Farm  Prize  Competition , 1910.  247 
Wages  at  Grinsome  Farm,  325?.  per  annum  ; manures,  170?.  per 
annum  ; feeding  stuffs,  825?.  per  annum,  and  straw,  45?.  per  annum. 
Mr.  Shepherd  has  kindly  furnished  the  following  notes  on 
the  management  of  his  stock  : — 
“ When  possible,  the  cows  are  calved  down  in  loose  boxes 
and  allowed  to  calve  naturally,  assistance  very  rarely  being 
required.  Previous  to  calving,  the  cows  are  fed  on  slop  food 
consisting  of  pobbed  bran  and  ground  oats,  and  with  light 
rations  of  cabbages,  and  common  turnips  and  mangolds,  each  in 
season,  but  no  swedes  are  given  to  cows  previous  to  calving. 
Hay  or  straw  is  given  twice  daily.  (Pobbed  or  slop  food  means 
scalded  bran,  &c.,  thinned  down  with  water  to  milk  heat  for 
use  after  calving,  given  cold  previous  to  calving.) 
“ If  possible  the  cow  is  allowed  to  settle  for  at  least  one  clear 
day  in  the  box  before  she  is  expected  to  calve.  After  calving 
the  cows  are  given  two  or  three  quarts  of  cold  water  and  a 
little  good  hay.  With  this  simple  treatment  they  usually 
cleanse  naturally,  and  go  on  with  the  best  results,  having  no 
ill  effects  on  the  nervous  system.  No  milk  is  taken  from  the 
cow  other  than  that  taken  by  the  calf  for  the  first  day,  then 
the  udder  is  milked  to  the  same  level  as  the  quarters  sucked 
by  the  calf.  This  goes  on  generally  for  four  or  five  days,  or  for 
as  long  as  the  calf  is  allowed  to  suck  the  mother.  During  this 
period  the  cow  is  given  about  3 lb.  of  pobbed  bran  three  times 
a day,  together  with  a little  good  hay  ; after  that  ground  oats 
are  added  to  the  bran,  commencing  with  three  pounds  and 
gradually  increasing  to  six.  This  continues  until  the  tenth 
day,  when  the  cow  gradually  comes  on  to  her  full  ordinary 
feed.  On  no  account  is  new  maize  meal  allowed  to  be  given  to 
the  milch  cow.  No  case  of  milk  fever  or  casting  of  calf  bed 
has  occurred  in  either  herd  during  the  last  thirteen  years. 
Simple  treatment  at  calving  time  is  without  doubt  the  pre- 
ventative of  those  serious  complaints  that  are  mostly  brought 
about  by  outraging  nature’s  laws. 
“ The  daily  ration  of  concentrated  food  for  cow  in  full  flow 
of  milk  is  approximately  : — 
4 lb.  of  Maize  Meal 
3 „ Ground  Oats 
1£  „ Decorticated  Cotton  Meal 
1|  „ Pea  or  Bean  Meal 
12  „ Wet  Brewer’s  Grains, 
together  with  about  50  lb.  of  cabbages,  swedes,  or  mangolds, 
whichever  is  in  season,  and  two  fodderings  of  hay  or  straw. 
While  at  grass  the  cows  in  full  flow  of  milk  get  daily  : — 
2 lb.  of  Maize  Meal 
2 „ Ground  Oats 
1 „ Decorticated  Cotton  Meal 
12  ,,  Wet  Brewer’s  Grairis 
