Feeding Dairy Cattle 



purpose and many of them are good but it should be remem- 

 bered that the massage is the valuable part of the treatment 

 and not the grease. Caked and swollen udders are not 

 usually dangerous so long as all the quarters milk freely. 



Milk fever is a disease which often afifects the best cows 

 after calving. Formerly there were many fatalities due to 

 mdk fever but the modern method of treatment, by distend- 

 mg the udder with air, has practically eliminated loss from 

 this cause. It is commonly thought that milk fever may be 

 avoided by leaving the udder distended with milk for two or 

 three days after calving, when the danger from milk fever 

 is usually over. It is best, however, to milk the cow a little 

 at frequent intervals, two or three times daily, during this 

 time in order to be sure that all the quarters are milking 

 freely. 



A common mistake is to try to feed the cow too much 

 just after calving. She should be fed light laxative foods 

 for three or four days and these in limited amounts. After 

 three or four days, if she has a good appetite, the ration 

 may be increased rather quickly to the amount she was 

 receiving before calving. 



FEEDING FOR SHORT-TIME RECORDS 

 The majority of short-time records are made in cool 

 weather, approximately between the first of October and the 

 first of May. There are several reasons for this. Farmers 

 are usually not so busy with crops during this period and 

 more time is spent with the cows. The most important fac- 

 tor however is the cool weather. An animal is able to eat 

 much larger amounts of concentrated food during cool 

 weather, and, therefore, will usuall)- make a much higher 

 record. 



In making short-time records it is customary to start the 

 cow on test just as soon as possible after calving. Cows 

 form habits very readily and so it is best to start them at the 

 beginning just they are to be handled during the test. Dur- 

 ing most short-time records cows are milked four times daily. 

 It is best to begin this practice just as soon after calving as 

 it is advisable to begin milking regularly. This is even more 

 important with the feeding than it is with the milking. 

 Experience has shown that it takes most cows nearly a week 

 to become adjusted to a change from three times a day to 

 four times a day for feeding and milking, and as a result the 

 cows are placed at a great disadvantage. 



Cows on short-time test are fed all they will eat. Most 

 feeders give as much grain as possible without making the 

 Page Sixty-three 



