CHAP. H. FOODS FOR DAIRY COWS. 253 



and many accounts are given of the nutritive powers of the potato ; one 

 bushel, per diem, with good meadow hay, is said to cause a milch cow 

 to yield as much milk as she would when fed on the finest pasturage. 



Turnips of all kinds are apt to flavour the milk more or less un- 

 pleasantly ; this, however, it is said, may be prevented by cutting off 

 the crown of the turnip, and giving only the lower portion to the cows ; 

 \>y pulping the roots, steaming or cooking them ; and by always giving 

 them to the cows immediately after milking. The flavour of turnips 

 is volatile, and may therefore be got rid of under these precautions. 

 It is claimed that placing a small piece of saltpetre in the milking pail 

 will counteract the odour of turnips. 



Cabbages are of great service, but they require to be given with a 

 considerable portion of sweet hay ; and, like turnips, are apt to impart 

 an unpleasant flavour to butter, unless great care is taken to remove 

 all the deca} r ed leaves. Kohl-rabi appears to be less objectionable in 

 this respect. Fog, or rowen grass, is reserved for use in late autumn 

 and winter. To these may be added, as generally useful in winter, 

 pulverised oil-cake, linseed jelly, and grains, 1 all of the latter, as indeed 

 any kind of meal, to be used with chaff which has been covered up, 

 moistened with scalding water, and left for several hours to cook. 

 By a judicious use of these various articles, together with a due mixture 

 of dry food, considerable nutriment will be thrown into the system, 

 the regular secretions will be excited, and the quality of the milk very 

 materially improved. 



But in some districts, fanners object to the use of roots or green food 

 for milch cows, alleging that it spoils the milk ; they feed this portion 

 of their stock entirely on the best hay and oil-cake during the winter. 



Malt has been highly recommended, the animals fed on it being said 

 to yield better flavoured and richer milk tjhan can be obtained from cows 

 kept on roots or cabbages. The expense, however, will always prevent 

 this article of food being used to any great extent. 



Steamed food is generally admitted to produce more and better milk 

 than raw. This can hardly be due to increased digestibility ; but 

 where hay is mouldy, the fungoid growth can only by steaming be 

 rendered harmless ; and, indeed, such hay should always be steamed 

 whenever it may be found necessary to use it at all as food. But with 

 regard to hay and straw generally, steaming is not at all necessary to 



two lots of cows of equal numbers, great attention being paid to the quantity and quality 

 of the milk produced, and the improvement in the condition of the cattle. In these 

 respects, however, there was found to be little or no variation. The quantity and 

 quality of the milk and the improvement of the cattle were much the same ; but the 

 Swedish turnips were ultimately preferred on account of the deep soil which the mangel 

 required. "Harley's Dairy System," p. 71. 



1 Mr. Harley thus speaks of grains: "When they were plentiful and cheap which was 

 generally the case in winter a large portion of them were given with the more succulent 

 food, but they were apt to make the cattle grain-sick. It has been ascertained that, if cows 

 are kept long upon grains or distillers' wash, their constitution will soon be destroyed, and 

 cattle thus fed should not be kept longer than eight or ten months. A little boiled linseed 

 was considered to be the best antidote in preventing distillers' wash from injuring the 

 health of the animals ; and wheat-straw, cut short and mixed with the grains, prevented 

 the cows from being grain-sick." "Har ley's Dairy System," p. 74. 



