252 THE MANAGEMENT AND FEEDING OF CATTLE 



it are determined by the attendant conditions. These 

 conditions are such as relate to feeding in the stall or in 

 the pasture, the mode of harvesting the food and con- 

 \'eying it to the stock, the stage of growth when the 

 feeding may begin, and if it shall receive any special 

 preparation before it is fed. 



When cows are fed ensilage as soiling food, it is, 

 of course, fed in the stall. It may also be convenient 

 to feed other soiling food thus or to feed it in a rack in 

 the milking or feed yard. More commonly, however, it 

 is fed in the pastures. When thus fed, it is simply drawn 

 and strewn over the same, changing the place of feed- 

 ing every day that the food may be less soiled while 

 being eaten. The labor involved is usually less than in 

 feeding either in the manger or rack in the yard. 



When much food is fed, it is cut from day to day, 

 or enough may be cut to last two days, when the 

 weather is not too hot and dry, as mild wilting does not 

 lessen the palatability of the food. When but a small 

 amount is fed, it is cut with the scythe. W^here much 

 is wanted, a two-horse conveyance will be needed. A 

 wagon or truck on which the platform or rack used is 

 relatively low will save much labor in the loading of the 

 food, which, because of its greenness, is heavy to handle, 

 but it will probably add to the draught in conveying the 

 food to the place of feeding. When but a small amount 

 is fed, it has been customary with many to grow the 

 soiling food in a field adjacent to the pasture. A nar- 

 row strip alongside of the pasture is devoted to such 

 growth. When feeding the food, it is made accessible 

 to the cows by simply cutting it as wanted and throw- 

 ing it over the fence into the pasture. When the weather 

 is rainy, the feeding of soiling food, in all instances, on 

 time, may not be easy, and the labor involved in handling 

 it is increased. 



No hard and fast rule can be fixed as to the time 

 when the feeding of the food may begin. Where more 



