Evening Republican, Volume 17, Number 178, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 28 July 1913 — PASTURE SUPPLEMENTS FOR THE DAIRY COW [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

PASTURE SUPPLEMENTS FOR THE DAIRY COW

By R. E. CALDWELL,

Department dfDairy Husbandry, Purdue University, ■ School of Agriculture.

Purdue University Agricultural Extension.

A great number of Indiana farmers experience, each year, a marked decrease in the milk product of their, cow a during the dry, hot weather of July and August.. There are a number of causes lor this, such as heat, flies, or lack of food. As a usual thing, it is a combination of these factorajalthough some one of them may have a predominating Influence. The matter of supplying feed to the dairy cow is, as a rule, dismissed from the mind as soon as she is placed on pasture. During the winter, her feeding is considered as a matter of course, but when once she is given the her food supply is thought to be taken care of until fall. As our pastures are

made up, to a large extent, of blue grass and white clover, a* dry period of three weeks duration will almost ‘stop its growth absolutely. These periods of drought are not uncommon, so it behooves all men who expect to produce milk at a profit to be prepared "to supply supplementary feed to their cOws during periods of this kind. Soiling Crops. Experience has tadgbt that it is entirely practical to grow a series of crops, .arranging the planting so that they will mature at the proper season. The following table, taken from Extension Leaflet, No. 42, and prepared by Prof. M. L. Fisher, may prove helpful to those who desire assistance in this particular:

Planting Table Showing Succession of Soiling Crops foa Dairy Cows.

Crop. Date of Sowing. Rate of feowlng. Time to Use. Rye and vetch.... August 15.,,„ w „. Rye. 1U bu. May 10 to oto 8 to«»_; Vetch, 45 lbs. May 20 Wheat and - vetch August 20Wheat, 1% bu. May 20 to 8 to 8 tons Vetch, 45 lbs. May 30 ’ = / Alfalfa ..July or Aug. 20 lbs. May 30 to 6 to 8 tons Spring— June 7 Red clover.. March and April... 8 to 10 pounds June 7 to 6 to 8 tons June 20 /I Canadian field peas and oats... April 1 1% bu. each June 15 to 6 to 8 tone June 30 Canadian field peas and oats... April 10 1% bu. each June 30 to 6to 8 tons July 10 S. Alfalfa Second cutting..... July 10 to 6 to JO tons July 15 Sweet corn (Early) May 5... 6 qts. July IS to 8 to 10 tons July 25 Sweet corn (Medium) May 5....6 qts. July 25 to 6 to 10 tons Aug. 5 Field corn (Early) May 5. 6 qts. Aug. 5 t% 8 to 10 tons Aug. 20 Field corn (Ordinary) May 5....»6 qts. Aug. 20 to 8 to 10 tons Sept. 15 < or Sorghum ...May 204 qts. Aug. 20 to 8 to 10 tons Sept. 15 or - Cowpeas May 20 30 pounds Aug. 20 to 6 to 10 tons Sept. 15 or „ Soybeans* May 20 30 pounds Aug. 20 to 8 to 10 tons ' Sept. 15

Corn Silage.—The experienced dairyman appreciates the extra amount of labor required In conducting a soiling system, .so endeavors to substitute silage for fresh-grown crops. Corn silage may be preserved during the summer very nicely and the results secured from its feeding are highly satisfactory. The labor of supplying this material Is confined to a short time each fall and the storage space is comparatively cheap. It is, of course, necessary to feed several inches off. the surface of the ensilage each day in order to prevent loss by spoiling. For this reason, some dairymen have built a summer silo, building them high and narrow in diameter. Grain Feeding.—Where high production is more essential than economical production, the use ot grain will increase the milk flow. The New Yom

experiment station (Cornell) experimented with this problem and found that it requires almost a pound of grain to increase the milk flow-gh equal amount. Such feeding, of course, is not practiced except with dairymen who desire to make large records in order to increase the value of their stock. If the cow is receiving some pasture grass, it may be well to supply some feed, such as corn, in order that she may be in good physical condition to enter, the winter. For this reason, grain feeding may be justifiable. The grain usually fed consists of ground corn mixed with a small amount of linseed meal or cotton seed meal. It is always well to look closelj after the physical condition of youi cows during the summer months, ar decreased production due to lact of nu trition is very difficult to regain.

The Result of Supplementary Feeding—Dairy Heifers in the Purdue Herd.