If the minimum amount were two tons, such a unit would be able to use 

 a load every four weeks. With company policies and inadequate knowledge 

 about the keeping characteristics of feed, it is difficult to pinpoint exactly 

 the minimum-sized herd which can come under bulk-feed service. 



For New Hampshire conditions, this translates itself into two groupings, 

 those to whom bulk feed is unavailable and who should progress toward 

 the most efficient means of handling bagged feed, and those to whom bulk 

 feed is available and who can take advantage of gravity flow. It does not 

 seem at this time that the plans for complete mechanization of feeding grain 

 to milk cows are as desirable costwise as bulk feed gravity-flow arrange- 

 ments. 



(7) 



Grain 

 R oom 



Mi/kfng 

 Parlor 



Grain stored in small room off milking 

 parlor. Bucket used in feeding. 



Grain stored in bulk bin located above 

 the milking parlor. Downspout to (a) 

 bucket used in feeding, or (b) barrels 

 used to store day's supply. Possible 

 variation toward mechanization in- 

 clude bulk bin, automatic feeder, end- 

 less chain, and meters, or several 

 downspouts from bulk bin to meters. 

 The former is similar to Michigan 

 State milking room feeder. 



Figure 11. Grain-feeding arrangements in pen stables and milking parlors 



on dairy farms. 



Dry Cows and Young Stock. 



Most of what has been said with respect to milk cows will apply to 

 dry cows and young stock, insofar as stanchion stables are concerned. 

 With loose housing, or pen stables, the problem of feeding grain is some- 

 what different. First, there may be no central point through which the 

 animals pass. Second, the problem of feeding different amounts of grain is 

 less important than with milk cows. Feeding grain to such animals in pen 

 stabling might be similar to the feeding of beef cattle, where little or no at- 

 tempt can be made to see that each animal gets a certain amount, but only 

 that an average of so much grain per head is fed. There are mechanical 

 systems for feeding hay, silage, and grain to beef cattle. The various feed 

 items are generally mixed together and conveyed to the feeding area. Be- 

 cause of the relatively small numbers of animals involved on New Hampshire 

 dairy farms, such methods do not seem to have general applicability at this 

 time. 



41 



