404 FEEDS AND FEEDING 



barn ^produced 2 per ct. more milk from each therm of net energy in 

 the feed they consumed, than cows sheltered in an open shed. In trials 

 carried on at Beltsville, Maryland, during 3 years by Woodward and 

 colleagues of the United States Department of Agriculture, 10 cows ate 

 more feed and produced slightly more milk when allowed the freedom 

 of an open shed than when housed in a well-ventilated barn, but the 

 increase in production was not great enough to offset the additional feed 

 consumed. Therefore, the production was more economical in the barn. 

 When kept in the open shed, there was a tendency for "boss cows" to 

 keep others from their feed. More labor was required with the cows in 

 the open shed, partly because they had to be driven to a small barn and 

 confined in stanchions at milking time. 



To preserve the health of the herd as well as for sanitary reasons, it 

 is advisable to have no less than 4 square feet of window glass for each 

 animal. It is well to disinfect the stable thoroly at least once a year, 

 to check any possible spread of disease. As the dairy cow is a sensitive, 

 nervous animal, the wise dairyman will provide comfortable stalls or 

 swinging stanchions, and see that the cows are well bedded. The bene- 

 fits from dehorning have already been pointed out. (566) The sharp 

 decline in milk production which often occurs in midsummer, charged 

 by many to the annoyance of the cows by flies, undoubtedly is more 

 often due to a shortage of feed and to the heat. Beach and Clark at 

 the Connecticut (Storrs) Station 11 and Eckles at the Missouri Station 12 

 found no increase in milk production when the herd was sprayed with 

 a fly repellant, tho the cows were less restless during milking when 

 they had been previously sprayed. 



655. Exercise. In the northern states during the winter, the cows 

 should be turned out daily for exercise for about 1 to 2 hours, except in 

 stormy or unusually severe weather, in a sunny yard which is sheltered 

 from the prevailing winds. Such exercise will aid in keeping them 

 thrifty, but forcing them to stay outside a good share of the day in 

 cold weather is a waste of feed and will commonly reduce the yield 

 severely. In the South, winter pasture should be provided whenever 

 possible. 



656. Preparation of feed. Since the cow giving a large flow of milk 

 is working hard, her grain should be ground or crushed and roots 

 should be sliced or pulped. There is no advantage in cooking or soak- 

 ing ordinary feeds. 



657. Frequency and order of feeding. On account of the large capac- 

 ity of the cow's paunch and the considerable time needed for chewing 

 the cud, the common practice of feeding cows twice daily, with pos- 

 sibly a little roughage at noon, is a reasonable one. The particular 

 order of feeding roughage and concentrates is not important, tho the 

 same order should be followed from day to day and the cows should be 

 fed at regular intervals. Many dairymen feed the concentrates before 



10 U. S. D. A. Bui. 736. " Conn. (Storrs) Bui. 32. u Mo. Bui. 68. 



