Sait for Cows.

King Country Chronicle, Volume I, Issue 43, 16 August 1907, Page 3

Sait for Cows.

Some interesting experiments on the subject of giving and withholding salt to dairy cows were conducted by Professorßabcock, af milktester fame, at Wisconsin Experimental Station. When salt was absolutely withheld the effect was seen with some cows in from two to three weeks, but some individuals went on for the most part of a vear without any evil effects, but sooner or later the animal developed a state of low vitality, ending in a sudden and complete breakdown, though recovery would be rapid when salt was again given. The effect was most clearly shown at calving time, or immediately after. In general cows giving the largest amount, of milk were the first to show signs of distress, while there was less trouble when the animals were on the pasture than when in the cowshed. Dry cows suffered very little, and the same applies to bullocks and store cattle —the salt naturally in the food, or in the ' earth-licks ' cf animal?, out in the fields, being nearly sufficient for them. In an ordinary daily ration there is about three-quarters of an ounce of salt, and this is nearly, but not quite, sufficient for dry stock per head, but not enough for a milk cow. The milk drains away a lot of salt out of the system, and an additional ounce per head daily must be added to the food of a cow indoors. The French Government carried out experiments some years ago to test the amount of salt required by the different kinds of farm stock, and reckoned a milker required a total of two ounces daily, and this corresponds with Babcock.s figure, allowing for differences in the size of different breeds. It is therefore safe to say that a milk cow requires about an ounce of salt daily when in milk, besides what she gets in her food. When out of doors, the best way is to let her have access to rock salt to lick, but indoors, it must be given in the food in the ordi>nary granular form.