FOOD OF THE COW. 17 



number of cows which are now brought to the pail in 

 autumn for the provision of milk in winter for the supply 

 of towns makes, of course, the distinction which used to 

 obtain between winter and summer feeding no longer 

 applicable, and the yield of milk is stimulated by the most 

 liberal treatment. And when the object is to obtain the 

 largest possible supply of milk during winter, house feeding 

 is of course adopted. Here, great reliance is placed on 

 grains, of which a bushel a day per cow or even more is 

 given, together with 12 to 18 Ibs. of hay, and J cwt. of 

 roots, chiefly mangold wurzel, or in place of the two last, 

 abundance of cut green food, clover, vetches, &c. during 

 summer. This with ample supply of water forms the 

 daily food of the large Yorkshire cows to be found in 

 London dairies. A common method is to pasture the 

 cows in summer, giving them cut green food in addition 

 towards autumn and in early summer, and feeding in 

 stalls or yards on roots, grains, cake, and hay, and steamed 

 messes during winter. The practice of giving warm mashes 

 is more common in the north. For small Ayrshire cows, 

 the following has been found a sufficient winter dietary on 

 which to keep them in full milk : 30 to 40 Ibs. of boiled 

 turnips, with 6 Ibs. of cut straw, and 3 Ibs. of bean-meal 

 mashed up in them : straw ad lib. being supplied in 

 addition. Mr. Horsfall's winter feeding was remarkably 

 liberal, and he received his return for it in the fattening of 

 his 'cows at the time they were giving milk. The following 

 is the report to the English Agricultural Society of his 

 management : He had for four years given his dairy cows 

 rape-cake, of the kind termed " green " cake, which im- 

 parted to the butter a finer flavour than any other kind of 

 cake ; and in order to induce them to eat it, he blended it 



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