FEEDING THROUGH LACTATION PERIOD 17 



do, have only a limited amount of silage in certain years. We 

 believe it will pay every dairyman to grow some silage crop and 

 that it should be corn if possible. If experience has shown him that 

 he cannot depend on corn, there may be some other silage crop 

 suited to his locality. If the farmer has no silage, he should try 

 to provide some other succulence for his cows. Roots are the 

 best substitute. They do not furnish an equivalent amount of 

 food value as cheaply as does corn silage. Otherwise they may 

 be just as satisfactory. Mangels, sugar beets and rutabagas are 

 the roots most commonly used. They should be sliced up and fed 

 with the grain. Where roots are fed the grain may be reduced 

 somewhat. 



35. Other succulence. — Another way to provide succulence 

 is by the use of dried beet pulp soaked in water before feeding. 

 Take one pound of beet pulp in place of about eight pounds of 

 silage and soak it in water ten to twelve hours. The grain ration 

 need not be quite as heavy where beet pulp is fed. However, it is 

 the most costly way of getting succulence. 



Without succulent feed of any kind the grain feeding must be. 

 somewhat more liberal than otherwise, and the mixture should 

 contain more of the laxative feeds. 



36. How much to feed. — In determining this point we first 

 decide on the amount of grain needed on the basis of the milk 

 produced and then give the cow all the hay and silage she will 

 clean up in addition. In deciding on the grain for a given amount 

 of milk we think of three things, — the kind of roughage available, 

 the price of milk and the fat content of the milk produced. With 

 the best quality hay and silage or roots, feed one pound of grain 

 for every four pounds of milk, where the price of the product is 

 low. If the price is high, the extra milk produced by heavier feed- 

 ing, one pound of grain to three of milk, will justify the cost. 

 Where ordinary feeding hay is the roughage, feed one pound of 

 grain for every two and one-half or three pounds of milk, depend- 

 ing on its price. The above figures are for 3.5 per cent milk; for 

 producing richer milk the grain allowance should be increased 

 somewhat. Under conditions where one pound for three pounds 



