256 
Farm  Prize  Competition,  1910. 
be  paid  to  the  milking  cows  in  feeding  and  also  in  regulating 
the  calving  times  as  much  as  possible,  in  order  to  keep  up  the 
required  quantity  of  milk,  viz.,  an  average  of  200  gallons  per 
day  from  October  1 to  April  1 and  250  gallons  per  day  during 
the  ensuing  six  months. 
The  milking  cows  are  kept  indoors  most  of  the  time  from 
November  to  April,  going  to  water  twice  a day,  and  are  fed  as 
follows  during  that  time  : — 5.15  a.m.,  long  hay  (previous  to 
milking,  which  takes  place  at  5.30  a.m.)  ; 6.45  a.m.  fed 
with  corn,  from  6 to  10  lb.  each  according  to  the  milk 
given.  The  corn  consists  of  cotton  cake  or  meal,  maize 
meal,  thirds,  and  ground  oats.  This  mixture  is  evenly 
balanced,  so  that  the  cows  can  take  a good  quantity  without 
being  upset,  and  also  with  a view  to  producing  the  largest 
quantity  of  milk,  keeping  the  cow  in  healthy  condition.  At 
8 a.m.  they  receive  35  to  45  lb.  of  swedes  each,  as  in  the  case 
of  corn,  according  io  the  milk  given  and  the  appetite  of  each 
individual  cow,  which  must  be  studied  ; when  mangolds  are 
used  instead  of  swedes,  about  30  to  35  lb.  each  feed.  At  8.30 
to  10  o’clock,  and  again  at  1 o’clock  cows  are  turned  to  water 
and  fed  with  long  hay.  At  2.30  p.m.  feeding  commences 
again  : corn,  same  quantity  as  in  the  morning,  after  wards 
going  to  water,  and  fed  again  with  roots,  same  quantity 
as  morning.  The  afternoon  milking  takes  place  at  4.45  p.m., 
and  the  cows  are  given  long  hay  to  finish  up  at  6 p.m. 
By  this  system  of  feeding,  Mr.  Goodwin  says  he  has  no 
difficulty  in  getting  cows  to  give  from  5 to  6 gallons  of 
milk  per  head  in  the  winter  time. 
In  summer  the  cows  are  fed  until  early  in  June,  and  from 
that  date  no  corn  is  given  until  September  again,  unless  there 
is  a shortage  of  grass. 
The  young  stock  are  kept  in  the  yards  at  night  through  the 
winter,  and  turned  out  in  daytime,  being  fed  with  roots, 
ground  oats,  Bibby  cake,  and  long  oat  straw  in  the  racks. 
About  fifteen  heifer  calves  are  reared  each  year,  to  come 
into  the  stock  at  two  and  a half  years  old.  These  are  taken 
off  whole  milk  at  fourteen  or  twenty-one  days  old,  and  then 
given  skim  milk  with  a little  of  Bibby’s  cream  equivalent 
and  oil  cake  and  ground  oats  to  eat  dry,  and  a little  sweet 
hay  in  the  racks. 
About  twenty  cows  are  purchased  at  second  or  third  calf 
each  year,  to  keep  up  the  milk  supply  at  times  when  it  would 
otherwise  fall  low.  Only  the  turn-off  cows  and  those  who 
do  not  give  sufficient  milk  are  fattened  for  the  butcher. 
The  stock  generally  is  worked  round  as  long  as  satisfaction 
is  given.  The  milk  yields  of  Mr.  Goodwin’s  cows  for  three 
years  previous  to  1910  may  be  of  interest  : — 
