20 University of New Hampshire [Sta. Bull. 322 



April, but within five months, after Hush pasture season, production 

 had declined 43 per cent. This operator fed only small amounts of 

 grain and depended largely on unimi)roved permanent pasture to 

 support milk production. The rapid decline in production after the 

 June flush period suggests that the cows were not obtaining suffi- 

 cient nutrients to maintain a normal rate of production. 



With an abundance of quality roughage, either in the form of im- 

 proved permanent pasturage or supplemental pastures, production 

 should hold up during the late summer without heavy grain feed- 

 ing. The cows would then be in a better condition to maintain pro- 

 duction through the winter. 



To study the seasonal production on this farm in more detail, a 

 normal expected lactation production curve was assumed for cows 

 capable of producing approximately 25 pounds of milk at freshening 

 time. This curve was applied to each freshening date for the year 

 and summarized into a normal ])roduction for the herd. 



As indicated in figure 9 the actual production curve declines 

 much more rapidly in midsummer than the expected normal curve. 

 On this particular farm the operator had over 80 per cent of his 

 cows freshen in March and April in order to take advantage of the 

 flush pasture period, but this advantage was soon lost by failure to 

 furnish sufficient quality pasturage or roughage in late summer. 



Had production followed the normal production curve, the addi- 

 tional 43.852 pounds of milk would have resulted in $418 additional 

 gross income. Because of the low' basic rating on this farm much 

 of the additional production would have been classified as surplus. 

 The problem facing the individual operator is more conq^licated than 

 can be stated in simple terms, but he needs to consider how far he 

 can profitably proceed toward a normal production when the full at- 

 tainment would gross only $418 additional income. 



We do not have sufficient data to discuss the problem in great de- 

 tail, ])ut the normal production and adjustment to his basic rating 

 would require : 



1. Supplemental ])asturcs or improved pastures 



2. Shifting of freshening dates on one-fourth of the herd 



3. Additional grain feeding 



The long range adjustment might well be the im])rovement of a 

 limited acreage of permanent pasture. This would involve the use 

 of lime and super])hos])hate on pastures to stimulate clover and ex- 

 tend the good i)asture season. Even under these conditions until the 

 permanent pastures are developed, considerable supplementary pas- 

 turage will be recpiired. Much of the labor necessary to produce 

 supplementary pasture feed could be done at slack periods on this 

 farm. The actual out-of-pocket costs in the form of seed and fer- 

 tilizer would be small. 



Since the operator did not produce up to his rating in December. 

 January. i'"ebruary and March, he could arrange to have more cows 

 freshen in the fall. It might be to his advantage to have a distinct 

 feeding ])ractice fi>r the fall freshening cows, carrving them nn a 

 heavier grain feeding thmugh most of the year. Thus, he would be 

 managing his fall freshening cows to take advantage of the rating 



