COW-FEEDING IN DENMARK.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 2012, 20 March 1914, Page 10

COW-FEEDING IN DENMARK.

PASTURE ON THE TETHER. Practically all dairy cows in Denmark arotothercd during ttio spring aud summer months. • As soon as the crops are off tho cows are usually let. loose and herded during the fall months. In DenmarK a special halter js-used. The ordinary leather halter is too easy on the cow, as after she has been tethered a. while she soon learns of her strength, and by means of a Jerk she will pull up the tethering stake. The special halter is made of two flat pieces or wood to lit on each side of the lower part of the cow's head. These pieces are fastened together in. front by means of a strong rope and sometimes an iron bar about 3 or 4 inches in length. Tho rope passes through two holes in tho end and acts as a slip noose around the cow's nose. As soon as the cow pulls hard these two pieces of wood press tightly against each side of the nose;; the harder sho pulls the .more firmly, they press. A piece of rope passing over the cow's head back of the ears holds this halter on. Tho rope which holds the .cow is usually about 20 feet long. It lias a swivel in the centre which prevents twisting. The tethering stake at tho extreme end of the rope is about 1 foot in length. Years ago these stakes were made of wood, but now most'of them aro mado of iron. The cows-are lined up in rows in the field just far enough apart so that they •'caiinot reach each other. They start to graze .a't one end of the pasture and at intervals they, are moved forward. A boy With a wooden mallet usually does this work. When the .grass is abundant they are moved forward only.about 2 or .3 feet at a time, and about every hour. If they are moved too far forward so that they can step in the grass • with their feet too much of it is wasted. On farms where the number of cattle is so large as to make it impossible to move ,th'om so often, they are moved forward probably from 6 .to 10 feet every; time. In this case there is considerable grass which the cows will not eat. This the' horses eat/ and what the horses refuse the sheep get. On'the larger farms it is-not. uncommon to see one long. row. of'cows, taking the best of tho grass; following the iows is a row of horses; following the horses i 6 a row of sheep; all are tethered and moved regularly. These cows are usually led to water' twice a day. On the larger farms tho herdsmen ' have . .water-wagons.' The water-wagon has a Jong trough behind. Water is carried to the cows twice each day.