Feed and Care of the Dairy Cow. 437 



much labor, and the judicious use of commercial fertilizers in many 

 cases, but it is far better to spend money for these purposes than to 

 pay it in the dragging-down process of forever buying feed that 

 under a wiser system could be profitably produced at home. (275-6) 



711. Protein-rich silage. — There is great need for some protein- 

 rich legume which can be satisfactorily ensiled. The soybean and 

 cowpea are the most promising candidates, and if these can be profit- 

 ably grown and successfully ensiled along with the green corn crop, 

 the mixture will furnish a ration almost rich enough in protein and 

 sufficiently digestible to nearly do away with the necessity for sup- 

 plying any concentrates. (360, 658) 



712. Soilage, summer silage. — The dairyman wdio feeds silage 

 knows that not for a single day in winter will his cows suffer for 

 food. Let him next plan that there shall be equal provision for them 

 in summer. It is practically impossible to have pastures that will 

 provide an abundance of grass for the herd at all times with little 

 or no waste. Pasturage supplemented by partial soilage or silage 

 solves the problem of summer feeding as economically and completely 

 as does silage feeding solve the problem of winter feeding. The wise 

 dairyman will provide sufficient soilage or silage to make good all 

 possible shortage of the pastures in summer. Soilage and silage en- 

 able the dairyman to maintain the maximum flow of milk at the min- 

 imum cost for production, regardless of the season. (Ch. XIV, Part I) 



713. Trashy feeds and timothy hay. — The prevailing high prices 

 for concentrates have brought out a great many new feeds and feed 

 combinations, ranging from w^orthless to excellent. Feeling the pinch 

 of poverty, the dairyman is tempted to buy the poorer grades, vainly 

 hoping that his cows will thrive on them, while he saves a little 

 money by their use. Almost without exception, low-grade concen- 

 trates are extravagantly expensive feeding stuffs. (Ch. XIV, Part IV) 



Next to the folly of buying trashy feeds is the practice of many 

 dairymen, especially in the Eastern states, of using timothy hay for 

 roughage, supplemented with large quantities of expensive purchased 

 concentrates. (224, 664) Timothy hay has its uses, but it is not suit- 

 able or economical for feeding dairy cows. The dairyman who relies 

 on this roughage for nourishing his dairy herd often gets no return 

 for his invested money and less wages for himself than the hired man 

 who helps him milk the cows. 



714. Compounding rations. — Chapter VIII, which teaches how to 

 formulate rations, and Table III of the Appendix, giving the diges- 

 tible nutrients in feeding stuff's, should be studied by dairymen de- 

 sirous of knowing the composition of feeding stuffs and how to com- 



