Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1916-04-23
LIVE STOCK TOPICS
BRIEFLY DISCUSSED
snappy Paragraphs of Interest to
Farmers, Dairymen and
Stock Raisers.
Live Ideas About Proper Care and
Handling Of Horses, Cattle,
Sheep and Swine.

To produce milk the COW must have
a balanced ration. This simply means
that the various nutrients must be sup
piled in the proper proportions and
quantities for milk production, says
the Kansas Farmer. If there is a de-
ficiency of any of these the capacity
for milk production is limited. This
is especially true if the deficiency hap
pens to be in the protein part of the
ration. For this reason the balancing
Of rations nearly always becomes
matter of getting a sufficient amount
of this particular nutrient into the feed.
If feeds of the various kinds were
always valued the same it would be
comparatively simple matter to work
out ration that would supply the
physiological requirements and then al
ways feed the same ration. In produc-
ing milk profit must always be the pri
mary consideration. Prices of feeds
will vary. Some particular feed that
has been worked out as a part of the
ration might become temporarily very
high in price. This would greatly in
crease the cost of the ration and there
Of this variation in the values and
costs of feeds the man who is feeding
cows to make the most profit must
constantly keep in mind the matter
of economy.
Here in Kansas alfalfa hay is prob
ably the most economical source of pro-
tein. Dairymen all over the country
are willing to- buy our alfalfa and ship
it long distances. If dairymen in dis
tant states can afford to do this. pay
I. -
even more profitable to feed this hay
to cows on the farms where, produced.
In the interest of economy Kansas
dairymen should feed their cows all
the alfalfa they will consume. An
LOO or 1900 pound COW will eat TWEEN
ty-five or more pounds of alfalfa hay
day if it is of good quality. There
is not enough protein in this amount
of hay for daily production of forty
pounds Of milk, and heavy producing
cows would have to have a small guam
tity of some concentrate containing
relatively large amount of digestible
protein.
A year ago cottonseed meal was very
reasonable in price. and this feed was
very economical source of protein.
1t is much higher in price at the pres
ent time and consequently no more
should be used than is absolutely nee
| essary to supply the additional protein
needed. For the average milk COW all
the alfalfa hay she will eat and silage
or some other carbonaceous roughage
of good quality will be the most profit
able combination to feed.
Most farmers seem to consider the
milking shorthorn as the best dual pur-
pose COW. This means well shaped
shorthorn COW of one of the milking
of fairly rich milk and when she is
done milking gives a good carcass of
beef. The bull calves make good beef
steers. Probably Of all the beef breeds
this type is best for both milking and
beef production. The Holstein COW
gives more milk than the shorthorn
but does not make as good a carcass
of beef.
The custom of milking twice a day
has become fixed. and no marked ad-
vantage is secured when the number of
repeated tests show that three milkings
day increase the amount of milk less
than per cent. Considering the ex-
ira labor involved, the extra milk OBJ
tanned by three milkings will not re-
pay the cost and trouble.
The time required to bring cows to
full flow of milk after freshening va
ries. From ten to twelve weeks will
usually find COW doing her best.
feeding and care there should be no
material decrease in milk flow for six
or seven months after calving. A va
riety of feeds Is more pa1atable to
the COW and assures proper amount Of
nutrients If the feeder is careful to
note that the ration is balanced. 1t is
not enough to make a balanced ration
that is, supply sufficient protein and
carbohydrates; for instance, a balanced
ration made Of what does not supply
f1n al To nf lfrif
tein of the wheat lacks in amino acids.
BY using a variety of feeds the feeder
is sure to get the proper balance, of
amino acids II sufficient protein is
provided. Dat and vetch hay and corn
silage form the basis of a good ration.
and with little grain there should be
no difficulty in sustaining the milk
flow.
Horses should be educated or trained,
w. McCampbell, assistant professor of
animal husbandry at the Kansas State
Agricultural College. When one breaks
a horse he break its spirit and the ami
NAL responds wholly through fear. The
education of the colt should begin when
it is but a few days old. The first step
should be to teach 1t to be led. This
will not take long. and it is a lesson
that the animal will never forget. I'm
der average farm conditions draft colts
are not handled until they are ready to
work, and in this case all they know is
to respond to the halter.
SIN educating the colt" says DIR.
McCampbell, lone should work around
it patiently until he has gained it's con-
fidence and then get it used to the har-
ness piece at time. 1t should then
be driven by the use of the double line.
Do not attempt to hitch the colt to a
load until it is perfectly used to the
bit, and lines. After the animal is ac-
customed to the bit and lines and the
meaning Of the ordinary signs such
as get up and whoa 1t should then
be hitched to a wagon with an old and
gentle horse"
Successful horse training depends
principally upon two things-horse
sense rs per cent and patience IS per
cent, points out this authority. When
these two are combined it is compare
lively easy to train or educate any
ordinary horse. Whenever colt is
broken in this manner 1t has a better
spirit and really works with the ex-
penditure of less energy than the colt
that is broken by the force method.
Many is the poor diary COW that re-
ceives condemnation for what she does
not do simply because she is not given
a chance. How many cows, yes, dairy
cows. too, have been living upon soft,
frosted corn and frozen grass for the
past eight weeks and then her owner
is Blaming her because she Is not pro-
ductng a lot of butter fat. There must
be more system to the dairy COW bust