Evening star., 1946-12-15
Dairymen Face
Need for More
Milk in Fall
By 6. M. coirns

Dairymen today are faced with
the serious problem of leveling milk
production throughout the year. At
present too much milk is being pro-
duced during the spring and early
summer months, and not enough
during the fall season. The con-
sumner must have milk the year
around.
During the last few years con-
sumption of milk has greatly in
creased. This has been. brought
about. by increased purchasing power
on the part of the general consumer
and more widespread knowledge
of the nutritive value Of milk espe-
cially among veterans.
In achieving a level year-round
milk flow, dairymen may expect to
increase the present high demand
and at the same time make farm
operations more efficient.
Benefits Of Even Production.
More even production will help
distribute the labor requirements on
the farm, will avoid marked seasonal
price changes and will equalize cash
returns to the producer throughout
the year. Uneven milk production
results in increased costs of process
ing and distribution and in lower
returns.
The surplus milk produced during
certain months must be utilized at
that time. This makes 1t necessary
for milk plants to maintain greater
storage and plant capacity than
would be necessary If the flow was
even. In addition, consumption may
be reduced by limited supply OF
milk, as happened in the fall Of 1945.
Recommended Practices.
There are several practices that
are recommended to dairymen to-
bring about an increase In fall
milk production.
AS many heifers as possible
should be bred to freshen in the
fall months. This will mean that
heifers may be held q few months
so that they will be older at calving
time, while others may be bred at
a younger age.
All August and September fresh
ening COWS should be rebred by
January / to calve the following
fall.
Cows that freshen in October,
November and December should be
rebred as soon thereafter as pos
sible.
Not only will fall freshening cows
assist in maintaining level milk
production throughout the year, but
dairy herd improvement associa-
tion records disclose that fall
fresf1ening cows are more profitable
than those calving in the spring.
In Maryland, Pennsylvania, New
Jersey and. Delaware records show
that fall freshening cows averaged
300 to 1000 pounds more milk and
returned $50 more profit than those
that freshened in the spring. Some
of this increase can be attributed
to the fact that cows are better fed
and managed in winter than in
summer months.
Proper feeding practices are i'm
portant in keeping high milk flow
during the winter. Dairymen should
plan an all-season pasture pro-
gram; should feed grain according
to production, increasing the grain
ration as the pasture becomes poor
er, and should feed silage and hay
to supplant pasture. Dairymen
should make the change over from
pasture to barn feeding gradually,
and should have fall-freshening |
cows in good condition for calving.
Management Policies Vital.
The. maximum returns from a.
dairy herd cannot be realized unless
good management practices are fol-
lowed.
Cows should be kept comfortable
by being stabbed on cold and rainy
nights and by the use of plenty Of
bedding and by providing daily ex-
ercise periods.
Dairymen will find it advisable to
use rapid and careful milking meth
ods to protect cows against flies by
spraying barns with DOT.
Calves should be raised by the
limited whole milk method, making
more milk available for human con-
sumption, and low producing COWS
should be culled during the winter
instead Of in the summer. Watch
carefully for disease in the herd,
and If requirements are purchased,
buy those that will freshen in the