FEEDING DAIRY CATTLE 193 



In a small run connected with the building freedom 

 and exercise may be had. Food, similar in character 

 and amount to that given the cows, usually is fed. 

 Nutritious roughage and succulent food should be 

 supplied generously, and may form the bulk of the 

 ration. During the period of greatest service, rich 

 food of a protein character should be fed liberally. 

 The Order of Supplying the Food will vary as cir- 

 cumstances arise. Certain foods, like cabbage, sil- 

 age and turnips, will be less likely to taint the milk 

 if fed after milking. Grain may be given just before 

 or some time previous to milking. In the case of 

 hay less trouble will follow from dust and odors if 

 fed after milking. The following order is followed 

 on many up-to-date dairy farms : Milking, first ; then 

 the grain feeding ; then silage or roots ; stable clean- 

 ing while the cows are watering; following this 

 work come hay feeding and grooming. If the 

 weather is pleasant, the cows are turned out for ex- 

 ercise and morning air. Towards evening the cows 

 are watered, fed grain, milked, fed the silage or 

 roots, and then are given their final supply of hay. 



SOME SAMPLE RATIONS 



For Dairy Calves. 



Provide a grain mixture consisting of ground oats 



and corn meal, each three parts, and oil meal 



and bran, each one part. 

 In summer: Keep on pasture and give about 2 



pounds of the mixture to six-month calves, 3 



pounds to yearlings and 4 pounds to those 18 



months old if pasture is short. 



