The L'Anse sentinel. (L'Anse, L.S., Mich.) 18??-current, 1910-05-21
The Butter Cow.
BY PROF. THOMAS SHAW.

|
T No season of the year calls for more
careful feeding than that which inn
mediately precedes the time of turning
out on grass. Some foods become of
less value as the springtime draws on.
This is true especially of corn fodder
and of all kinds of sorghum folders,
except when these are furnished in the
form of silage. Happy are those,
therefore, who can give their cows sill
age at such time. The loss in the
feeding value of corn and sorghum for
age as spring approaches is quite imma-
terial. 1t is loss in nutrients, as well
as in palatability. The aim, therefore,
should be to feed other forage at such
time where this is possible.
The most suitable folders outside of
silage at the season now being consid-
cred are hay from leguminous crops.
These are such as are furnished in the
form of pea and oats hay, vetch hay,
clover in any Of its varieties and alfal-
ia hay. These are especially valuable
at such time, as they tend to sustain
in good form the waning strength of
the animals, which the close winter
tends to bring with it, at least in some
degree. These also are well calculated
to sustain the milk flow at such time.
The objection to spring feeding of oats
and pea hay, especially when matured,
lies in the fact that when kept so long
it is considerably liable to be injured.
When the folders are not highly pal
atable their palatability may be in
creased by the purchase of a sugar
food and admixing it with folders fed
in the cut form. The gain in palatabil-
ity will be material. In the absence of
these oil meal will render good pur-
pose, but it should not be fed in larger
quantity at any time than, say, three
pounds per day, lest it affect adversely
the quality of the butter product.
TURNING OUT ON GRASS.
Much care should be exercised in
turning cows out on grass. In no in
stance should the change be made sud-
denly, or the system will be reduced in
vigor for the time being. This results
from an excess of succulence in the
grass. Much care is required in chang
ing any kind of stock from winter con-
ditions to grass without reducing the
weight. Such reduction is sure to fol-
low if the bowels become much lax.
When it does it means at least temper
arily lowered stamina, and this means
more or less of loss in producing
power.
Two kinds Of pasture are relatively
well adapted to such change. One of
these is winter rye and the other is
blue grass. Winter rye has not been
accorded that place which its value
would seem to entitle it to in providing
pasture. It will furnish pasture earlier
than it can be obtained from any other
source. The cows should be allowed on
it for only short time, not more than
two or three hours each day, lest it af-
feet adversely the odor of the milk.
This at such time is exactly what is
wanted. for it gradually introduces the
cows to the grazing.
When introduced on blue grass the
aim should be to have pasture in re-
serve that was not eaten closely in the
autumn. The first grass eaten in the
spring from such pasture will have in
| It old and dead grass. The fresh grass
cannot be eaten without eating some Of
! this dead grass also, and this prevents
undue laxness Of the bowels.