CARE OF THE DAIRY COW.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1687, 1 March 1913, Page 8

CARE OF THE DAIRY COW.

WINTER FEEDING.

: 'Tho feeding of the dairy cow is of tho greatest importance,: and it is essential that every dairy farmer should give tho matter careful study, in order to determine tho system which is most suitable for the locality in which he is fanning— ■a .system which wiil produce tho-maxi-mum of result at a minimum cost. AVith tho winter within reasonable distance, some remarks by Mr. .Primrose M'Connell on winter feeding, published in ' the Agricultural Department's Journal, are of particular interest. Mr. M'Connell has -the following to say:— .'Liberal winter feeding of tho dairy cow i 9 undoubtedly of tho utmost importance, and it is a deplorable fact that a number of cows, in New Zealand die in winter through starvation. It is absolutely essential that tho cow should reach her period of lactaf.on in fit condition, and this cannot bo accomplished on bare winter pasture alone. Having a largo stomach-capacity, tho cow requires & bulky feed. .This should'bo of two classes, a succulent feed and a dry one. ,Tho, combination' may consist of; roots and', hay—mangels and lucerne for choice, llie amount necessary for an in-calf oow will depend.on the breed and size. .The average cow will consume 101b.' of hay nnd from 201b. to 301b. of mangels. A good supply of mangels is invaluable, ■and -no 'other 'food is more- successful in stimulating the milk-flow. For the beet results a limited quantity should bo carted to the grass paddocks daily. To turn cows into |;a T.mangcl-pajklock, ' thereby wasting albdiit as much as they consume is,'in my opinion, /the very worst policy.' Jiven with ; -a. supply of'good hoy'alone a hereof, cows may bo very successfully brought through the winter; but something more^succulent, is required when K& 0a1 .Y, 0 ,P a T ] - v > in or( l™ to stim\inn>i; • t lr; ,' or N"s Purpose nothing is.better than tho mangol. . -it.'is true that.the growing of a mangel crop costs-money, and, as a matter'of tact, a poor: crop of mangels can be grown only at a uead.loss. On the other hand, no crop gives a more handsome return lor; liberal treatment;. It is astonishing the amount of feed that may be obtained V.°" e acre only. I am aware of the difficulties, of'tho labour question, and the ar.ea cultivated must bo .determined by the labour available to cultivato that area -.thoroughlyj but I am quite certain that to success m^dairy-farmm*'lie<: in"the reduction'of-the areas: of many of the;- farms and the adoption of a more intensive, systein of .cultivation. A small farm well cultivated, and carrying a small herd of high-class eows will pay handsomely, and will be a pleasure to ■the.-owner; while a large'area badly farmland carrying scrub cattle is nothing but. a continual worry and loss to all concerned.,, At the present moment there f- r ° tarmers in New Zealand farming as littln as , 50 -acres and who are making more profit than'many who are farming 500. In advocating the valuo of a root crop lam not overlooking tho value of ensilage, but my own opinion is that in New Zealand ensilage is more valuable as a summer feed than as a winter feedi particularly in periods of drought. Apart trom the root crop or ensilage, it is quite possible. to. grow green feed all the year round. For .winter aud early spring use no feed of. this class can, in my opinion, surpass tares and oats. . If sown at intervals from' March until July there will Ijo a succession of crops of the highest feeding-value from the dairyman's standpoint, and no feed will produce a higher Quality of butter and cliEcse. The growing of a i legume and. a, non-legnme" together not-only produces better feed for the cows, ,bnt ! . also keeps the land in better condition. -This is a very-important point. Tares are also a fine weed-smotlier-cr. 'We havo winter 'tares at Euakura sown on May 10 .Kliich are over Bft. in height; and we havo one plot of 3 acres sown on October 18 which -has made phenomenal growth, and is now almost ready for cutting for green feed. I 'am quite aware, that the Now Zealand dairyman is looking for a crop ■ suitable for turning his cows on to without the troubU of cutting nnd leading off, but on small areas' intensively cultivated this system can find no place; and the time is fast approaching when the soiling system will take tho place of tho present more wasteful one. Hay made from .millet is highly spoken of, and, if cut just when coming into flow'er, makes' a nice soft hay which •is relished by all stock. It also grows a very great weight per acre..

The great objection to all annual fodder crops is the labour year after year of ploughing, sowing, and reaping. On tli3 other hand, lucerne, once well established, lasts for years; and when all other fodder crops are a failure through, drought the. lucerne ■ paddock; will be green' and flourishing, and'the. farmer ,can "out and coma again": as. of ten, as. he chooses. For winter use. hay made, from this plant has no,equal;.in fact,'.it is the greatest gift ever bestowed on the dairyman. It may not be possible to' grow lucerne on all soils, but the experience at Ruakura points to it succeedihg over a great area of .New Zealand., ,1 would advise . tho dairy-farmer to make every effort to establish this plant almost regardless of cost, for in it ho will find a stock-food that will satisfy nqarlv all his requirements.