CARE AND FEEDING OF DAIRY CATTLE. 37 



mangels on poor soil, and are more nutritious, but require more labour to grow. 

 Turnips are much affected by green-fly (aphides) Jn this Province. Turnips may 

 taint the milk of cows fed on them. Do not feed frozen roots or fatal results may 

 follow. 



Regarding the feeding value of mangels, it has been found that 1 Ib. of the dry 

 matter in mangels equals 1 Ib. of mixed grain, and is slightly superior to 1 Ib. of 

 the dry matter in corn ensilage. When concentrates cost $30 per ton, mangels are 

 an economical feed if they can be raised and stored for $4 per ton. 



KALE. 



Many dairy-farmers are now using this crop for fall feeding. It yields excel- 

 lently, many plants weighing 25 to 30 Ib. when full-grown. Kale stands a good deal 

 of hard frost, and can generally be used until December in our main dairy districts. 

 Rape, cabbage, and turnips are valuable feeds, but if fed to dairy cows there is 

 danger of the milk becoming tainted. Cows heavily fed on potatoes are apt to yield 

 poor-quality, salvy butter. 



CORN. 



Used as grain, soiling crop, or as silage, this crop has proved of immense value 

 to dairymen. The yield of green corn averages about 15 tons to the acre in this 

 Province. The grain is very rich and palatable, but is low in protein and needs 

 balancing with some concentrate richer in nitrogenous matter. 



A well-developed system of milk-veins. (Photo by courtesy of Prof. C. H. Eckles.) 

 WHEAT BBAN AND SHORTS. 



Bran is widely used, being rich in the protein and mineral matter necessary for 

 milk production, except lime. Its light weight and palatability makes it valuable 

 for mixing with heavier feeds, making the ration more digestible and preventing 

 constipation. 



Shorts or middlings is also a good dairy feed and is somewhat richer than 

 bran. It also lacks in lime. It is close in texture and should be mixed with other 

 feed. Sometimes ground-over bran is sold as middlings. 



OATS. 



Ground or crushed oats is a splendid feed for dairy cows. Good oats are worth 

 about 10 per cent, more than bran, weight for weight. They make a well-balanced 

 grain ration fed alone. Oat hulls are about equal to timothy hay in feeding value. 

 The oatmeal-factories dispose of a large quantity of this poor material combined 

 with other feeds and sold as mixed feed. 



