48 EXPERIMEXTAL FARMS 



4-5 EDWARD Vll., A. 1905 

 FEEDIKG THE DAIRY CATTLE. 



One important consideration in feeding dairy cows is to make the ration not only 

 as effective as possible as a milk-produeing ration, but to make it as cheap as possible, 

 and at the same time productive of good results. From the farmer's standpoint the 

 most expensive part of the ration is the grain or meal part thereof. Our experience 

 goes to show that with the use of clover hay and succulent food there is not the same, 

 nor nearly the same need of a large proportion of meal in the ration as there is when 

 either the one or the other of these most valuable milk-producing foods is lacking. 

 When both are absent the amount of meal necessary to insure good returns from the 

 cattle is so great as to render the profitable production of milk almost impossible in 

 winter. 



Both clover hay and succulent food are produced in abundance on the farm here 

 and every advantage is taken of these, to the dairy farmer, invaluable feeds, to reduce 

 the cost of producing miUc. 



Accordingly, the roughage ration fed to the cows consisted of ensilage, roots, 

 (mangels and sugar-mangels), clover hay and some chaff. 



The amount of roughage fed varies considerably, since the milch cows vary in 

 weight from 800 lbs. to 1,600 lbs. The approximate roughage ration fed per 1,000 lbs. 

 live weight is 35 lbs. ensilage, 20 lbs. mangels, 3 lbs. clover hay and a little ^haff. 



The meal mixture or grain ration consisted of different mixtures at different times 

 and for different cows. Cows in heavy miUc should receive a meal ration very rich 

 in milk-forming material. 



In feeding meal, even more than in feeding roughage, to dairy cows there is every 

 opportunity for the careless or ignorant feeder to waste much valuable feed by feeding 

 in too large quantities, or by feeding the wrong kind of meal or grain. 



SUMMER FEEDING. 



The cows were pastured as usual during the greater part of the summer months. 

 They occupied one field of the three year rotation marked * E ' on page 82, and referred 

 to there, as being under pasture in 1904. This field was able to carry about fifty heaJ 

 ot cattle for over a month and over thirty head for over two months. When the pasture 

 began to get bare it was supplemented by soiling crops cut and fed in the stables. A 

 somewhat heavier grain ration was fed this year than usual on account of the greater 

 extent to which soiling was carried on. The meal ration in summer consisted of oats 

 and bran about equal parts. It was fed in amounts varying with the milk yield of tha 

 cows being fed, save in the case of heifers with their first calves which usually received 

 more than their records seemed to call for as it was desired to encourage them and to 

 cultivate in them the habit of maintaining a heavy and uniform flow of milk during 

 the whole lactation period. 



COST OF FEEDING. 



In estimating the cost of feeding, the following prices were charged for feed stuffs, 

 being the average local market rates for the same during the season of 1904, save in 

 the case of ensilage and roots, which are charged for at the rate usually aflfixed in ex- 

 perimental feeding in all parts of America. 



Pasture (per month) $ 1 00 per cow. 



Bran 16 00 per ton. 



Gluten meal and oil meal 25 00 " 



Oats and barley 21 00 ' 



Clover hay 7 00 « 



Chaff 4 00 



Hoots and ensilage 2 00 " 



In estimating the value of the product, 20 cents per pound is allowed for the 

 butter and 15 cents per hundred pounds for the skim-milk and buttermilk. The butter 



