Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1917-08-07

The Economy Of the Dairy Cow.
The efficiency of the COW A q pro
ducer OF human food had been dem
onstrated conolusively. The fact ha
been discussed 90 thoroughly and pub
lished so widely that to mention II seem
almost trite, and yet We have not prof
tied by the information TO the extsn
that We should have done. Now tha
the necessity for economy is 20 apparent
and its practice 10 80 essential, it mieh
be well TO consider seriously th,
efficiency Of the COW.
just what percentage of food value I,
lost through the use of the differen
classes OF live stock in converting grsir
and roughage into animal food fol
human consumption, We have no reliabl.
data to indicate. Sufficient data an
available, however, for making cslcula.
tions which are valuable for comparison
Washburn OF Minnesota quotes Hacker
for authority that the dairy COW returns
in her product 20 per cent Of what she
consumes, while the steer returns a
flesh scarcely IA per cent. That is, 10,
every hundred units of digestible feed
consumed by the COW, % will be recover.
ed in the milk and II lost In the process oI
transformation, while for every 100 units
fed to the steer but IA will be returned
as edible flesh and SO will be lost.
Figures from Warren indicate that the
dairy COW is about twice as efficient q
the steer and that the pig ranks about
half way between the COW and the steer.
Waters Of Kansas, assuming that o
steer on full feed for 800 days would
make total gain of 675 lbs, states that
this amount of total gain would contain
SS9 lbs. dry matter of which S4S lbs.
would be edible material. he further
states that ''in the same length of time .
dairy cow of quality equal to that of the
steer would produce at least 5000 lbs.
Of milk containing $40 lbs. OF dry matter,
all of which would be edible" After
the palatability and digesti.
bility of the edible material produced by
the steer and the dry matter contained
In the milk OF the COW, he says, "Just
what number of pounds Of the annual
production of the steer would be actually
left a. digestible material it is impossible
to say but 1t Ia perhaps not unreasonable
to say that the amount OF digestible
matter produced by the COW 10 about
three times as large a. that produced by
the steer in the same length of time"
Since such cereals a. are ordinarily
used for feeding animals supply 90
much more human food when used d.
rectly than when converted into either
meat or milk, the present food situation
makes it imperative that as much as
possible of these cereals be used for
human consumption. 1t is evident,
however, that whatever grain 10 fed to
live stock will be converted into the
the largest quantity of human food when
fed to good dairy cows.
The economy of the COW is further
when We consider that q
largs percentage of her ration consists OF
roughsge. 1t Is very important under
present conditions that this class OF feed
be depended upon as largely as possible.
The COW 10 especially efficient In this
respect. Whatever concentrates are
necessary can be supplied entirely in the
form of by. products that can not be used
for human consumption.
The high price Of grain and OF such
crops a. take large quantities OF fertility
from the soil 10 likely to tempt US to use
our land too largely for their production.
Grain, when sold from the farm, robs
the soil of the total amount OF fertility
that 10 required to produce 1t. The case
is exactly the reverse with the dairy
COW. As soil builder she has no equal.
Instead of taking away fertility she adds
to the soil about II tons OF
solid and liquid manure valued at about
$50. Such dairy products a. are sold
from the farm contain very little fertility.
To remove a. much fertility from the
soil as a ton of wheat or Ill tons OF
corn would require 81 tons Of milk or
l4.9 tons of butter.
Another point of economy In favor OF
the dairy COW is in regard to the kind OF
labor that may be utilized. The milk
ing OF more COWS does not necessarily
mean additional hired help as does In
creased acreage OF farm crops. The
family can, in many cases, do most OF
the work. Just here 10 whore every
member can help In the food situation.
Not all members OF the family, ready to
'sdo their Bit" are able to stand the heat
of q long days work In the field. Since
dairy work comes largely evenings ana
1t is much more desirable Tor
this class of labor.
Even the boys and girls can serve
their country and help increase 1000
production By milking COWS. Since .
certain amount of animal food 10 In.
to the human diet, and
since this class OF food can be furnished
most economically in the form OF dairy
products, it 10 evident that the boy or
cirl who milks cows will play IN I'm
portant part in supplying FOOD ior too
world. The income from the dairy can
be further increased by raising calves on
sklmmilk with small amount OF gram,
thus conserving Q great deal OF log, LOGO
material for human consumption. In's
kind of work can also be done 0y ooys
and girls who are anxious to enlist 10
the army of producers.
In spite of the fact that the COW nas
long been recognised - IN economical
producer OF human food, she has moi
bean utilized to the extent that she
should have been. Now that 1000
shortage Ii inevitable she should oe
given . chance to assert herself and
prove the merits that are claimed Tor ner.
In early days she was depended upon
largely to feed the family. In time OF
crop failure, she has been called on %
pay the grocery bills. In the p.ese1.
food situation she stands reaay 70 "0
her part. Will you give her . ohancerL
D. d. Props, Nebraska College Oh Ae'''
culture.