Show f r L I 1 n vati MILCH COWS IN WINTER Many of our readers well remember when milch cows were given tho run of tho straw stack yard for the entire winter At morning and evening they were given a few nubbins of corn as an extra ration with the straw When a cow freshened she was given a fow 1 O t 8q 76I5 4a I 41 1 1 Weigh the Milk y feeds of wheat bran if there happened to bo any on hand If not the small corn ration was slightly Increased Many a time the writer has gono out on n winters morning and found all ho COWl covered with snow and ice In muddy weather it was no unusual thing to see them tramping In slush half kneedeep This was at a time when scales were not used In the dairy and we had no way of tolling how much a cow was producing No thought was given to the matter rime cows lived all right around the straw stack In winter and gave a little milk and that was tho extent of the general dairying Industry Now we hale learned better nays the Journal of Agriculture The milch cow must pay her way while consuming ar consum-ing valuable feeds Hut there arc two sides to tho question one from tho quality of the cow and one from the quality of care wo give her + Time good dairy cow Is a more sensitive sensi-tive animal than members of beef j breeds She is easily affected by cold 4 heat hunger files fear and other Influences In-fluences She must bo made comfortable comfort-able In every respect and the condl 1 lions for her comfort are very exacting exact-ing Some farmers claim that dairy cows can stand as much cold as beef cows but this Is not reasonable Meet animals ani-mals Tiavo surplus of fat and are fed on fat and heatforming feeds hence they can withstand cold without with-out suffering The good milk cow t carries not surplus fat to keep out tho cold Furthermore she Is not fed on feeds which produce fat and heat Carbonaceous feeds arc not allowed in the best dairy practice I time good milch cow Is lean rather than fat All of her feeds except those for bodily maintenance for the pro I ductlon of milk and there Is little left for heat production For this reason she must be warmly bedded and sheltered In cold weather If she Is I V not somo of her protein feeds will be transformed Into heat energy to supply sup-ply tho bodily needs and net go for the production of milk For the same reason water she drinks should bo warm or tho chill taken off fie that no feeds will be wasted In heat production produc-tion On very cold days If the cow stall can not bo maintained at a high stable temperature blanketing tho producing pro-ducing cow Is economical Shelter bedding and cow blankets if rightly used arc cheaper than dairy feeds at tho present high prices and tho wise dairyman will see to It that all ot his producing milch cows are kept warm and dry during inclement weather Tho dry cow a few weeks previous to dropping her calf usually takes on Oj some fat and Is hotter able to stand tho cold Sho should bo allowed to bo outside nearly all ot every day for exercise for her benefit and tho good of tho unborn calf The extra fresh air sunshine and oxerclso will do her good Sho should bo sheltered at night |