56 EXPERIMENTAL FARMS 



5-6 EDWARD VII., A. 1906 

 FEEDING DAIRY CATTLE. 



Por the Canadian dairy farmer the chief aim in his feeding operations for milk 

 production must ever be to produce the milk at as low a cost as possible. A not ini- 

 common error, however, if one may judge by the average returns from Canadian dairy 

 herds, is to attempt to lower cost by so decreasing the amount of food fed or by supply- 

 ing food of such poor quality as to make heavy milk yields impossible. Profitable milk 

 yields and very light rations do not go together. An abundance of food low in nutri- 

 tive value is equally certain to prove unsatisfactory. To illustrate, a cow with the ca- 

 pacity to consume 25 lbs. of dry matter per day will not be profitable if fed only 20 lbs. 

 per day. Neither will she be likely to prove more profitable even though she receive the 

 25 lbs. of dry matter per day if that dry matter be made up chiefly of such coarse 

 forage as straw and chaff. It must be borne in mind, however, that it is quite possible 

 to feed too heavy a ration and also that one may easily feed a ration too rich in nutri- 

 tive elements as for instance by feeding too large a proportion of meal in the ration. 



Our experiments and experience go to show that certain qualities should charac- 

 terize rations for dairy cows if they are to prove satisfactory. In the first place the food 

 should be so abundant as to quite satisfy the cow without encouraging her to leave any- 

 thing over. In the second place it should be so palatable as to induce her to eat all she 

 can get. Lastly it should be so high in food value as to insure a sufficient amount of 

 material for milk production being left after life has been maintained. The best and 

 most available aids to palatability at the command of the farmer are succulent feeds, 

 such as roots and ensilage ; while clover hay and bran are usually the most economical 

 sources of such nutritive elements as are most essential for milk production. 



Of succulent feeds there is usually a sufficiency in summer, but even the summer 

 supply frequently falls short in such districts as are heavily stocked. Of the two sea- 

 sons it is quite certain that an abundance of green feed in summer is even more im- 

 portant than in winter, hence the necessity of every daiiy fai-mer making provision 

 by means of soiling crops of (1) pease and oats, (2) oats and vetches, (3) pease, oats 

 and vetches, (4) clover, (5) alfalfa, (6) green corn or (7) white turnips, or possibly 

 better still by means of (8) the summer silo filled with corn or clover ensilage. 



In winter, in addition to corn, clover or other ensilage, sugar beets, mangels and 

 turnips may be provided and are certain to prove profitable additions to the dry ration 

 usually fed. 



The value of a small amount of such succulent food in winter can scarcely be over- 

 estimated. Where it is desired to feed stock very cheaply, yet in such a way as to insure 

 good i-eturns during the winter and good preparation for the next summer's work, en- 

 silage or roots are certainly the most economical foods that can be used. 



The amount of such' foods to use will depend chiefly upon the supply, since the 

 ration might quite easily include as much as 50 lbs. roots or 40 lbs. ensilage per average 

 tiized adult animal. Hence if all of such food as could be fed were to be fed, a supply 

 of from 5 to 8 tons should be provided for each full grown cow. This would of course 

 provide for summer as well as for winter feeding. 



In feeding succulent foods probably the best preparation is to mix chaff, cut straw 

 or cut hay in the proportion of 5 lbs. of one of them or a mixture of all three to 100 

 ensilage, or pulped roots or a mixture of the two. Probably the best roughage ration 

 possible of preparation would be cut clover 5 lbs., pulped sugar beets 40 lbs., ensilage 

 60 lbs., mixed every second day in quantities sufficient for 48 hours feed and mixed, if 

 possible, 6 hours before the first feed is to be fed therefrom. Mangels are exceedingly 

 valuable as feed for cows but not equal to sugar beets. Sugar beets it must be remem- 

 bered, however, cost more per ton to produce. Turnips are not to be recommended for 

 cows whose milk is to be manufactured into butter or cheese nor for herds from which 

 cream is to be sold. Corn ensilage is probably about the best that could be provided. 

 A mixture of good corn and second growth clover is, however, even more to be desired 

 than pure corn ensilage. Clover ensilage if well made is of very high feeding value 

 but is generally more difficult to procure of good quality than the com ensilage where 



