68 EXPERIMENTAL FARMS 



9-10 EDWARD VII., A. 1910 

 SUMMER I'KKDING. 



As (lurliifj tlie invvious llinM- ycnrs, the dairy cattle wt-rc allowed only a very 

 small area lor pasture. They depended very largely upon soiling- erops and corn 

 silage. 



A regular succession of crops was planned to supply the necessary forage. 



A fourteen acre Held waa available for pasture for 50 head. This field had been 

 seecied down the previous year with the following mixture of seed per acre : — lied 

 eIo\er, 5 lbs.; alfalfa, 7 lbs.; timothy, 10 lbs. 



This seeding made such a strong growth in late May and early June that it was 

 decided to divide the field, pasture the cattle on one half and cut the other part for 

 soiling purposes. This proved to be a very satisfactory plan and enabled us to materi- 

 ally increase the carrying power of the field. 



For July, feeding i)rovision had been made by sowing a mixture of peas and cats 

 at the rate of ^ bushels ]xm- acre, ecpinl parts of each by weight. For later feeding, 

 corn was depended ui)on entirely. The fourteen acre field had yielded a good crop, 

 but the dry summer did nothing to encourage growth in July, August and September, 

 hcrce the pasture was merely an exercising ground. The hot dry summer affected 

 tlic milk flow very seriously and milk was produced at a considerably higher cost per 

 hundred pounds than usual. 



WINTKR FKEDING. 



The winter feeding was carried on under much more favourable conditions. The 

 new stable was in good shape, well ventilated and well lighted. Feed was scarce, but, in 

 the case of ens^lag(\ roots, straw and hay. of unusually good quality. Cattle came in 

 rather low in fleah but, with normal a.mounts of the above feeds, soon improved and 

 have seemed to require less meal or concentrated feed than \isual to insure good 

 results in the way of milk production. 



The winter ration has be(Mi on the average about as follows: — 



Lhs. 



Ilt^y 5 



Corn ensilage HO 



Roots 10 



Straw 4 



^leal 7 



The hay was mixed red clover and timothy. The corn silage was of good quality, 

 rich in grain and well preserved. 



The roots were mangels, sugar mangels, sugar beets and turnips. They were 

 usually pulpfd and mixed w'ith the ensilage. 



'.riie straw was of course oat, and was of extra good feeding (piality. since there 

 was a considerable percentage of gTeen oats. It was cut and mixed with the pulped 

 roots and ensilage. 



The meal usually consisted of a mixture of 800 pomuls bran, 300 pounds gluten 

 and 200 pounds oil-cake meal. 



The meal was scattered on the roughage mixture of roots, ensilage and cut straw 

 after it was before the cattle. The hay given was fed uncut after the other material 

 had been cleaned up. 



Of course the amount of nuighage fed depends on the appetite of the cow. the 

 amount of meal is influenced rather by the amount of milk being produced by the 

 cow in question. 



Tier meal ration is gradually increased after calving, until at three or four week-! 

 in milk she is supposed to be on full feed. The amount of meal is judged by the 

 milk produced. If she responds freely to increases in meal, she is fed the more libe'-- 



