Feeding Dairy Cattle 

 It seems to be as necessary to provide succulent feed, concen- 

 trates and perhaps some dry joughage, at this time when the 

 cows are on pasture, as it is in winter when the cows are in 

 the barn. 



The writer is of the opinion that it is good practice to 

 feed some hay in summer when the pastures begin to go dry. 

 Some dairymen think it best to feed a httle hay even at the 

 flush of pasture. The writer is of this opinion but does not 

 urge the practice, but would merely call it to the attention of 

 dairymen as a subject for thought and perhaps trial. 



We are convinced, however, that the cheapest and most 

 convenient way to supplement pasture is to feed silage. 

 Here are some of the reasons : First, it has been conclu- 

 sively demonstrated in several trials that the cows will pro- 

 duce as much, seem as comfortable and keep up their appe- 

 tites just as well when fed silage and grain and perhaps a 

 little hay when on pasture, as when fed green crops, grain 

 and hay when on pasture. Second, from any experiments 

 that the writer has seen, the cost has always been in favor 

 of the silage. 



There is every reason to believe the two main facts just 

 cited. In addition: (i) It is difficult to get proper suc- 

 cession of crops so that each is in its choicest condition when 

 fed. Some crops will have to be fed when a little too green, 

 others will have to be held too long. (2) It is necessary to 

 plant small areas at different times, \-\-hich is a nuisance in 

 busy seasons. (3) When pastures suffer from drought the 

 worst, and green crops are most needed, the green crops also 

 yield poorly. With silage, an abundance of succulent feed 

 is carried from year to year, and the effect of drought easily 

 and most economically offset. (4) Green crops must be 

 harvested in small quantities in all kinds of weather. It is 

 practically necessary to harvest some every day because it is 

 impossible to pile them even in small piles without some loss 

 in palatability. 



When silage is grown large fields are fitted most econom- 

 ically. The best use of labor and machinery is made in plant- 

 ing, cultivating, and harvesting the crop. Silage is of uni- 

 formly high quality at all times. Greater yields per acre are 

 obtained with silage than with many crops used in a green 

 crop system. 



The only reason the author can find in favor of the grow- 

 ing of green crops, to supplement silage, is the value of 

 variety in the ration, and the fact that it may not be best to 

 feed a cow continuously on silage the year round. She will 

 Page Forty-thre.- 



