The Madison journal. (Tallulah, Madison Parish, La.) 1888-current, 1915-03-27

prepared by the United States Depart
ment Of Agriculture)
In the cotton-growing sections Of the
South, where comparatively few cat
tie have been kept and where they
have not been regarded as source OF
profit, the idea has become prevalent
that profitable cattle are those that
consume little feed. 1t should be re-
membered, however. that the feed
they consume Is used for two main
purposes, % to support the body and
(2) to produce milk Each one OF
these things requires certain amount
Of feed. II just enough feed is given
to support the body, there is nothing
left for the production of milk. Cow
feed is worth much more in the form
of milk, cream and butter than in the
form of feed, and the COW that can
convert the most feed into the most of
these products is the most profitable.
The COW is an animal that requires
a large amount of feed, especially
roughage; therefore quantity Is one Of
the first and most important princi-
pies of feeding.
Cows do better and produce the
largest quantity of milk in early sum-
mer, when grass is abundant. Grass
is the best feed known, and when pos
sible cows should have plenty of 1t.
II pasture is limited during the grow
ing season, forage crops, such as corn,
sorghum, millet, and the like, should
be planted to supplement the pasture
and assure plenty of green feed.
Green, Juicy feed, besides producing
large quantities of milk, keep the
cows digestive system in good condi-
ton: consequently, some such feed in
winter Is desirable. Patches Of rye
or oats near the barn furnish grazing
at times, but can not be depended
upon to furnish all the COW needs
every day from the appearance Of
frost until spring opens.
A constant and dependable supply
Of Juicy feed for cows can be obtained
in turnips, rutabagas, or carrots.
These roots can be fed to cows with
out injuring the taste of the milk,
provided they are fed Immediately
after milking.
Since cows require 1t, and roughage
Is the cheapest feed and one that ev-
cry farmer can produce on the farm,
cows should be given all Of this mate
rial that they will eat without waste.
Such hays as peavine, vetch, soy bean
and other legumes are the best dry
roughage for feeding, but the grass
hays, shucks, and coarse hays Of the
farm are also good. The coarser hays
are eaten more readily II mixed with
the better hay.
If q man has ten cows or more the
cheapest form in which Juicy feed can
be furnished for winter feeding Is
silage. Silage spoils on exposure to
the air, and with less than that num-
Der Of cows it can not be fed OF rap
idly enough to keep the top layer in
good condition.
With plenty Of roughage and ruta-
bagas or turnips the COW will keep in
good condition throughout the winter
and produce fair flow of milk, but
she cannot consume enough of these
bulky feeds to furnish all the food ele-
ments necessary to produce the larg-
est amount Of milk, consequently
some very rich feeds which are not
bulky must be added. Such feeds are
bran, cottonseed meal, shorts, and
corn meal. Just what grain or meal
is best to give a COW depends upon
the kind Of roughage she gets. Pea
vine. vetch. clover. soy-bean and vel
vet-bean hay are among the best milk
producing roughages, since they con-
tain the same elements as cottonseed
meal and bran-two of the best milk
producing meals-but In much smaller
quantities, pound for pound. There
fore II the COW gets plenty Of such
hay she will not need much cottonseed
meal and bran. When the COW has
all the pea-vine, soy-bean, clover, or
vetch hay and turnips or rutabagss
that she will eat. a good mixture of
grain or meal to give her is:
One part wheat bran,
One part cottonseed meal.
Grass hay. shucks. straw, and the
like contain comparatively little of the
elements found In cottonseed meal.
bran. and such feeds, and when these
roughages are fed, more cottonseed
meal will have to be used to furnish
the elements the COW must have to
produce the largest amount of milk.
II grass hay, shucks, straw and ruta-
bagas or turnips form the roughages.
a good mixture Of grain to feed is:
One part wheat bran,
Two parts cottonseed meal.
The grain mixture is the most ex-
pensive part of the feed, and should
be given to the cow in proportion to
the milk she gives. About one pound
OF either Of the mixtures mentioned
should be fed for each three pounds
OF milk produced. For instance, IL the
COW gives twelve pounds of milk, she
should receive four pounds of the mix.