Show COWS ON PASTURE NEED GRAIN FEED dairy specialist offers some good advice when cows are turned on good 0 0 ay pasture in the spring arid and e early a summer the amount of gran grain 1 I id fed t in their ration can be reduced said john A arey extension dairy specialist at state college grazing on lush grasses a cow can obtain enough nutrients with the roughage to sustain her body weight and produce a certain quantity ot of milk A holstein cow can eat enough grass to maintain body weight and produce about 30 pounds of milk a day a jersey cow 20 pounds but when producing more milk the cows should receive enough grain to compensate for the extra I 1 milk given A holstein on good pasture needs about two fifths of a pound of grain tor for each pound of milk she produces dally daily above 30 pounds A jersey on good pasture because her milk is richer in butter fat will need about three fifths of a pound d of grain tor for each pound of milk s she he produces above 20 pounds a day these figures were arrived at by research workers who conducted feeding experiments at the U S department of agricultures agri cultures experiment farm at beltsville md but arey warned that the cows will need more grain when pasture is short as a result of dry weather early in the season or when the pasture grasses become more mature in july and august As the grass gets older the amount of crude fiber is increased while the amount of nutrients decreases on the other hand grass that is just getting started early in the year is watery and low in feed value the best grazing is secured between these two periods |