234 BETTER DAIRY FARMING 



causes trouble but it is generally believed that the meal contains 

 a poisonous substance. Dairy cows are little susceptible to the 

 trouble and there is no danger in feeding them any moderate 

 amount of the meal. We do not believe the grain ration should in 

 general contain more than 30 per cent cottonseed meal, but this 

 amount may be raised somewhat if the animals are on pasture or 

 receiving silage liberally. There is some basis for the belief that 

 cows fed heavily on cottonseed meal are likely to develop garget 

 or other udder troubles. Whether this possibility is due to the 

 same property that causes trouble in young pigs and calves is 

 not known, but it is believed that the meal may be fed in the 

 amount we have stated with little if any extra likelihood of udder 

 troubles. 



431. Flaxseed products. — Ground flaxseed is sometimes fed 

 to young calves along with skim milk or as an ingredient of a calf 

 meal. The seed is about one-third oil, thus the ground product 

 quickly becomes rancid. 



In the oil pressing process, the cleaned seeds are ground, heated 

 and pressed to extract the oil. The residue which is in the form 

 of hard slabs or "cake" is ground to give the oil meal. This 

 method is called the old process (O. P.) in distinction to a new 

 process, which at one time came into use but was later largely 

 abandoned, whereby the oil was dissolved out instead of being- 

 extracted by pressure. 



432. Linseed oil meal. — This feed is laxative and stimulating 

 to appetite and milk flow and helps keep the animals in good con- 

 dition. A fine, sleek, oily coat results from the feeding of Unseed 

 oil meal. It is widely used in feeding for records and is a particu- 

 larly fine feed for growing animals. We like to have it as an in- 

 gredient of every dairy ration, particularly where no silage is fed. 

 It is generally somewhat more costly on a total digestible nutrient 

 basis than cottonseed meal, but it is worth more because of the 

 special qualities we have mentioned, and the price difference at 

 most times is not so great but that at least 5 or 10 per cent 

 can be included in the ration. Its laxative properties will result 

 in scouring when used in too large amounts. The upper limit 



