La Junta tribune., 1916-09-02
FEEDING THE DAIRY COW.

Successful feeding of dairy cows
from an economic standpoint inyolv-
es the providing of an abundant sup
ply OF palatable. nutritious feed,
al the minimum cost per unit OF
feed, and supplying to the COW In
such a way as to secure the largest
production for the feed consumed.
First. liberal feeding Is necessary
for profit. The dairy COW has been
likened by many writers to a ma
chine or manufacturing plant. A
certain proportion of the power fur
nished machine Is necessary to run
the machine itself, and is not in any
sense productive. In the steam en-
gine this is represented by the ex-
haust steam, in heat which escapes
without producing steam. and in the
friction OF the working parts OF the
engine. In the manufacturing plant
1t is represented by the managerial.
the clerical and sales forces. These
forces, while necessary for the sue
cessful operation of the business are
at least in sense. unproductive. N
feeding the dairy COW, this unpro-
ductive force is termed maintenance
ration" and is that portion OF the
feed given the COW which is used by
her in digesting the feed. pumping
the blood, heating the body. moving
from place to place. etc. This feed,
from a productive standpoint. is en-
tirely lost TO the dairyman. The COW
can produce only after she has en-
ing received enough feed to sustain
her. practically all the feed consum-
ed above this. can be used In milk
production. This maintenance ra
tion" is a fixed charge and the more
feed COW can consume above this
amount. the greater will be the
amount available for milk produc-
tion. which equals profit. Feeding
for profit can therefore be defined
as feeding literally; feeding to the
full capacity of the COW. A brief sur
vey OF the question will show that II
a COW is fed only enough to meet
the requirements of the maintenance
ration, there will be practically moth
ing left for milk production. II she
Is fed twice this quantity there will
be half the feed left for milk pro-
iuction, II fed two and a half times
that amount. three fifths can be used
for making milk, and so on up to the
capacity OF the animal.
one of the most common mistakes
made In feeding dairy cattle on
farms is that the good cows are not
fed a sufficient amount above that re-
luired for maintenance. This Is es-
pecially true of the highly special |
lzed dairy COW, the COW that being
milk, except what is needed for
II Is. however, un-
true that all cows on
our farms and dairies are not this
kind. Some cows when fresh make
all the feed above maintenance into
milk before putting on flesh; Others
II fed heavily, begin to gain In
weight soon after freshening. From
the standpoint of economical milk
one can not generally
afford To give a dairy COW more
than she will consume without gain
ing In weight. There are times,
however. when II is desirable To
make exceptions to this rule. For
example. practically all highly spec
ialized milk producers In the early
part OF the lactation period lose In
weight. producing milk at the ex-
pense OF their own body flesh. When
such cows approach the end OF their
period. they normally re-
gain the flesh they have lost In the
early part OF this period. The feed
er can well AFFORD to feed such COWS
literally. being assured that the feed
will be returned TO him In the form
OF milk when the COW again fresh
ems.
Summer feeding usual
ly includes pasture. II pastur. is
short this may be supplemented by
silage and alfalfa hay. The pasture
should be suceulent and should have
a sufficient amount OF material so
the COW can satisfy her appetite with
a few hours grazing. The system OF
forcing good COW TO roam over
miles OF hIll and dale In vain
search for enough nu,rim.nts to
barely sustain life. II one that pays