832 Agricultural Gazette of N.S.W. \Oct. 2, 1908. 



Feeding Milking Herds 



H. R. ALEXANDER, 



■r- 



Experiment Farm, W'olloiij^liar. 



AViTii tlic t'xce))ti()ii of the cows of town iuiil siil)urli;iii (lairymcMi, tlic tVcdiii^ 

 of dairy cattle in tliis State has so fai- not l•ecei^e(l llic attention it deserves. 

 Every year our dairy farmers are becoaiin<;' nioi'e convinced of tlic advan- 

 tages to be gained by growing and conserving sutHcient fodder at least ta 

 carry their stock in fail' comlition through the winter and dry summer 

 periods. 



Nothing could be more disheartening to the dairyman than to see a fine 

 spring opening out, and his cows too low in condition to allow (jf the respond- 

 ing at once in milk with the new growth of feed. \^'hen grass becomes 

 plentiful the poor cow takes some considerable time to come propcM'ly on in 

 h^r milk. This means a falling off in cows' milk yield for this particular 

 lactation period. Further, a cow low in condition is liable to go down 

 under a too liberal supply of fresh young grass. 



On the other hand the fed animal being in good heart and having no con- 

 dition lee-way to make up, increases at once in her milk How with the spi-ing 

 grass. Knowing this, the farmer should feed not only his milkers Init the 

 dry cows as well. 



Under our New South Wales dairying comlitions the farmer must regulate 

 his cows and fodder crops to suit his particular district. The cows should be 

 bred so that the majority ai-e at full profit during the period at which, on the 

 average, it is fount! feed is most abundant. The balance of herd could then 

 V)e bred to calve at intervals throughout the year. 



To maintain a i-easonable milk i-evenue at the period wIkmi the majority of 

 cows are dry, say June to August, a good plan is to liave all heifers 

 replacing culled cows bred to calve at this time of year. 



By so doing, milking being slack, the heifers can be broken in, udders- 

 attended to, &c., without unduly upsetting the yard routine. Tlu^se heifers 

 would not be again bred to bull till November or December, ami would then 

 work in with the main hei'd. To allow of economical management this regu- 

 lating of dairy herd is advisable: less fodder is requireil to feed dry cows 

 than milkers. Further, a small, com pai-atively freshly-calved lot of cows can 

 be jii\-en eveiy attention, an abundance of feed, and be made to milk lita\ily 

 right through the winter without the farmer incurring any additional labdur 

 expenses. 



Tn the lower South Coast grass feed is found to be most abundant from 

 September to December. During January and February, having seeded, grass 

 is usually somewhat dry, and failing good rains to stimulate a fresh growth, 

 the milk (low will show a considerable shrinkage, unless the cows" feed is 

 supplemented with soine green fodder. 



