The Logan Republican. [volume] (Logan, Utah) 1902-1924, 1911-08-15
SOME PHASES OF
DA|RY|NG IN UTAH
By Ben r.. EIdredge President
Utah State Dairymen's
Association

nc mum oo oo"t VI uo Inv l
to think so, we cannot truthfully say
that dairying in Utah is fully devel
oped industry. Our market Is good
one, our climate Is unexcelled, the
soil is right, and all natural conditions
are favorable to dairying; yet, butter
is imported, and also cheese in great
quantities. We export some condensed
milk and, In favorable seasons, some
butter. Whether our exports through
the year exceed our imports ] can
not say, but there is no doubt about
an available market for dairy products
far in excess Of the present supply.
We have one of the finest climates
and best soils for the growing OF al
falfa there is on the North American
Continent and there Is no feed for
dairy cattle equal to 1t. When ohe
takes up the established dairy papers
OF Wisconsin, Iowa, or any OF the
Eastern States and considers the
amount of space that is given to the
growing of alfalfa, he Is astonished ut
the tone the various articles assume.
With us, in Utah, alfalfa is the com
monest of forage plants, while down
in some of these old established dairy
centers, II seems to be something
comparatively new, and 1t has val
ne, in these places, that almost as.
tonishes the Utah dairymen. Down
there lucerne Is carefully fed; IL Is
considered almost the equal OF wheat
bran; indeed the laboratory expert
ments give its nutrient value as "ery
close to that of wheat bran and in he
East IL is fed with care, as source
of what scientific feeders call protein
md corn, or corn ensilage. Is used 20
balance the ration Now With uS we
feed L by the wagon load, thro" II i'll
TO our racks, scattering laIGe per
cent of II, never stopping to gttheI
IN the punches that fall from the rack
and in fact throwing large part OF
the stalks under the feet OF horses aud
cattle for bedding. Throughout the
Mississippi and Ohio Valleys there is
so much moisture that 1t Is dir'cu''
to properly cure lucerne hay. and
have often heard OF expressions oil
wonder when farmers from those val
leys zee how bright and green our
mcerne come from the stack. Oar eli
mate also is excellent for the curing
of corn fodder, and have carried this
good roughage through the winter in
to May and had It come out bright and
green from the shock with only
small percentage of bleached or dis
colored fodder from the very outside
of the shock. These shocks in Iowa
Wisconsin or Ohio, would be nodded
to the very center before the end Of
December
The silo is almost unknown in l'taf
for the reason that our climate fol
curing hay and fodder is so near per
feet. Il is possible that some day 81
los will be used, and, rather believe
they could be used here in some IN
stances with profit,
The greatest success ! have eve
had in my dairy is when | fed ia
ton about as follows: Once da,
good lucerne, all to be eaten mp clean
and this in the morning, In the after
he
left in, all that will be eaten up clean
This latter would be cut green, JUS
before the first frost. shocked in me
dunn sized shocks in the field an
left there till wanted. 1t would the
be hauled to a cutting machine an
cut as needed into about three,quarte
inch lengths, and when fed properl
every bit OF stalk, cob and all wi
be eaten. Then with this fed abor
30 TO 80 pounds of mangel-wur2el
put through a root cutter, and to m
heaviest mixers from four to egl
pounds OF wheat bran. Now, not
these feeds. Alfalfa, a cheap source
protein o1 flesh forming elements
the corn fodder, carrying goo
quantity Of fairly we'll matued ear
a cheap source Of carbohydrates,
starch and sugar, and the mangelwr
eel. a cheap succulent feed, tn
though not rich in nutrients, is
wonderful aid to the perfect dig,
ton of the other feeds. These thr
feeds are the cheapest for the dai
COW that can be produced in this sta
and all three can he produced he
almost TO perfection. Although we
not claim TO be a corn growing sta
little experience only Is necessa