CHAPTER II 

 FEEDING THROUGH THE LACTATION PERIOD 



This chapter deals with the feeding and management of the 

 cow that has freshened and is in full flow of milk. We assume that 

 through her breeding she has the proper capacity for milk pro- 

 duction and that she has been so fed while dry as to put her in 

 good condition. 



19. Good roughage. Clover and alfalfa hay. — The great- 

 est direct expense is for feed. Since home-grown feeds are the 

 cheapest, the first thing to remember is that the ration should be 

 built around the materials grown on the farm. The dairyman 

 will feed his cows cheapest who has plenty of good roughage. The 

 better the roughage the less of the more expensive feeds he has 

 to buy. 



The best roughage for the dairy cow is clover or alfalfa hay and 

 corn silage. The farmer who grows enough of these feeds so that 

 his cows can have all they will eat has taken the biggest step 

 toward cheap milk production. Everybody knows that to get the 

 most milk the cow must have lots of protein. The high protein 

 feeds are the most costly. Since clover and alfalfa contain much 

 more protein than other hays, the larger the amount of these 

 materials the farmer has, the less of the more expensive feeds he 

 needs to buy. 



It is from the roughage that the cow gets most of her lime, lots 

 of which are required for milk secretion. Legume hay (clover and 

 alfalfa) contains three to four times as much lime as do other 

 hays, and this is another big point in having plenty of it. Further, 

 it is these leafy roughages, clover and alfalfa, that contain the 

 vitamines, — substances that we will probably pay more attention 

 to in making rations as soon as we know more about them. 



As between clover and alfalfa, the latter is more difficult to 

 grow but means cheaper feed per acre once a stand is obtained. 

 Of course not all land will grow these crops. They require a limed 



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