THE COW AND THE DAIRY 



Feeding. 



The Cow requires to be supplied with an abundance of food, not to make her 

 fat, which is not desirable, but to keep up a regular secretion of milk in the sys- 

 tem. The feeding must be regular, from early morning to night, and pure water 

 must also be offered at proper intervals, if the Cow has not the liberty of going 

 to the water herself. 



Regarding the nature of the food of Cows, although soilmg, or artificial feed- 

 ing in the house, is at all times economical, there can be no doubt that the best 

 milk and butter are produced by Cows fed on natural pasture ; and, although the 

 quantity of milk is not so great, yet the butter has a sweet taste, never to be dis- 

 covered in the produce of soiled Cows. It was formerly the case in Scotland, 

 and the practice is still continued in some parts, to put the Cows out to grass in 

 <\ spring in such an emaciated state that a considerable part of the best season was 

 ) gone before they yielded the quantity of milk they Would otherwise have done, 

 i On Avell-enclosed farms, it is the custom of many to keep their Cows out both 

 ) night and day, from May till the end of October, so long as a full bite can be ob- 

 \ tained ; and some bring them into the house twice a day to be milked. Soiling, 

 or feeding entirely in the house or court-yard, is but seldom practiced, except by 

 some farmers in arable districts. Although complete soiling is only occasionally 

 resorted to, yet a considerable quantity of rich green food is served out to the 

 dairy stock in their stalls at night, and in the heat of the day, by such farmers as 

 bring their Cows into the house at these times. This mode of feeding is more 

 especially followed when the pasture begins to fail ; the second crops of clover 

 and tares, cabbages, coieworts, and other garden produce, are all given to the 

 Cows in the house at this period. It is upon this system that the whole perfec- 

 tion of the Flemish husbandry is founded ; and it could be put in practice, with 

 the most beneficial results, in many other countries. In Holland, the Cows, when 

 fed in the house, have their drink of water invariably mixed with oil-cake, rye, 

 or oat-meal. Dairy Cows are allowed to be much injured by being denied a due 

 supply of salt, which is said to improve the quality atid increase the quantity of 

 the milk. In the best managed dairies in Scotland, when the Cows are taken in 

 for the winter, they are never put out to the fields until spring, when the, grass 

 has risen so much as to afford a full bite. In the moorish districts, however, 

 they are put out to the fields for some hours every day when the weather will 

 permit. In these districts, the winter food is turnips with marsh meadow hay — 

 occasionally straw and boiled chaff. 



In the richer districts, turnips and straw are given, and occasionally some clo- 

 ver hay in spring, or v/hen the Cows have calved. Upon this subject nothing 

 need be added, hut that the quantity and quality of the milk will be in proportion 

 to the nourishment in the food. White turnips afford a good quantity of milk, 

 but they imparl a' very disagreeable taste, which may be removed, however, by 

 steaming or boiling the turnips, or by putting a small quantity of dissolved salt-^ 

 petre into the milk when new drawn. The quality of the milk depends a great' 

 deal on the Cow ; influenced, however, by the food she eats. Linseed, peas and 

 oat-meal produce rich milk ; and a mixture of bran and grains has been recom- 

 mended as food in winter. Brewers' grains are said to produce a large quantity 

 of milk, but very thin — the quality being somewhat similar to that sold in large 

 towns, yielding neither good cream nor butter. It has been found of some 

 importance to feed Cows frequently — three o^ four times a day in summer, 

 and five or six in winter — and to give them no more at a time than they can eat 

 cleanly. 



What has been stated regarding the feeding of Cows applies principally to 

 those kept on dairy farms. In establishments for the supplying of large towns 

 with milk, the method of feeding is somewhat different ; there the practice is to 

 feed them chiefly on distillers'* wash, brewers' grains, and every sort of liquid 

 stuff that will produce a large quantity of milk, without reference to its quality. 

 The Edinburgh cow-keepers begin to feed with grain, dreg, and bran, mixed to- 

 gether, at five o'clock in the morning ; feed again at one o'clock in the afternoon, 

 and a third time at seven or eight o'clock in the evening ; grass in summer, and 

 turnips and potatoes in winter, being given in the two intervals. The grass is 

 laid upon the straw, in order to impart to it a certain flavor, and make it palata- 



