The Chickasha daily express. (Chickasha, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1899-current, 1912-11-19
Feeding Young Cows


4 Pieasa ndvise me in regard to feed
ing and taking care Of two year Jar-
sag COWS with first calf fof best re-
suits ~ e.. Coal County, Okla.
/ IN regard 10 feeding and taking
/ FIRST calf may say that this ts one Of
the most important periods il the de-
velopment of a COW and that q little
care and feed expended at this tlme
win be certain 10 give good returns III
later years. a month or two before
calving the young Jersey should be
kept up ia good condition 1t is at
this time that the udder IS being
formed and IT will develop better TN
der good feeding than otherwise The
helfer has not only to give milk dur
ing her FIRST lactation period but has
to keep on growing, and ia this way
has q double drain on her system. II
she does not get good care, then she
VIII neither develop to her full milk
Ing capacity nor to the size she
should. Many years ago Prof. l. 2.
Roberts, Of Cornell, conducted an ex-
pertinent in feeding concentrated feed
% half the cows ia a herd. on pasture.
The results showed that the cows
thus fed gave a little more extra milk
tnan was needed 70 pay for the extra
feed. The most striking results were
noticed last summer when all the
COWS We're fed on pasture only with
out grain Il was found that the cows
that had received extra feed the year
before gave on an average OF is per
cent more milk than those that had
not received extra feed, this difference
being most marked In the case Of the
younger heifers This shows the pos
sibllity Of increasing the milking
powers Of young COWS by good feed.
Ing. A COW can develop new milk
cells In her udder up to about the
fourth or fifth lactation periods and
1t IS during this time that her capacity
is determined BY the manner in which !
she is haRdled Whether it pays to
feed grain on pasture depends, Of
course upon the quality Of the past
ure- On real good pasture there is
little need for extra feed, but on ordi-
nary thin pastures il Is almost neces.
sary to give some kind Of extra feed
to COWS in full flow Of milk. The young
COW especially should be fed well
previous TO freshening. Feed may be
onohtl., i,,ct nt tbc ts,s.o 80 I
calving and for few days later, as
the COW ia always more or less In
feverish condition and not In condi-
ton to digest large quantities Of food.
It Is usually advisable a few days be-
fore calving to give IL or 3.4 pound |
doses Of salts In order to loosen up the
digestive system and thin and cool /
the blood In the winter time, you
may start by giving about pounds
Of grain feed per day, increasing very
at the rate Of an extra pound |
Of feed every four or five days, until
It is seen that the heifer Mas reached
her maximum milk flow. In the sum
mer time on good pasture It will not !
be necessary TO feed so much meal
but II you want to develop a good
Btfong COW it is advisable to feed
something in addition to pasture, eth
er alfalfa, silage, green feed, OF some
kind Of meal. Our meal mixture for
winter feeding consists OF parts
bran, parts corn chop, ! part cotton
seed meal. We feed this at the rate
Df about / pound OF this mixture TO
every 3 or IL pounds of milk pro-
iuced. Il is not advisable to be in
4 hurry about breeding the heifer the
second time as she should have a rest
1f three or four months extra IN order
10 get her growth. She is more likely
10 develop the habit Of milking full
year II she is bred so as to drop her
second calf about fifteen months after
he first. Have good man milk the
leifer who viii be quiet and easy with
her and who will be sure TO get all OF
Lhe milk.-C. I. Bray, Department Of
Annual Husbandry, Oklahoma a. &
NJ Tcllaua Gtfllxvatnr fairlo