The Springdale news. [volume] (Springdale, Ark.) 1887-1990, 1916-01-21
III. RAISING AND FEEDING THE
DAIRY COW.

DAIRY COW.
By II. l.. Dyorachek. Professor of AMI
nal Husbandry, University
OF Arkansas
A discussion of feeding dairy cattle
would be incomplete unless one com
menced with the development of the
dairy heifer since the success of the
business depends largely on herd I'm,
provement. This applies especially to
Arkansas dairying in SO much as the
business is still in its infancy, and the
production per COW is still very low.
The ability of the heifer to produce
at the pail is largely matter OF he
redity and must not be under estimat.
ed but proper development has 4
great influence nevertheless 1t is es-
sential therefore that the heifer calf
get good start and is kept growing
rapidly. Whole milk for at least three
to four weeks is the best By that
time little grain can be added and
the change made to skim milk This
change should be gradual and extend
over three to four weeks more Eight
to ten pounds of milk daily is a suf-
ficient quantity for the average calf
during the first few weeks This
amount can be gradually increased to
twelve or fourteen pounds Ii Is
rarely advisable to feed more than
that amount while the calf is on milk
The grain can be increased and by the
time the calf is on skim milk it Will
be eating hay. Never use cotton seed
meal for calves. Oats, corn chops.
wheat bran, and a small quantity of
oil meal are the best. Pasture is ex-
cellent when they are old enough 10
properly utilize it. The object is to
keep them growing at all times. 1t
has been proven that generous feed
ing OF heifers even though they lay
on fat is not al all detrimental TO
their future usefulness. On the other
hand such feeding means early matur-
ity; that is, the heifer Will make SUI
ficient growth during the shortest pos
sfble time so that she may be bred
early, thereby shortening her non-pro-
ductive life. and still make ample
x
when mature. Make the ration COM
posed largely OF nutritious roughages
so as to develop a strong and efficient
digestive apparatus, and use grain IN
the ration to force growth.
The heifer and the mature COW as
we'll should come to the freShening
period in good flesh. Surplus fat will
be MIXED down readily if the COW be
OF the desired dairy temperament Ten
to twelve days before freshenng the
grain ration should be reduced and
laxative, cooling feeds such as silage
roots, or small amounts of linseed
meal or wheat bran should be fed
The value of the dairy cow on the
farm lies primarily in her ability to
convert roughages commonly grown IN
abundance on most farms into a yalu-
able. nutritious and readily market
able product. The selection of ra-
ton should therefore be made with
view OF utilizing such roughages to
the greatest possible extent Both
during development and when produe-
ing milk, the requirement of protein
is high so that what is known as q
narrow ration must be used Where
the protein can be supplied with le-
gume hays, it should be done, as
they are generally our cheapest source
Of protein. Extra protein can be sup
piled through the grain or cencen-
trates. Cotton seed meal is our cheap
Wheat bran and oats also supply
deficiency in protein quite cheaply.
A general rule is to feed one pound
Of grain daily for every three and
half to four pounds of milk produced
daily for cows giving milk of average
butter fat content, or one pound of
grain for every two and half to three
pounds of high testing milk bet t
ter rule is to feed pound OF grain
daily for every pound of butter fat a
COW produces weekly. This means
that COW giving 10 pounds of butter /
fat per week should nave at least 10 I
pounds of grain daily. The individual [
needs OF the COW must also be taken |
into consideration In grain feeding |
In feeding daily animals the follow
ing factors should be observed: Feed I
ration that will meet the needs II
the animal, especially from the stand +
point of protein requirement: make I
the ration bulky enough to satisfy the /
capacity OF the animal, make it para .
table so that it is eaten with rel f
ish, utilize as far as possible crops I
grown on the farm. and by all means +
see to it that the ration is not made /
too expensive, so that I. profit can be
made on the milk produced The no I
eral use OF legumes will help in ali in
stances.