Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1916-01-23
lil. RAISING AND FEEDING THE 4afe < pie@ DAIRY cow. @ai@ 7
By H. E. Dvorachek. Professor of Ami
 ..@'' mai Husbahdry, University '' of Arkansas. ....

.
 F']''' mal Husbandry, University
 t '' 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, it's infancy, and the production per cow,is still very low. The ability of the heifer to produce
 at the pail is largely a matter of he.
 redity and must not be under estimat- ed,. but proper development has 3
 great Influence nevertheless. Itais es-
 sentials therefore that the heifer. calf get a good start and is kept growing
 rapidly. Whole milk for at least three to four weeks Is the best. By that time a. little grain can be added and the change made to skim milk This change 4should be- gradual and extend over three to four weeks more. Eight to ten pounds of milk daily is . sui
 6cient quantity for the average calf during the first few weeks.i This amount can be gradually increased to twelve or, $ fourteen pounds. It is rarely advisable to feed more than that amount while the calf Is on milk
 The grain can be increased and by the timA tho, calf Is on skim milk 1t will be, eating hay. Neverause cotton seed meal for calves. Oats, scorn chops, wheat bran, and Q. small quantity of on meal < arc the best Pasture is rex, callent when they are oldrenoughs to properly utilize its,ge Tho. object is to keep them growingt at allsstimes,. ! It has he1A proven that generous feed ing e Aeifers even though they lay 0n 1t is not at all detftmenAal Co their future usefulness. s On the other haaA such feeding means eaxiy: naatur. ity;s that is. the heifer will make sui. nc3eAt snpWth during the shortest pos sabla t41ne 50 sthate she may be bred carly, thareby shortening her saon-pro- laac&ive life and stAls make ample gTowtA to insuse a good sized COW NAeq .maturA Make the ration com. posed hygely. Of nutritious roughages. e as to develop :aa strong and efficient digeseive, apparatus, and use grain 41n' the ration to furce growth. ssa < <:
 The heafer and the. mature COW as we'll should come to the freshening period In good hesh. Surplus fat will be mjlked down readily If the COW be of tho desired dairy temperament Ten to twSlve days before afreshening the graln ration should be, reduced. and laxative, cooling feeds such as 9silage, rooess or small amounts of linseed meel sr. wheat bran should be fed. s'
 The value ;of the dairy COW on the farm lies primarily in her, ability to. convert roughages commonly grown m on. most farms into a valu-' able, nutritious and readily market. able product. The selection of a ra- tion should therefore be made with . view of utilizing such roughages to the greatest possible extent. Both during development and when produc. Ing milk. the requirement. of protein Is high 30 that what is known as a narrow ration must be used, Where the protein can be supplied, with le- gume hays, 1t should be- done, as they are generally our. cheapest source of protein. Extra protein can be sup. piled through tho grain. or cencen- trates. Cotton seed meal Is our cheap, est. protein in Arkansas as a rule. Wheat bran and oats also supply a de1iciency in protein quite cheaply.s i | A general rule is to feed onespound of grain daily for every three and a 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. A bet. ter rule sis to feed . pound of grain daily for every pound of butter fat . COW produces weekly. This means that q COW. giving 10, pounds of ,butter fat per week should have at least 10 pounds Of grain daily. The Individual needs Of the COW must also be taken into consideration in grain feeding.
 m iseRins daily animals the follow ing factors should be observed Feed . a:fstionf that will meet, the needs U tha.sAnimal. especially from the stand. point 0f protein requirement.: make the ration bulky enough. to satisfy the capacity of the animal, make 1t .paia.