Management of Dairy Cattle. 



2G5 



These oljservations extend over lengthened peiuods on the 

 same animals, of from 30 to upwards of 50 weeks ; a cow, free 

 from calf and intended for fattening, continues to give milk from 

 10 months to a year after calvine:, and is then in a forward state 

 of fatness, requiring but a few weeks to fmish her for sale to the 

 butchers. 



It will thus appear tliat my endeavours to provide food adapted 

 to the maintenance and improvement of my milch cows have 

 been attended with success. 



On examining the composition of the ordinary food which I 

 have described, straw, roots, and hay, it appears to contain the 

 nutritive properties which are found adequate to the maintenance 

 of the animal, whereas the yield of milk has to be provided for 

 by a supply of extra food : the rape-cake, bran, and bean- 

 meal which I give will supply the. albumen for the casein; it 

 is somewhat deficient in oil for the butter, whilst it will supply 

 in excess the phosphate of lime for a full yield of milk, li I 

 take the class of cows giving less than 12 quarts per day, and 

 taking also into account a gain of flesh, 7 to 9 lbs. per weeTc, 

 though I reduce the quantity of extra food by giving less of the 

 bean-meal, yet the supply will be more in proportion tlian with a 

 full yield ; the surplus of nitrogen and phosphoric acid, or phos- 

 phate of lime, will go to enrich the manure. 



1 cannot here omit to remark on the satisfaction I derive 

 from the effects of this treatment on the fertility of the land 

 in my occuj)atIon. My rich pastures are not tending to im- 

 poverLshment, but to increased fertility ; their Improvement in 

 condition is apparent. A cow In full milk, giving IG quarts 

 per day, of the quality analysed by llaidlen, requires, beyond the 

 food necessary for her maintenance, G to 8 lbs. per day of sub- 

 stances containing 30 or 25 per cent, of protein. A cow giving 

 on the average 8 quarts j)er day, witli which she gains 7 to 9 lbs. 

 per week, requires 4 to 5 1I)S. per day of substances rich in pro- 

 tein bevond the food which is necessary for her maintenance. 

 Kxperlcnce of fattening gives 2 ll)s. per day, or 14 lbs. per week, 

 as what can be attainc^d on an average and for a length ol time. 

 If we consider ^ lb. per day as fat, which is not more than pro- 

 bable, there will be \K II). for flesh, which, reckoned as dry mate- 



