Belt Valley times. [volume] (Armington, Mont.) 1894-1977, 1922-06-29

Proper Rations for the Dairy Cow
BY j. G. N
International Harvester Co.
Agricultural Extension Dept,

l-I tnt-n kOOQ daiA} 1tt0ti
must contain the nutrients that are de-
manded by the COW for the production
Of milk, and the maintenance of her
own body.
Second-Succulence. Good June
pasture should be a standard for COM
4bining all rations.- This means that in
the winter time such feeds as silage or
beets, or other root crops should be
supplied Succulent feeds are appe-
tizing, which makes the COW enjoy her
food and keeps her system in food
condition.
Third-Variety. There is perhaps
no animal on the farm that requires
more variety in the feed and does bet
ter when this is furnished, than the
dairy COW. 1t would perhaps be pos
isible to combine feeds so as to con-
tain the proper food elements and still
not have sufficient variety. This is
true Of the grains, as well as of the
roughness which mmay be fed. 1t has
been learned by the old established
dairymen that when possible it is well
to mix together as many different
/ grains and feeds rs possible. always be-
ing careful to combine them in such a
way as to furnish what is needed.
Ground oats is one Of the best feeds
for the dairy cow and should form a
portion of every ration in this section.
The variety furnished the cow
should be secured by having a mixture
of the same feeds at every meal, and
not by feeding one kind at one meal
and another at the next, or changing
the feeds every few days or weeks.
Sudden changes in feeds should be
avoided; when it is necessary to
change feeds it should be done grad
ually, substituting a small part of the
new feed each day for a week or So,
until the change is finally made.
Fourth-Appetizing Ration. What
ever can be done to make the feed
taste better or make it more enjoyable
to the cow will increase the value of
her milk production. All hay or fod-
der intended for the dairy herd should
be cut early so that it will have a
good flavor, be easily eaten and high
~ digestible. The appetizing effect,
from early cut and carefully cured
hay and silage. will greatly increase
the feed value for milk production.
All the grain to be fed should be
freshly ground and kept clean and
sweet. This means hat the grinding
should be done often, so that there
will be no chance for the grain to be-
rancid and stale before it is fed.
Any coarse, overripe or u~npalatable
feed should be fed in such a way as
TO let the COW eat at her leisure. This
be put IN racks on the outside
when it it possible to turn the cows
out, or it can be fed the last thing at
so that they can eat it at their
The COW should be fed good,
palatable feed in the morning so that
she will be contented and satisfied
throughout the day. 1t is generally a
poor practice to try to feed several
kinds of roughness together, especially
II one kind is more appetizing than
the others. The cows will always root
through the feed and eat what is liked
the best first. In separating these
put and eating them, the others are
mussed over and will not be eaten.
The dairyman's rule should be to
feed in the most palatable
form, and feed in the most appetiZing
Fifth-Feeding for Quality of But
ter. In winter when the cows are eat
Ing fodder, barley or timothy hay,
straw, etc, the butter is so hard that
I cannot be spread on the bread unless
is warmed. The common opinion is
hat the cold weather makes the but
.er hard, but the cold is only a part
# the cause of this hardness. All the
leeds mentioned above have a tend
,ncy to make the butter hard. If oil
neal. alfalfa, silage, bran and such
leeds are fed, the butter resulting will
Tot be nearly so hard.
The spreading quality of butter is
|. strong factor in increasing or de-
its consumption. No one
likes soft or oily butter, nor do they
ike it so hard that ii cannot be spread
m at all. There are cases on record
where dairymen in the winter have
lad their orders doubled from private
ustomers by changing the feed from
hat which produces hard, crumbly
to feed which made butter that
would spread well. This is a matter
which a great many should give more
areful attention. /;
II will be found that a feed which
a desirable quality of butter
silI also produce the highest yield
+ milk.
The dairy cow should always be fed
fter milking, and never before, or !
yhile milking. There are often odors !
rom the feed, or dust, that may be
bserbed by the milk and this will !
amt the butter, il the cow is fed while
hiking There have at times been
enaplaiHts from feeding of silsge and I
Their strong odored feeds. In nearly
very case it was learned that the
rouble was due to the presence of
feeds in the barn while milking,
nd not to the feeding of them to the j
sws- {
There may be a little trouble in get G
cows trained so that they viii
ak ~eontentedly without feed. but the
let liz that they viii give more milk
fter they are properly 40 trained.