Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1911-11-21
Cornmeal for Cows.
A CLAIM THAT TOO MUCH IMPORTANCE
HAS BEEN GIVEN TO PROTEIN.

As the result of experience and OBJ
servation have for some time believed
that as farmers and dairymen we we're
imposing an unnecessary tax upon our
selves and reducing our profits by con.
tipued feeding of highly concentrated
protein foods in large quantities. l
know that it has become quite the gen.
eral practice to depend on these concen-
trates, and the idea seems prevalent that
the more protein we can feed the more
milk we will get.
| have as much respect for the teach
ings of science as any man can possibly
have, and / would not say or do any
thing that might be construed as adverse
criticism of the work Of scientists. Yet
much unestablished theory is advocated
as fact
do not claim to be an expert dairy
man or a teacher Of dairy lore, yet the
man who keeps FIVE COWS has to know
how to feed profitably as we'll as the
man who keeps his herd of fifty. Here
in the east, especially in Maine, we have
got into the habit of feeding large guam
titles of cottonseed meal and other pro-
tein products. l believe this practice
has often led to financial loss and injury
to the cows. Just now reaction seems
to be setting against this custom which
promises to lead to better methods OF
feeding.
Has it ever been proved that the COW
makes her milk from the protein in her
food? Is il true that the more protein
we feed the more milk we getp Or is the
opposite view the more rational one?
Does the cow make milk and cream large
ly from the heat giving and fat forming
foods furnished in her ration?
Personally, l believe she does need
these things more than she needs the
others. Certainly it is true that to do
her best the COW must be kept in good
flesh. The poor herd is sometimes, per-
haps often, a poor one financially, be-
cause it is poor in flesh. The addition
of one hundred pounds of good flesh to
the cows body may give her the power
to add the same quantity of fat to her
yearly cream product. l do not say it
will, but l suggest that 1t may, and l
believe the suggestion worthy OF some
careful thought.
have never had satisfactory returns
from any cow poor in flesh. We often
hear it said that good cow will milk
herself down thin, but do not believe
she should be allowed to do 30.
l am firm believer in the value of
cornmeal for the dairy COW. / especial
ly approve of It for the Jersey and other
strictly dairy breeds that need careful
attention and heavy feeding to keep
them at their best for term of years.
Experience may not always be good
teacher, yet we can at least get some
useful ideas by attending his school.
Not long ago asked an old farmer, who
had accumulated goodly amount of
property from the income of the farm,
what he considered the best grain feed
for cows. He replied that he had al
ways got the best results from cornmeal.
Recently milkman who has local
reputation for having good herd and
getting big yield from the cows told
me that he seldom fed either gluten or
cottonseed, and he fed no bran at pres
ent prices, but depended almost wholly
on cornmeal for his grain ration.
Now comes large farmer and dairy
man of Massachusetts, who keeps herd
of thirty five Jerseys and uses no other
grain except cornmeal, of which be
sometimes feeds more heavily than l
have ever known any other man to do.
1t may be argued that these instances
prove nothing, because they are not the
results of accurate, scientific expert
ment. Yet facts as told by the cow
over term of years may be worth more
than scientific truths learned by few
months of study under unnatural con-
ditions. At any rate, when science and
the COW disagree the wise farmer will
think more than once before accusing
the COW of false teaching.
/ am not advocating any new thing
nor trying to bring discredit upon any
accepted theory of feeding, but believe
we need to return to more rational
system in some cases.
We have the land and the climate for
producing the king of crops, and we
would do we'll to use our privileges and,
either with or without the silo, grow
for the COW the cheapest and best milk
food in the world-corn. We want and
should seek the most profitable produc-
tion. That may or may not be the high
est yield. We have measured too much
by the per cow standard and too little
by the per acre yield, so that we have
often been good dairymen. but poor
farmers. Corn is our redeeming agent.
Let us make better use of 1t. Out of
the mouths of many witnesses shall the
truth be established.-E. C. Dow, Bel.
fast. Me-. in Tribune Farmer