LIBRARY Michigan State University MSU LIBRARIES A RETURNING MATERIALS: Place in book drop to remove this checkout from your record. FINES will be charged if book is returned after the date stamped below. FCONOMICAL FFPD™G OF DATRY COWS THESTS for tre Degree of Master of Agriculture Ww. K. BRAINTED , ee, 2915. ECONOMICAL FEEDING OF DATRY COS. Introduction. Economic feeding of dairy cows involves the supplying of palat- able, easily dizestible feeds, containing the food elements required by the cow to perform her functions, in the prceportion she needs them, at th: smallest possible cost per food unit. This paper will attempt tc «sive some factors involved in the economical production and selection of feeds, and to formulate some simple rules to guide the feeder in supniying these feeds to the cow. LIEPRAL FFEDING IS ECONQMY. The dairy cow has often been likened to a machine. This com- parison can be applied literally with few reservations, the excep-= tions being construed.to prove the rule. A certuin orceportion of the power furnished uny machine is used for running the nuchine it- self and is not in any sense proiuctive. Ina stear ensine, this is represented in the exhaust steam, in heat which escapes without producing steam, und in the friction of the working parts of the engine. In the manufacturing plant it is represented by the manu- gerial force, thse clerical force, and the sules ferce. This force from a productive standpoint ig entirely lost. It is the toll ex- acted by the machine for its own use and doss not in any way vive productive returns. Tn the dairy cow this overhead expense, this unproductive force, is termed the “maintenance ration.” The maintenance ration is that portion of the food given the cow which is used by her +o 94114 perform her own bodily functions, such as hsatin,, the body, pumping the blood, disresting the fooi and moving the body from place to place. This food, from a productive standpoint, is entirely lost to the far- mer. It is what he has to pay to keep 2 cow. The cow hezins to pro- duce only after she has exacted this toil of maintenance. feciprocity vetween cow and man berins only after the cow has provided for her- self. Many farmers are very liberal with their cows. Thoy, asa matter of force, supply enough food to keep the cow but do not ask her to take an extra arount for production to “keep™ him. No in- telligent miller would turn away grists from his mill upon the plea that it would take more power tc ¢crind this extra amount. ‘le under- stands thoroushly that ne will secure the preatest net returns from running his mill at its full capucity. No progressive rercliant would turn away trade upon the plea that it overtaxed his sellin, machine. He understands fully that his profits depend directly upon the amount of business he can secure, and his great problem is of runnin; his plant to full capacity. The dairyrun does not hesitate to push his horses, his hired ran or any other appliance he may have for doing work, to full capacity; but in all toc rany cuses he does not apply this principle of economy to his cows but is inclined to withhold food fror ther rather than atterpt to force them to full miik prod- uction. Feeding for profit can, therefore, be defined from the ahove standpoint as liberal feediny or feedine to the full capacity of the cow. This point can be illustrated by the following tubie: Cost of : Amount required : Amount available : Percentare of whole ration ¢ for maintenance :for Milk Preduction: ration availatle for : : : Prodjucticn. 1Gc¢ : 20c : oe : O} lS5e 10¢ . 1Ge : 331/34 2Oc : 10c : 15¢e : 50% 25e : 10¢ : 20¢ : 60% 3Cc 10¢ "5¢ : 66-2/3% 35c : 10¢ : 3Ce : 71-2/7% 40c : 1Ce : : 759. Tt will Fe reted that when the cow is fed just a raintenance ration the rain vets nothing. When she js fed twice tho rainterance he rots one- half the feed in rilk. Mon she ju fed trro2 tires the maintenance he cots two-thirds the fecd in milk. When she is fed four tires the raintenance ration, he gets three-fourths of the feed in rilk. On ar averare or the farms in the United States about cne-half of the feed fed dairy cove cces te rairntain ther. If these cows were fea twice as much the percerntacve of the ration gceirng to rairternarce weuld te 25 per cert instvya2e cf SC per cent. The first rule, trerefcrs, ir ths economical feeding cf duiry; cows is "Feed to the Full Capacity of the Cow.” All goed rules have excertions ard this is true cf this cre. SPECTALTZATION TN ™HNT COM, The abeve rul? will anniy fully in the hichly svrecialized datrv cow, that is, the cow which wien fed al} she will take mukes all of it into milk, except maintenance rejuijrements. Pecent investivationa hava as- tablished the fact that from the nractical feelter'’s standpoint, at least, all cows have ahout the sare ability to divast food ard rake —_— ——~ ew 2 ewe ee ee blood of it and that this blood must go either to the miking of hodily 4+issue or of milk. It is, however, unfortunately true from the feeder's standpoint, that all cows in the dairies of the country are not special- ized jn thess two functions. Some cows when fresh if fed heavily will soon berin to nut on fat; others will put all] the fesd above rainten- ance into the milk psil for a period of a few months and then terin to put on fat. It is for cows of this nature that an excertion ras to be made +o the atove rule. The excention is that from a stardroint of production you can nct afford to feed a dairy cow over and uatove what she will take and not put crn weicht. This staterent can be still further rcidified when it is desirable for various reascns to put fat cn; first, practically all highly specislized riik producers in the early part cf the jactaticn pericd icse in weight; that is, they produce milk from their own todily fiesh. When such cows teccre nearly dry, tney ncerruliy replace the flesh they have lost in the early part of the lactation period. The feeder can wel: afford to feed cows iiterally under such conditions, tein; ussured that the feed will te returned to him in the shape cof rilk when the cow freshens acain. Secondly, some dairymen combine teef urd dairy preduction in the following way; they tuy fresh cows, feeding ther until the flow of milk is small, and then turn them off fcr beef, Fuyine fresh cows to replace ther. This system of milk proijuction intrceduces a very ccmplex probiern. It is u var, 7iffacuit mavier to differentiate tetweer the two sources cf income tecef and rilk, as measured in cost of feed. The man preducin; milk under such conditions pretably would rot choose the highly soecialised crw. This form of milk producticn is not corron erough to warrant special discussitr ina paper of tris riteure. WINTER VERSUS SULVER FEPDING. The problems involved in winter ard surmer feeding are so differ- ent as to make a natural division between the two. Sumner Feeding: Summer feeding us here discussed invoived pastures alone, sciling crops alone, a cortination cf the two, or any combination cf either or both with cured feeds. Wher cured feeds alone are fed in the surrer the preblems invcived are not materially different from winter feed- ing which will be discussed under that headirg. PASTURE ALONE. Pasture is the natural feed for dairy ccws and in many respects the test. With abundance of ocd frasses in fresh succulent condi- tions we have cre cf the very Fest incentives to heavy production upon the part of the cow. It is, however, true that even with the very best of pastures in the best possitie cernditions, a cow can not te forced to extreme production on it alone. This is due to the fact that for extreme production tte cow rust te induced to take the greatest possible amount of feed. The bulky nuture of pasture frass places a positive check upon the capacity of the cow to tuke feed; that is, a cow's stomach has a limited capacity at the best and other thines teing equal she can not take so much tWlky food such as pasture grass as she car food of a rore concentrated nuture. A certain amount of physical effort is ulso necessary upon the part of the cow to secure pasture grass. Fcr extreme production in cows of great capacity this effort would te too great. This applies main- ly when records are the cbject or when riik is unusuelly high in rrice and extrere production the main object. For average feeding with ample pasture cf good grasses or lecurmes either permanent or temporary and in geod succulent condition, good production can te secured. The econom, of such production jenends upon several factors, first, price cf land; second; price cf iabor, third; tax rate, fourth; nature of soil in relation to ability +o secure gocd pasture either temporary Cr permanent at small origiral cost, fifth; lay of land and roughness of surface; sixth, other consideratijiors not of a com= mercial nature. PRICE OF LAND. The price of iand has a direct ftearirs upon the pasture prob- lems. If pasture is to te depended upon ertirel,; or practically so far fron 4 to 6 months in tie year, and preductior is to te kept up toa profitable standard, from 1, to 4 acres will have to be sup- plied per cow. This is assuming that in permanent pasture where is a good clean turf with little cr no waste places and for temp- orary pastures there is a good sturd of grass or legume throurhout. Land which will give these conditions usually sells at from $100 to ¢306. The interest on an investment of this nature will be show in the following table: INTEREST AT 6% CM LAND FOR PASTURE PFR CGY PFR YFAR. allowing from ig to 4 acres per cow. Land Land Land Land Land $100 per A $150 per A $200 per A $250 per A §3CO per A 13 AperC $9.00 13.50 16.00 22.50 27.00 2 AperC 12.00 18.00 24 00 30.0C 36.00 2g A per C 15.00 22.90 30.00 37.50 45.00 3 AperC 18.00 27.00 36.60 45 .00 54.00 3, A per C 212.00 31.50 42.00 53.50 63.00 4 A per C 24 .00 36.CC 48.00 60.00 72-Q0 COST OF PASTURE PER CCY PTR DAY QU AFOVE PASIS. lz A per C 6c 9c lec 15¢ 18c < A per C 8 i2 16 2 24 2g A per C 10 15 2G 25 3C 3 A per C 12 i8 24 30 36 3g A per C 24 21 28 35 42 4 A per C 16 a4 32 40 46 The atove figures are of ccurse only tentative and could te read- ily modified to suit local conditions as to value of land. It is true, however, that generally speaking in the dairy sectiors land that maine tains a permarernt pasture or wiil pive a good stand cf grasses or le- gume for terporary pastures, commands a rrice from €10C to §3CO an acre. It will te seen that the price of land may readily becore so high that it is unprofitable to craze it. In nost secticrs of the country a cow can te fed on dry feed to avernce production for atcut 2 Whiie a cew'e storach is large and specially desirned to u pte 4 bdJe N dD course feeds, thare is a distirct lirit to the bulk cf feed a cow cun take, and this limit is citen te.ov the arount cf nutrierts the cow should have for raximum prediction; t)at is, wu ration .4 prover arount of nutrients ir the proper prceportions and stiil ta so bulky that the cow can not kurdle it. Vany of the clovers ard le;zures t J are a Yainrced ration in thevselves, aS Veli aE very puliutatie, ard fe Re! b- sti should rot te fed ulcre as trey ure so tulky that the cow can not tuke encurch cf trem to secure sufficient nutriment to intuce full vroducticn. This irtrcdvces ancther rule whiclk relates te the prepcr- tion of grain tc reushure. The tulk of tre ration must not te sc rreat as to rrevent tle cow frem securing the propo: arount of nutrierts. As a ceneral ruie cartchydrates are secured rcre cheaply from rougl.ase thar from grains, but in some cases the focder can afford an atpreciutle perticn cf the cartchydrates from the crain. This will apply mest fercitly in case cf heavy producers which it is desired tc bro © force to full production, tecavse a civen amount of cartohydratcs ir crain will te much lesc bulky than in voughaye ard ty furnishire it in this fern the capacity of *}. cew can te greatay arercuscd. BULK OF GPATY LAL TOM. In practical feeding there are scue ctjections to an extremely concentrated ¢rain ration; first, in feedirg ar; curelessness ir the arount fed makes u wide variution in the umount cf nutrients fiven. is esnecially rcticeatle in suck feeds as cottonseed neal or 3 we. mn wy) | i 3 th Cc Tg pu = cy ey ) Most. feeders atierpt +6 secure at ieast a fair tulk to the grain ration. A classificatior cf the most conmron feeds as to bulk follows: | Pulky. Vediur. Concentrated. Prax Corn cCeai Cottonsead meal Frewers' ruin Cluten feed Linseed real Distislers‘ grains Cats RKalt sprouts Hominy feeds Beet pulp When one of the more concentrated feeds is used, un atterpt is rade to include a tuiky food as well. A discussion of the feedirg value, prysiolcsical effects and other cojints which affect the desirability cf a given feed will new te taken up in reference to the more conron cow feeds. The ckhcice cf the test feeds fof a civen set of ccnditions is a very complex ratter and should not te atterrcted from ons standpcirt alone such as corposition. Often the palatability and the physiological effect upen the ccw will te thre controliing fuctors. FEFPDING VALUE, PHYSIOLOCICAL FFRFECT AND OTHFR CONSIDERATIONS OF CC?MvON CATTLE TUNns. BRAN: Fran is the outside ccatins of grains, and is usually the residue or ty-product from the manufacture of ficurs. The more conron are wheat, tran ard tuckwheat tran. “leat tran ru; te fren winter cr Soring wheat, the composition cof winter wheat as piven ty Henry is protein if.] per cent, carbchydrates 37.3 ner cert, fat 2.8 per cert; Spring wheat tran, protein 11.9 per cent, carbohydrates 43.1 per cent, = °3. fat 3.1 rer cent. It wiil be noted trat the protein in winter wheat is slightly hicher while the carbchydrates are !isher in sorirs wheat tran. Puckwheat trun cortains 5.9 per cert prcteir, 34. per cent car- hehydrates ard 2 por cert fat. It will te noted that this trar care ries a mvc) seraller amcunt of protein thar wheat bran. Eucxwheat bran is ccrposel cf btuckwhoat widdlings and hulls. The hulls are woody and have little feedirg value. From a physiciosicul standpoint bran is cne of the very best feods for cews. It is lexative in nature, invizorating and seneralay tends to keep the cow's cipestive systes in «ocd condition. The price tased upon its protein content is usually so high that most conmercial dairyren cortine it with other feeds. Outside of its feeding value it has a snecial value ir a feeding mixture in that it sives bulk and adds to the palatability. Eran is especiauily in piace when the rest of the grain ration is lacking in palatability or undesirable from a physiclogical standpoirt. It is especialiy food when the rouzhace jis all dry. The test grades of bran arcu cleur and fluny. Some cf the large mills put into bran the sweepings from the rill 4 which often give woirslt out cf proporticn te the feeding values. It is usually best to tuy the test ~rude of tran provided the milks gradirg it are reliable. The output of srai: ccuntry miils is us- ually of excellent quaiity. LINSEED MMAL. Lirseod real is a ty-preduct cf the manufucturing of linseed Coil from flax seed. It is preduced under two precesses kncvm us the old ard the new. The old process reul ecrntains digestible prctein 30.2 per cenit, carbohydrates 32 ner cert, fat 6.9 ver cent, while the new process meal contuins 21.5 per cent prctein, 35.7 per cent curto- hydrates and 2.4 per cent fat. Linseod cr cil real from a physiolios- jceal standpoint ie cne of the very test feeds. It is luxative, palat- able and a very cod “conditioner.” Its value in this connection is s¢ well estatlished that it is used extensively as a fillor for condi- ticn powders. Like bran, its vcrice is usvu a iy excessive fcr its rue tritive value. It nus, hcowevor, a distinct place in a mixture to in- Crease its ralatability and iroreve its physiolozical offects. It is very concentrated in form and it is very well tc feed it in con- nectior with a hulky feed. It is especially appiicatie ir a mixture to he fed with dry rcuchase. COTTONSFUD MEAL. Cottcnseed meal is the ricrest in protein cf ail the cornron cow feeds cn the murket. Its cennpositicn teins pretein 37.6 per cent, carbohydrates £1.4 per cent und fat 9.6 per cent. It is usually the cherapest source cf protein availatle. In the South, where this real has been fed to cows extensively rany years and the cows ure used tc it, there seers tc te little dinzer cf its excessive use. There ure very few cenditione under which it can te profitatly left ort of the ration of the cormercejal dairynen either in the South or Nerth. In the Nerth, where it has not teen in goneral ee for a lon; time and where the ccws have not accustomed therselves tc it, sore pre- wv cautions should te cteerved. It does net have the tost physiclosical effect upon the cow, cften cursing direstive troubles if fed in arge arounts for lone neriocds to animals not accustomed tc it. Pecinners are usually advised under such coniitions to start with fror 2 to 3 pounds ver day, gradunlly increasing if no tad results are observed. tr some herds ir the North as hi;h as frer 5 to 7 pounds a du, is fed without rad resuits. Ir the South there seers to be nc iimit in this direction. Ccottcnseed meal is a highly con- centrated feed ani slould if possible te fed in a mixture with sane bulky food like trar. It can te fed to better advantace wher the rouphase contains an arple arount of succulent feed. In the South this restriction dces nct ILcid, as many cows are fed cottctnseed real and hulls alene with fair resuits in preduction. Ir sore sec- tions, a strong irmpressicn prevaiis that ccttionseed meal orcluces atcrtion. There does not seer tc be reliable evidence tc tase such . G- 5.4 }. o 7 er yn tho North at least CH wu belief upen. “hile its physiciozical effec is not scod as corpared with rany cther ecyv feeds, its cheapress and the fact that cows seer in tine to overccre this tendency to dicveari- ive trouble with it, are rapidly giving it creat prominence as a cheap source cf protein for dairy cows. Corn is a universal crcp on dairy farms. Its createst adaptation n feedinz dairy ccws is in the share of 3silave. The cormpcsiticr of o § ae this grain is protein 7.8 por cent, cartchydrates 66.8 per cant, fut 4.3 rer cent. It will te seen that freon the stanipcirt of a protein 4 Supply, it doves not rani high, in fact at the price it usually cornurds <6 upon the rurket it cun hardly he considered ir this connection. If tre rouchare is carmpcsed cf cern siluce, cerr stalks, timotry hay or feeds relitively low in pretein, it can hardly te used profit- atly unless it is corhbined with a hichly concentrated rrotein feed like cottenseed raal. Cr wany dairy farms on which corn is the dominant crop it can te sold tc rarked advartave ard a feed high in protein purchased in its piace. If the roughare, however, con- tains a socd preportion of lerures such as alfulfa, red clover, scy beans, or cowpeas, corn cun usually be used prefitably as a grain ration provided it is mixed with cther feeds und is crown upon the farm. The chy siolegical effects of ccrr are excellent. Tlie sare physiolocical effect can te secured, however, by purchasing corn prctein in the shape cof gluten real, a ty-product cf the manufac- ture of starch from corn. The protein content of the pauten real and ¢luten feeds ran-cs fra £C per cent to 3C per cent. Irasruch as they usuaily sell at the sure cra sliyhtly greater price than corn, they are a much cheaper scurce of ccrm protein than corn it- self. Recert investigutions terd to show that corn prctein has an invigorating effect upon cows as compared with wheat prctein. Cats carry €.8 per cert protein, 49.2 carbohydrates and 4.2 per cent fat. Tt has a slightly laxative terdency and throughout has a good physiological effect. The price cf cats as carpared with other sources of prcteir is usually sc high that it is un>rofitatle to feed it excent in svecial cuses. Tt is a cocd exuanjpoe ef a food ~27< wrich suits the ccw but rot *he owner's scocretrook. CLUTYN MPA APD GLUTEN Troms. Gluten real is the rerm of tie corn and is a by-product cof the manufucture cf starch ard -iucose. tn its pure form it contuins 29.7 per cent protein, 42.5 per cert cart “hydrates and 6.1 ner cert fat. It appears, however, on tha rurket iurpely wixed with corn tran anid insuch form contains from