The true Democrat. [volume] (Bayou Sara [La.]) 1892-1928, 1914-12-19

Feeding the dairy cow In Louisiana
is subject that should receive careful
study by every farmer owning a dairy
herd. 1t is subject that has not been
considered Of much Importance by the
average dairy farmer. A few of the
dairymen have studied the value Of
scientific feeding; others have realized
this fact by experience; but most Of
the dairymen In Louisiana have not
gotten away from the old idea that q
cow does not need anything but grass
during the summer and little cotton
seed and hay during the winter months.
The result has been that he knows
nothing of the cost Of his feed and his
COWS are causing him to lose money
all the time; this is made back by
some in other ways. Working negroes
is good example.
1t is time for the farmers to realize
the value Of the right feed for the
right animal, and to use their heads as
well as their hands.
The most important thing to con-
slider when feeding dairy COW Is the
locality, and the kind Of cow that will
do best under the conditions where
they are kept. There Is quite differ
ence between the southern part of the
state and the red hills of the northern
section. The crops that grow best and
the grasses that make the best pasture
in the fertile valley of the Mississippi
will not always be the same on the
hills. These conditions must be studied
out by the farmer and he cannot 60 by
any set rule, but must put his general
knowledge and that worked out by our
Experiment Station into practice ac-
cording to his locality
When feeding a dairy COW we must
consider the following points: Home
grown feed; cost of feed; kind of feed;
quantity and quality Of feed
In order to feed cow economically
we must grow most of the feed at home
or on the farm where the cows are
kept. Of course there are a few feeds
that cannot be grown on the farm, or
If they can be grown, they cannot be
manufactured into the cheapest food.
A good example of this is cotton-seed
meal. The cotton seed are grown on
the farm, but the cotton-seed meal can
not be made very economically. How
ever, most of the feedstuff needed by a
dairy COW can be grown on the farm.
Therefore the dairyman must also be
a farmer.
Corn silage is good feed for dairy
COW and can be grown and packed in
the silo on the farm, and the manare
returned to the land with very little
loss from the SOIL Other feeds, such
as corn, legumes, hay, etc., can be
managed in the same way. This not
only makes the feed cheaper, but II
the manure is handled properly the
land will be made richer year by year
not considering the cost Of hauling
from town If commercial fertilizers
are used.
The kind Of feed depends to a great
extent on the locality. For example
molasses can be fed much cheaper In
the southern part of the state than the
northern. Then, too, the kind of COW
being fed must be considered. A COW
that will hustle for her food can be fec
altogether differently from the COW
that does not get over pasture after
her food. Every cow should have al
much roughage as she will consume
and the concentrated food in proper
ton to her ability as a machine fol
producing milk. The quantity must b.
worked out for each COW and the quail
ity should always be good. 1t never
pays to feed cheap feed that is otter
damaged or has small digestible con
tent. The cow must consume all he
food with a relish and want more. /
is always bad practice to overfeet
any animal. So the amount Of feet
consumed to best advantage must b.
worked out by experiment.
70 determine the amount of food tn
cow can consume to best advantage
the milk must be weighed at eacl
milking, all the feed should be weigh
ed, and the milk tested for butter fat
When hay is thrown out in a pile witt
the pitchfork, and a bucket of corn o
other feeds given In the same wa,
without knowing how much of each 1
being fed at each feeding or the d
gestibility Of the food, there are min
lohannns nut of ton that fhn nnuo or