SILAGE RATIONS FOR MILCH COWS. 199 



No. 10. Clover silage, 25 lbs.; corn stover, 10 lbs.; hay, 5 lbs.; 



wheat shorts, 2 lbs.; oat feed, 4 lbs.; corn meal, 2 lbs. 

 No. 11. Clover silage, 30 lbs.; dry fodder com, 10 lbs.; oat straw, 



4 lbs.; wheat bran, 4 lbs.; malt sprouts, 2 lbs.; oil meal, 2 lbs. 

 No. 12. Clover silage, 40 lbs.; hay, 10 lbs.; roots, 20 lbs.; corn 



meal, 4 lbs.; ground oats, 4 lbs. 



The preceding rations are only intended as approximate guides 

 in feeding dairy cows. Every dairy farmer knows that there are 

 hardly two cows that will act in exactly the same manner and 

 will need exactly the same amount of feed. It is Important, 

 therefore, to adapt the quantities and kifids of feed given to the 

 special needs of the different cows; one cow will fatten on com 

 meal, where another will be able to eat and make good use of 

 two or three quarts of it. In the same way some cows will eat 

 more roughage than others and do equally well as those that 

 get more of the food in the form of more concentrated and highly 

 digestible feeding stuffs. The only safe rule to go by is to feed 

 according to the needs of the different cows; to study each cow 

 and find out how much food she can take care of without laying 

 on flesh, and how she responds to the feeding of foods of dif- 

 ferent character, like wheat bran and corn meal, for instance. 

 The specimen rations given in the preceding can, therefore, only 

 be used to show the average amount of common feeds which a 

 good dairy cow can take in and give proper returns for. 



The popularity of the silo with owners of dairy cattle has 

 increased very greatly, says Prof. Plumb. Few owners of stock 

 of this class, who havje properly-built silos, and well preserved 

 silage, would discard silage as an adjunct to feeding. Silage 

 certainly promotes milk flow. One great argument In favor of its 

 use lies in the cheapness of production per ton, and the ability 

 to store and secure a. palatable, nutritious food in weather con- 

 ditions that would seriously injure hay or dry fodder. 



There is one important point that dairy farmers should bear 

 in mind, viz., when the silo is first opened only a small feed 

 should be given at first. In changing from grass or dry feed to 

 silage, if a regular full ration is given, the silage will perhaps 

 slightly afEect the taste of the milk for a few milkings, and if 

 the change is from dry feed it may cause too great activity of 

 the bowels. 



