MODES OF FEEDING DAIRY COWS, 



393 



more than ordinary condition, and gave abort sixteen 

 quarts per day. Her owner states that on the first of 

 January her condition was much diminished. This is 

 corroborated by Mr. Myers, a dealer in the village, who 

 tells me that, previous to her calving, he was desirous 

 of purchasing her, and would have given from seven- 

 teen pounds ten shillings to eighteen pounds, and 

 describes her as being at that time full of beef. Her 

 weight on the first of January, 7 cwt. 2 qrs., bespeaks 

 her condition as much lowered. 



During the month of October, and till late in Novem- 

 ber, she was turned out in the daytime to graze on 

 aftermath, and housed during the night, where she was 

 supplied with turnips. From the close of November 

 till the first week in February, her food consisted of 



Meadow hay of inferior quality, ... 18 Ibs. per day. 



Swedish turnips, 45 " " " 



Ground oats, 9 " " " 



After this the ground oats were discontinued, and 

 meadow hay of good quality was given ad libitum, with 

 forty-five pounds of turnips. 



For comparison I selected a cow of my own, which 

 calved about the 8th of October, and gave soon after 

 eighteen quarts of milk per day ; she was also of small 

 size. At the time of calving her condition was some- 

 what higher than that of Mr. Smith's. When the 

 experiment was begun, on the first of January, no per- 

 ceivable difference was found in the yield of milk of 

 Mr. Smith's cow and my own, each giving fifteen and a 

 half quarts per day. 



The following table gives the dates of calving of the 

 three cows, together with their weights and yield of 

 milk at the commencement and termination of the 

 experiment : 



