52 THE RESULTS OF DIFFERENT MODES OF FEEDING ON 



a material effect in alleviating the disagreeable flavour acquired 

 from turnips. During the winter months, cows are generally fed 

 three times a day, and, as I have previously mentioned, turnips 

 ought ne^'Cr to be given as the first diet in the morning or im- 

 mediately before being milked, unless they are boiled or pulped. 



It has been often remarked that plants given to cows in a 

 green state impart a bright yellow tint to butter and cheese, but 

 when given in a matured and dry state they have a different 

 effect. Feeding on hay or straw, with or without bruised grain 

 of any sort, produces butter and cheese invariably of a white 

 colour, except from cows that have recently calved. 



I have tried several methods of feeding cows, with a view to 

 increase both the quantity and enrich the quality of milk, and 

 the following I hav^e found to be the best : — The cows are put 

 to grass about the second week in May, taken home and milked 

 three times a day. In the morning before milking they get four 

 pounds of oil-cake or linseed-cake each for about two months, 

 and in the evenino: cut orrass or tares. The first week before 

 commencing to give them cake, cows that were giving six quarts 

 of milk per day increased to eight and even nine quarts after 

 getting it. After the first two months when the pastures begin 

 to fall off, the same allowance of cake is given at mid-day instead 

 of in the morning, and grass or tares given morning and even- 

 ing. This method I found to keep up the quantity of milk, but 

 the quality was not so rich ; the quantity of butter falling off 

 about two pounds per week for each cow. This arrangement is 

 carried on till October, when the cows are on the stubbles, then 

 a few white turnips are given in the evening with plenty of hay 

 or oat-straw at their command. In a few weeks they get an 

 additional feed of turnips in the morning after being milked, 

 and gradually retained in the house for the winter. JSTo addi- 

 tional feeding is given so long as white turnips are in use. By 

 this feeding the milk increased a little in quantity, but the 

 quality was inferior on account of the soft nature of the turnips. 

 In IsTovember or December yellow turnips are given morning and 

 afternoon, four pounds of oil-cake or linseed-cake in the forenoon, 

 and a small quantity of cooked food, with a little bean-meal added, 

 the last thing at night. I have found this sort of feeding to 

 increase both the quantity as v/ell as enrich the quality of the 

 milk, and the flavour of the butter and cheese was superior. 

 The expense of the extra feeding, I consider, was repaid by the 

 increase of milk and butter, as well as saving of turnips, also 

 the better condition of the animals, and superior quality of the 

 manure. About Candlemas Swedish turnips are given, and 

 continued till the grass, the same allowance of cake and addi- 

 tional food being supplied. Sometimes a few raw potatoes have 

 been given in the afternoon instead of turnips, which I have 



