478 Feeds and Feeding. 



The character of silage is such that, even though cows seem- 

 ingly thrive on it when fed alone, some dry roughage should be 

 supplied with it In northern latitudes the cow should not be 

 wholly maintained in winter on silage. Good corn silage always 

 contains a liberal supply of ears, and the amount to be fed de- 

 pends directly upon the proportion of ears to forage. From thirty 

 to fifty pounds is the usual daily allowance for a cow. (See Chap- 

 ter XV.) 



731. Rations for dairy cows. — The young dairyman scans re- 

 ports to ascertain what others are feeding their cows; the dairy- 

 man with years of experience is not averse to knowing of the 

 practices of others, though he may be slow in changing to that 

 which is new. (136) 



In 1894, Woll, of the Wisconsin Station, ^ by correspondence 

 secured data concerning the rations fed by more than a hundred 

 dairymen scattered over the United States. (146) As most ol 

 tliem were noted in their specialty, we can place no better guide 

 before the reader than a group of rations from this source: 



Colorado.— 2Q lbs. alfalfa hay, 5 lbs. oat straw, 2h lbs. wheat bran, 2J Iba. 

 shorts, 5 lbs. oats, IJ lbs. cotton-seed meaL 



Connecticut. — 35 lbs. corn silage, 10 lbs. hay, 3 lbs. bran, 3 lbs. corn and 

 cob meal, 2 lbs. cotton-seed meal, 2 lbs. Chicago gluten meaL 



Illinois. — 10 lbs. timothy hay, 10 lbs. clover hay, 8 lbs. com, IJ lbs. oats. 



India7ia.— 30 lbs. com silage, 5 lbs. clover hay, 3 lbs. com fodder, 1 lb. 

 oat straw, 1 lb. wheat straw, 6 lbs. bran, 2 lbs. oil meal, 2 lbs. cot- 

 ton-seed meal. 



Iowa.— 50 lbs, corn silage, 5 lbs. hay, 5 lbs. com fodder, 1 lb. oat straw, 



1 lb. barley straw, 5 lbs. ear com, 2J lbs. ground oats and barley. 



Kentucky.— 32.5 lbs. com silage, 6 lbs. clover hay, 3 lbs. com fodder, 5 

 lbs. corn meal, 4 lbs. ship-stuff, 2 lbs. oil meal. 



Massachusetts.— ^ lbs. com silage, 5 lbs. English hay, 5 lbs. clover hay, 



2 lbs. bran, 2 lbs. gluten meal, 1 lb. cotton-seed meal, 1 lb. oil 

 meal. 



Michigan. — 27.5 lbs. corn silage, 3 J lbs. clover hay, 3 J lbs. timothy hay, 

 3.6 lbs. bran, J lb. oatti, 1 lb. rye, J lb. oil meal. 

 « Bui. 38. 



