148 FEEDING FARM ANIMALS 



months prior to calving, the dairy cow or the beef 

 cow should receive daily a pound or two of wheat 

 bran, four or five pounds of alfalfa, clover, or cow- 

 pea hay, for needed protein and the ash constituents. 

 This is particularly needed during the winter and 

 during the summer or the fall when the pasture 

 grass is short or withered. 



At Calving Time the cow should be put off by 

 herself. Bran, clover, alfalfa, or cowpea hay, to- 

 gether with silage or some other succulent food, 

 should compose the daily ration. After calving, cut 

 out the ration entirely for a day or so ; feed only a 

 little bran and succulent food. The quantity of food 

 may be increased from the second day gradually un- 

 til the cow is placed on her full ration. It is not well 

 to be in too big a hurry to get the cow on a full ra- 

 tion or to bring her up to the full capacity as a milk 

 producer. It is often a wise practice to use a full 

 month to get the cow on full feed and to her pro- 

 duction capacity. 



The beef cow usually is given the range of the 

 field in which she may drop her calf. She is placed 

 under conditions more natural to her, and hence, 

 usually, will take care of herself and her offspring. 

 If pasture is abundant, supplementary feeds will not 

 be required ; but if she is an important breeding 

 cow herself, in high breeding form and flesh, and if, 

 because of her breeding, it is desired to secure the 

 quickest and fullest development of the calf, addi- 

 tional food in form of concentrates may be given to 

 advantage. If the herbage is scant or otherwise in- 

 sufficient or improper, a grain ration should be pro- 



