 seven OF
eight pounds OF digestible carbohy
drates and fat (supplied by roughage)
that one pound is indispensable
As Professor Hacker says: "AlI
the feed stuffs ordinarily grown on
the farm have an ample supply o'
carbohydrates. while nearly all are
short Of protein. when clover or al
falfa hay is available for roughage
rations may be adjusted 10 the needs
of COWS with farm grains; but with
other roughsge. such as marsh or
prairie hay, timothy. millet. sorghum
fodder corn stover and straw. some
Concentrate with high percentage ~
protein must be added 10 the ration
Economical. or what may he called sci
entific feeding. Is providing in the "a
NltU Nnf commitments lpl hdllN
maintenance and for milk production
Professor Hacker has prepared n
series Of tables by which II is easy 20
calculate the ration required for a COW
ot any given weight. according Ia the
amount OF milk given and the per
centage OF butterfat In II II would
be well II every farmer could be In
duced 20 use these tables. A few sam.
pie rations are here given II is 10 be
promised. however. that cows differ
IN regard 10 the amount desirable Of
roughage 10 grain. and again. cows
vary from year 10 year In the amount
OF nutriment they will utilize For the
production OF ordinary milk, grain
may be fei approximately at the rate
of one pound Of grain 10 three pounds
OF milk Welded daily. Ordinarily a
COW OF medium feeding capacity will
also consume two pounds ~ hay daily
per hundred weight OF COW. II reCeiv
inH no other roughaEe.
Ration for a s00.pound COW. yielding
daily twenty.three pounds Of milk COT
tanning IS per cent Of butterfat: