The Birmingham age-herald., 1918-11-14
KEEP ONLY PROFITABLE COWS

cows that do not respond to better feed. The scoop shovel, method of feeding ] all cows is worthy of vigorous con den1natfon. A study of cow testing as- isociation records demonstrates that good cows should always be fed we'll Gram is never so high priced that it IS not profitable to feed it to high producing cows, the price of market milk and other conditions being equal. On the other hand, grain is never so cheap that it can be fed to low producers without much waste and loss.
 Two large herds in certain cow testing association were fed alike, both being supplied with a compara lively high grain ration. One herd responded to the liberal feeding while the other did not. The average income per ami nal over cost of feed for the first herd was SIS while for the second herd | it was only GA cents. These results strikingly demonstrate the value of gh-producing cows which are well fed according to production. The low-pro-
 ducing herd was fed a high grain ra- tion regardless of milk yield and as a consequence much valuable grain was wasted. Present conditions demand that all such wastes should be-eliminated by | the retention of none but high-produc- ling cows in the herd.
 ACCORDING TO PRODUCTION l careful tabulation of the feed rec ords of another cow-testing association in which milk production and income over cost of feed were high, reveals the l fact that the cows were literally but economically fed. Silage and legumin- ous hay constituted the roughage DOT
 tion of the ration, while the grain was
 fed according to known production of
 butterfat. During the winter these
 | of in doi i1x
 for each pound of butterfat which they
 produced a week. while during the sum
 mer when pasture was short some SUD-
 1 iulernentarv grain was also provided
 tDuring cold weather the cows consumeo
 tan average of 33 pounds of silage day
 Iwhile during the Summer pasturage pe-
 triods each COW received a total of 67t
 pounds of soiling crops. Generous milk
 Iflow and a high butterfat test were the
 results of this liberal feeding. The
 leverage butterfat production of all the
 lcows on test in that association was
 296 pounds and the average income over tcost of feed, was $56 a year. By the
 lmore liberal use of soiling crops ant lsilage the cost of production could ever
 ihave been lowered.
 I, A PATRIOTIC DUTY
 Il It Is not only the patriotic duty O. every farmer to make the, most of his ; grain but it is also more money In hi' pocket where he feeds his cows accord
 ling to production and capacity. II ) England the laws now limit the amour l of grain which can be-fed to dairy cow l and other classes of live stock, and sim . ilarly in this country patriotic common : sense and public opinion should com [ bine in effecting the same end withou actual recourse to legal assistance Thi } means that every pound of dairy feet should be devoted to the intensive pro | duction of milk, Keep good cows ant ) feed them well. Get rid of loafer COW , as soon as possible. Keep track of tn f production record of each COW in you 3 herd, through the medium of the COW
 testing association. If your communit, ; has no cow-testing association, organiz l one and do 1t now
 t If dairy cows are to be fed for profit 7 able production they must receive 8 lib l eral ration at all seasons. In summe 3 pasture generally depended upon, bu : often 1t must be supplemented by soil = ing crops or silage, and sometimes b. 9 concentrates as well. For winter feed 3 ing, the ration usually Is composed o 3 hay, silage and a mixture of grains. I : properly balancing tho ration the graf : mixture is compounded to fit the rough = age, with due consideration for cos l bulk, palatability and physiological of feet upon the COW. For best results cows must be fed individually, salte
 regularly and furnished with all tn , clea n Water they will drink