Farm dairying; a treatise of dairy cattle, their feeding and care, and the handling and disposition of dairy produce on the farm - Softcover

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1919 Excerpt: ... necessary to supply additional calcium, phosphorus and magnesium, in addition to that contained in some of the common feeds. Vegetable matter contains considerable potassium. The supposition is that this element, when taken into the body of the cow, robs the system of the sodium chloride, or the salt. This theory is strengthened by the fact that meat eating animals do not crave salt. Meat is notably low in potassium. Dr. Babcock of the Wisconsin station carried on an experiment with the view of ascertaining the results of not feeding salt to a dairy cow. The cows which received no salt became weak, poor of flesh, and rough of hair. The cows receiving salt and otherwise on the same feed remained in good condition. The cows that did not receive any salt in the ration greatly craved this substance. From this experiment Dr. Babcock concluded that three-fourths of an ounce of salt should be fed daily to a dairy cow per 1000 pounds of live weight, and in addition six-tenths of an ounce for each 20 pounds of milk produced. It has been quite customary to feed salt in limited amounts once or twice per month to the herd. This is not sufficient. By this system, the larger and stronger animals in the herd probably eat more than they should have at one time, and the young stock and more timid members of the herd do not receive enough. Too much salt at one time will in most cases produce scours or other digestive disturbances. The salt should be fed in such a manner and in such quantities as to give all of the animals in the herd free access to salt at all times. This applies to calves and young stock as well as to the cows in milk. This salt for the herd may be fed in a long water-tight trough, raised about two feet above the ground and placed on solid posts. If the tr...