CATTLE. 388 



mal, win have its injurious effect. And so f-he coi.dition iu 

 which food is given will exert nearly as perceptible an influence 

 as the kind of food itself. 



The most natural and the most commonly adopted method 

 of feeding dairy cows, in the latter part of spring, through the 

 summer, and the early autumn, is to let them run at pasture. 

 This period will extend from four to six months, according to 

 the locality and the season. Here the cows rely almost wholly 

 upon grass. But it often happens, owing to droughts or over- 

 stocked pastures, that an additional amount of food has to be 

 provided to supplement the supply obtained in the pasture. 

 This will consist, generally, of green food, cut from day to day, 

 in the shape of green corn-fodder, or other culti7ated crops, as 

 root tops, rye, green oats, or other forage crops. On many dairy 

 farms, carried on for the supply of milk, the cows are supplied 

 daily with a small amount of cotton-seed oil meal, wh"ch yields 

 a large quantity of milk. When it is judiciously fed, not 

 exceeding two to four pounds a day for each animal, it is 

 attended with good results. 



The greatest judgment will be required in the winter or stall 

 feeding of stock, and with respect to the diflferent modes pur- 

 sued, the greatest diversity of opinion and practice prevails. 

 While some feed exclusively upon hay, and often an inferior 

 quality and quantity of hay, others feed roots, brewers' grains, 

 and some variety'' of meal, and take the trouble to steam and 

 cook the food,. so as to increase its nutritive qualities and render 

 it rnore palatable. Good hay will undoubtedly form the basis 

 of feeding on a vast majority of dairy farms, and, if furnished in 

 suf&cient quantity, it is generally adequate to the supply of 

 dry cows, or cows not giving milk at the time. 



For cows in milk, during the winter months, the root crop in 

 some form, as that of turnips, Swedes, mangolds, or carrots, is a 



