170 Injluence of Food on Cows. [March, 



INFLUENCE OF FOOD ON COWS FOR THE PRODUC- 

 TION OF MILK. 



BY C. N. BEMENT. 



Farmers in general are not fond of trying experiments, and 

 are more attached to their old customs than persons of other pro- 

 fessions; this may arise from the value of their labor, which they 

 cannot spare from other avocations to make experiments, and 

 from fear of being laughed at by their neighbors should they be 

 unsuccessful. The best way, therefore, to introduce any thing 

 new is to give facts from occular demonstration. 



Being rather fond of making experiments myself, I had an op- 

 portunity of gratifying my propensity, while I resided on my 

 farm at Three Hills. The results of some of the experiments 

 made, I have freely communicated. I have given some experi- 

 ments in regard to making butter in cold weather, by the scald- 

 ing process; I have also endeavored to ascertain the difference in 

 the quality of milk from different cows; the quantity of milk it 

 takes to make a pound of butter, &c., &c. 



To make cows give an abundance of milk, and of a good 

 quality, they must, at all times, have plenty of good nourishing 

 food. It was my desire to ascertain the kind of food best calcu- 

 lated to produce the richest and greatest quantity of milk. Grass 

 is generally supposed to be the best food yet known for this pur- 

 pose, and that kind of grass which springs up spontaneously on 

 rich upland or hilly soils is considered best of all. It is also gen- 

 erally believed, and confidently asserted, that old pastures alone 

 can ever be made to produce rich butter. This, however, I know 

 from my own experience to be a popular error, as I have had as 

 rich and high flavored butter made from the milk of cows fed on 

 meadows, or aftermarth, as it is called by some, as those fed up- 

 on very rich old pastures. 



It is well known to the most superficial observer, that in order 

 to obtain milk from a cow, something must be given her to man- 

 ufacture it fiom. For proof of this I will only refer to those per- 

 sons who keep one or two cows. Such persons generally slop their 

 cows — that is, they feed them on slops or swill of the house, with 

 a small quantity of bran, ship stuffs or Indian meal mixed with it. 

 Cows thus fed, in addition to hay or grass, generally produce 

 more milk than when fed on grass alone; evidently showing the 

 necessity, if not economy, of liberally feeding cows while in 

 milk. From my own observation, I am induced to believe that 

 the ki7id of food has probably more influence upon the quantity 

 of the milk than any other circumstance. It is well known to 

 most dairy farmers, that the wild onion, the cabbage or turnip, 

 when eaten by the cow, imparts to the milk and butter an un- 



