Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1911-01-04
'3'.s..s'S.!..I.s.E.s..s .s..!..s
j. CLEMSON EXTENSION WORK ],
sSs Article XXX. j.
Observation-Disclosures. .s..3..s..i..i..i. .i..;..s
Care of the Dairy Cow

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, and especially in this true in
our Southern States. 1t Is safe to
say that there are no articles so com
monty used in our diet about which
there is such lack of ac-
curate knowledge and such extrava-
CANT methods Of production as is the
case In the production Of milk, cream
butter, or cheese.
with our peculiar advantages.
such as climatic conditions insuring
long seasons for crop growing and
eliminating the necessity for expen-
slye housing Of cattle, the State OF
South Carolina should figure largely
as an exporter Of dairy products in
stead OF relying on other States to
supply 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 IT,
Is certain that there is room for
many more and that many Of those
already engaged in it could add ma
terially to their profits by a better
understand ding Of the underlying
principles. The first important uues.
ton to be decided in starting a dairy
farm is that of choosing the kind of
COWS to be kept.
Without entering here into dis
cussion as to the relative merits OF
certain dairy breeds 1t is sufficient to
say that there are certain character.
lstlcs which distinguish the profita-
Bile dairy COW from the profitable
beef producer; that these character
1stics are especially found in such
breeds as Jerseys, Guernseys, IIol-
stems and Ayrshires and that the
strictly beef type Of cattle are. as a
rule, imp rOiitahle in the dairy,
Not every man can prof1tably han
ole 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 hand
ing and feeding. 1t Is a matter of
common observation that during the
season when the pastures are pro-
Vidtng 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 of other seasons
of the year.
This means that during the winter
it Is necessary to supply some feed
that Is succnlcnt 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 en-
silage IS, however, not in itself rich
enough for complete ration and
should therefore be supplemented
with some concentrate, and in this
section cotton 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 thirty-two quarts Of milk
daily would be forty pounds corn en-
slage, four pounds cotton seed meal,
two pounds corn meal, and two and
a half pounds wheat bran along with
six pounds good, bright stover or
mixed sorghum and peavine hay
The corn meal may frequently be
3rofitably replaced by dried beef
pulp which is giving 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
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 be-
j cause feeding and watering should
be done at regular intervals, it Is
best to supply water in the stable.
The dairy cow is very sensitive crea-
ture and quickly rescnts i'll treat
ment, so that all rough treatment
ssould be absolutely abolished in the
dairy barn. Treated in this manner
the dairy cow will go on compla-
Gently chewing her cud, generously
pouring out the milk, and scarcely