10 FABMEBS* BULLETIN 743. 



DRY ROUGHAGE. 



The best kinds of dry roughage to be fed to the dairy cow, in con- 

 nection with cor* silage or roots, are leguminous hays, such as alfalfa, 

 red, crimson, or alsike clover and soy-bean or cowpea hay. While 

 corn silage is an excellent feed, it is not a balanced one, as it does 

 not contain sufficient protein and mineral matter to meet fully the 

 requirements of the cow. The leguminous hays, in addition to being 

 very palatable, have a tendency to correct this deficiency. They are 

 also one of the best and cheapest sources of protein. One or more of 

 these hays can be grown on any farm, and in addition to their value 

 for feeding purposes, they improve the soil in which they are grown. 

 Hay from Canada field peas, sown with oats to prevent the peas from 

 lodging, also makes an excellent roughage. 



Corn stover, coarse hay, etc., also find a good market through the 

 dairy cow. This class of roughage is low in protein, however, and 

 when it is used the grain ration must be richer in protein. 



No positive rule can be laid down as to the quantity of dry rough- 

 age that should be fed, but about 6 to 12 pounds a day for each cow, 

 in addition to silage, will be found to be satisfactory in most cases. 

 When the dry roughage is of poor quality, such as coarse, weedy hay 

 or a poor grade of cornstalks, a large portion can often be giA T en to 

 advantage, allowing the cow to pick out the best and using the re- 

 jected part for bedding. With this quantity of dry roughage the cow 

 will take, according to her size, from 25 to 50 pounds of silage. This 

 may be considered as a guide for feeding to apply when the roughage 

 is grown on the farm. When everything has to be purchased, it is 

 often more economical to limit the quantity of roughage fed and in- 

 crease the grain ration. 



BOUGHAGE ALONE TOO BULKY A BATION. 



While a cow's stomach is large and her whole digestive system is 

 especially designed to utilize coarse feeds, there is a limit to the bulk 

 that she can take. This limit is below the quantity of roughage that 

 it would require to furnish the nutrients she must have for maximum 

 production; that is, a ration may contain the proper proportions of 

 protein and carbohydrates and still be so bulky that she can not 

 handle it. She therefore should have some grain even though the 

 roughage in itself is a balanced ration. 



IMPORTANCE OF A BALANCED RATION. 



It is probably well at this point to refer briefly to the composition 

 of feedstuffs as it relates to economical feeding of the dairy cow. 

 The cow takes into her digestive system feeds which she utilizes for 



