Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1911-06-20
Keeping Up the Milk Flow.

AN UNPROFITABLE cow CAN BE MAD
PORTABLE BY FEED AND CARE.
The COW that yields heavy averas
daily flow of milk throughout a Ion
lactation period is the one that return
the most profit. A COW that gives mil
for only six months is usually very To-
in total production and in nearly ever
case where careful records are kept SD
does not return profit. Likewise th
cow whose milk flow is light is losiu
proposition. 1t takes a fairly good pr,
ducer to pay for her feed and care. 1t
only after she has yielded enough mil
to pay for feed and care the profit to th
owner comes in.
Care and management are big factor
in producing high average daily flo'
and in securing long lactation perioC
OF course, there are cows that may b
rated as 200 pound producers and other
that may be rated as 600-pound produt
ers. Yet it is an apparent fact that eac
can be made to do far better il well care
for than otherwise.
In order to test the value of good car
the New York station at Cornell conduc,
ed test by gathering in herd fron
nearby farms. The production of thes
COWS under the college feed and care wa
compared with what it had been an
what it was later on the farms fror
which they came. 1t was determines
that the yield was AZ per cent create
while the cows were at the college. A
the present time the Iowa station has a
the dairy farm a bunch of poor grad
southern cows. Most of those cows ar
yielding a profit. In their native stat
and under the treatment they We're re
ceiving there, they had not yielded a
much milk as a good Swiss goat. o.
most farms there are slight changes tha
can be made whereby the profit may b.
either by increasing the dali.
yield or encouraging persistence.
Production depends primarily on feed
Feeding the COW is much like firing
steam engine. With the engine th'
more coal, up to a certain limit, and tn
better the quality of that coal, the great
er will be the amount of steam general
ed. Just so with the COW; the bes
records are made only when generou
amount of feed of the best quality ha
been fed.
Grass is Natures best feed. There il
nothing that a COW likes better. i
cools out and rests her system. Excep
in rare cases, 1t does not pay to feet
grain to dairy cows while they are ol
a good grass pasture. On most farm
grass is not of the best all summer. l
dries up about the middle of the season
At that time he who has planned aheat
to keep up the steady milk flow viii
have some good soiling crop ready. b.
the use of good green feed at this tim
the milk sheets will show very littl'
lower yield.
Silage kept over for this season ha
some very distinct advantages. 1t cal
be fed far more conveniently in tn
barn, and it happens that it Is often ad
visable to keep tue cows 10 the barn a
this season to protect them from tn
flies and shelter them from the hot sun
The silage is as appetizing as anything
can be, aside from fresh grass.
Milking has much to do with securinl
a heavy and persistent flow OF milk
The dairy cow is an extremely sensitiv
piece of animal machinery. Any change
or irregularities are quickly registered
on the milk flow regulator and the yiel'
is cut down. In order not to jar tn
cows seusibilities, she must be milke'
in the same place, at regular times AM
hy tho sama milkar
Quietness for the same reason is i'm
portant. 1t is as essential in the pastur
as in the yard or barn. A dog can, in
few minutes, reduce the output of mil
enough so that if turned into cash tn
money would buy sufficient gunpowde
to put a whole pack of his kind out
mischief. There Is no place for q dog o.
a dairy farm. All loud talking or III
necessary noises about the farm must b
avoided if best results are to be secured
Regularity in all things as well as !
milking is necessary. We cannot EN-
phasize too much that the COW ia a
extremely complex and delicate machine
Her sensitive nature learns to expec
feed at certain hours. II it does nc
come at that time, her system is disturb
ed. In the same way everything that
done to her or about her affects he
nervous organization.
After what has been said above, on
scarcely need mention kindness. "
the dairy cow responds to kindness a
does no other animal. The quiet, kint
thoughtful dairyman receives dollars
return for his consideration just as sur'
ly as a politician gets votes for b.
smiles and glad handshakes. On th
other hand, a rough, abusive COW ma
kills his profits just as surely as
grouchy person loses friends.
Dairy cows, or all milch cows, for thu
matter, require large quantities of waite
They will sometimes drink several time
as much water day by weight as the
milk flow amounts to. Pure, moderat
ly cool water is most acceptable to thel
and they will drink much of it.
The milch cow Graves salt. 1t has
beneficial effect upon her system. l
of course, can best be supplied In q
open box in the lot where each cow ma
secure just the amount she wishes an
no more.
One way Of securing q heavier tot
yield and longer lactation period is
have the cows calve in the fall. Uud'
proper treatment, being fed plentiful
of silage and other suitable feeds, II
COW will yield heavily all winter. I
spring time she will have begun
slacken slightly on her milk flow as
result of six months of hard servic
Then, wher turned out upon a goo
pasture, the grass will have the ben
ficial effect of stimulating the milk flo
and producing effects similar to secoI
freshening. In tests conducted to d
termine the relative merits of spring al
| fall calving it has been found that Gov
fresheuiug in the fall will produce
the average about 20 per cent more mi
during the year than those freshening
the spring.
The biggest factor in producing
heavy yield and long lsctation peril
has purposely been left to the la,
That factor is the selection Of the CO
The best care in tho world could n
make some of the low yielders return
profit. Ii could not make the cow th
is naturally of the 200 pound class pr
duce 400 pounds. By determining wi
the spring balance and the Babcock t.
which are the right kind Of produce
and eliminating those which are not
man can build up herd which will
profitable to keep.-H. K. Mccartney
Michigan Farmer.
| A New Hampshire farmer writes t
Rural New Yorker to say that al
having used the silo for almost thiI