The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1916-06-07
The Test Cow

Competition and tho high cost Of
feed demands that every dniryman
should know 20 reasouahle se-
curacy what cews arc credit %
his herd and what COWS arc hoard
eFs II Is 60 every farmers Interest
20 know which arc the profitable
cows Ia his herd. that he may aeleat
herd from the cows he knows 20 be
tho best II he has no records 70 aid
him In picking tie hetfers, when
backed 10 reasonably good siro. he
business. As each year should ace
hlm a step further iu advance. his
last bunch of hetfnfs just iittlc
better than the one precedinE.
A great many farmers hesitate 10
test their cows for fear they viii
not do as well as those % htN neigh
hor nearby. who ia testing ana Gull
ing out The poorest COWS II you
have a COW that IL a boarder. you do
not want her. neither does your
neiwhhor. and the SOONER you set
ria % her the better Your umi Fhbor
viii think = great deal more - you
II you locate the unBrofttnhin cows
ana sell them. and will soon come 90
buy his future herd stfe from You.
because you can tell htm just whAt
tho dam has been doing. which -
ths euiY waT 10 buy a bull Have
your cows tested officially. then you
COWS IN undisputrf figures
Tho College ~ Agriculture % Tho
University % California has under
confederation the establishment OF a
State Dairy Cow Testing compeil-
tion. beginning November /. fTTN.
and continuing for is months. Tho
cuwpettts ~ viii BE- open 70 ali pure
bred. grade and common cows Large
prizes VIII be awarded Tor the but
ter fat production for any 10 corr
f.fH Hs HsHHa al
b a great lndue~nent 90 an dairy
men. This COW testing competition
should prove ~ vast assistance In
the enhancement 81 the dairy indus
try tn the state 0f California.
Tbs breeding 81 the COWS % D.
put on test nhsula be given close
attention. in order that they freHhan
at thr most desirable time for tho
Son In which they arc located.
The old theory, that dry cow
should bo put IN the dry lot. which
Is usually very dry. should be
dropped a. once II IL just as i'm
partant that tho COW DO well taken
care % when dry a. when being
renewed yignr to take up the work
% the coming year with proper en-
orgy. Green pasture, with plenty ~
fresh water. - tn. best possible
the broken down Tissues Of tho body
and tune NJ tho entire machinery of
the hard working dairy COW. Very
fow FeAliH~ that COW Ia milk is
working AZ hard as a work horse at
careful feeding and plenty OF H.
The usual time for "A cow to b.
dry f. sir weeks. and should not Ok
coed eight weeks II n usually not
necessary. 20 feed grain until about
Ing. and often not then II sho has
done well on pasture. The grain
ration AZ this time should be fat
producing, and may 10 composed
ficient bran fthree 20 one by weight
20 keep the bowels IN good order IN no
green feed 10 being feY Tho amount
or feed VIII depend entirely upon
tho condition 81 tho COW. whether
sho If fat or poor. when within
three or four days OF frcshenlnE.
the ration should he greatly ro-
duced and Ne composed Of about
equal parts ~ barley and bran hy
weight When within - to &c
grain should be fed and should the
COW be In high condition with no
pasture TO feed upon. one quart OF
raw linsesd OIL given at this time
and will in nearly All cases
help her TO clean thoroughly Inn
mediately after caiviug. hot bran
mash after calvinR VIII greatly aid
the COW 70 get back 10 her feed In
case she has not had tho oil before
calving. Great care should DO given
tho feeding at this time Do not try
TO rush tho COW with feed uutl ahe
Is back to normal condition.
pound TO one and ore-haif pounds
or grain ct q feeding. untit nearly
all Inflammation has left the uddcr.
The amount OF feed may be grad
ually Increased. as tho condition be-
comes nearer normal. until she IL
getting ono pound Of the ration 20
every three to five pounds OF milk
Tho feeds composing tho ration
for the years work should he very
carefully collected They ahauld 10
feeds that are uniform in compost
tion from time 20 time. and which
are the cheapest possible. while CIV
Ing auffioicut nouriahment and
variety to the ration. During tho
winter season. when green alfalfa.
or other green feeds cannot be ont
and supplied daily, some sucoulont
feed. such as siiaRe. beet PUN.
brewers grains. or bceta should 30
provided for Succuient fecda In
general do not in themselves pro-
duce large quantities Of milk but
tend 70 increase tho appetite and
aid In keeping tho digestive organs
In healthy working condition.
The average test or COW can he
controlled for very short period
only Tho only practical method 10
raise cows test iH TO have her rat
when she frcshenH so that whom
Rhe rs milking heavily tho fat Is ro-
moved from her body and used ia
keep M high per cent or rat Ia
the milk. Therefore n COW to be M.
on test should have sufficient rost
70 bulid up her broken down tissues
ana lay on an extra supply OF ensrrv
In the form Of fat 90 do big years
work.-A. l.. l., Livestock and Dairy
Journal