Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1915-08-17
Water In the Dairy Cows Ration.

Water In the Dairy Cows Ration.
wonder how important is water in
the bill-of-fare of the average dairy cow?
feel from my own meagre experience
and observation that few Of US, il any,
appreciate the Importance of this ele-
ment, water. For long time We have
heard different feeding standards ad
vanced and discussed; we have been told
the Importance of combining feeds to
make them a balanced ration" but lit
tie has been said of the importance in
the cows menu of the water she drinks.
Some may have touched upon it, but il
is not generally brought to the attention
of dairymen that il it is important to
balance up good meal of grain, hay,
and silage with an abundant, ever.ready
supply of drinkable water.
Milk contains about IS per cent. water.
In every one hundred pounds of milk we
take from the average COW there is about
IS pounds of il just plain water that old
bossy went down to the brook aud got.
Every breath she exhales carries out its
per cent of water and water is just as
vitality important to her welfare as is
feed. believe il has been found that
human beings and animals can go longer
without food than without water.
know that in sickness everyone lives
without much nourishment, but it is i'm
possible to do so on negligible quantity
of water. We realize this when We stop
to think but many of us fail to put this
knowledge to practice in our dairy cattle
feeding.
Most of the feeds fed to milk cows in
the winter months are dry in their nature.
Still we know that when chewed they
must be softened and their tibers wet be-
fore they are ready for the alimentary
tract. Nutrients from the feedstuffs
must be in solution before they are avail
able and capable of being taken into the
lymphatic system. How can this soft
euing and dissolving be accomplished un-
less plenty of fresh water is present for
the cow to drink? IL is recognized that
cattle with their large paunches can take
a large fill of feed and water that will do
them for some considerable time but IN
the dairy barn of the present day, dairy
cattle are not fed in natural ways. The
COW that is Just doing what she feels like
and is not pushing along with good
record, will drink in the morning and at
night, or possibly once day, and yield
her little quota of milk. She will chew
her cud in apparent content and thrive,
but the dairy COW that is making rec
ord needs water and plenty OF 1t in at
tractive shape as often as she wishes.
Most dairymen are in the business for
what they can get out of il. Their yields
of milk determine their profits to large
extent. IL a cow does her part she must
produce large quantities of milk and we
cannot expect il of her unless wegive her
a chance. If we are to get big yields she
must eat large quantities Of feed. There
is limit beyond which the average COW
will not go in consuming grain, silage, or
roughage unless she can quench her
thirst and cool her mouth. One Of the
secrets of forcing any live stock is the
getting them to drink heavily of good
water at regular intervals, and the COW
working at high pressure is no exception
TO this rule. We find dairy cows ip
warmer weather doing well. They pour
down the milk. There are many reasons
for heavier flow at this time but one
important reason is that she is eating
grass that is sappy with water and that
usually brooks and springs furnish cool
water in abundance. Cool and cold
weather knock down the yields both be-
cause some feed is needed for heat main
tenance and also because bossy drinks
less water. | believe that the successful
dairyman will study how to get more
water regularly down his producers. The
warmer temperature OF the stable Will
help from this standpoint as we'll as for
other reasons. The presence of the right
amount of salt will help for many rea-
sons and one is that it makes the COW
drink. believe that We may feed too
much salt and it will work against heavy
eating and large production, but salt is a
most necessary part of the ration be-
cause it makes the cow drink freely. Ii
we think of il from the standpoint OF
causing heavy drinking, our thoughts
will omen to other ways of forcing her
appetite.
In my own herd watch the feeding
carefully; pay much attention to the
feed my cows eat, for know 1t will have
as much as anything to do with the milk
Weld of the cows. find how necessary
water is every time feed. Take cows
that are coming gradually to high pro-
duction. They do not take so much ex-
ira water at first but as they eat more
and more they want more aud more
water to wash it down. They do not eat
well unless they drink well. II fail to
supply water, their managers are left
with feed in them. II they can eat and
drink, chew their cuds, get up, drink and
eat again, the feed is all gone and a
humping big pail Of milk awaits the
mixer. One of my best cows, DAIRY
maid" is now coming to bigger produc-
ton. She has not been doing what she
ought to yet because thiags didn't seem
TO suit her / have got her started at
last so that she keeps me carrying water
to her often and the feed goes with the
drinking water and she is gradually
crawling up to 16 lbs, l6 1-2 lbs, IL
lbs, and now IS 1-2 lbs. OF per cent.
milk and she will do still better and hold
it if eau give her attractive feed with
her side dish Of clean, attractive water.