Grain for Cows in Fall

1916

Many dairymen have learned that it pays to keep their cows milking during the last part of the fall and winter. Last November the owner of herd G in our testing association was feeding very little grain, just a few pounds a day to each cow, whether milking or not. He told me that he didn't think it would pay to feed any more grain to his cows until they began to freshen. After talking the thing over he decided to begin feeding grain in proportion to the amount of milk produced, following the rule of about one pound grain to 3½ pounds milk.

The next month I came around I noticed quite a change; most of his cows had increased in milk, and cows that had been kept at a loss in November were making a little profit above feed cost in December. His herd summary showed a loss of $13.73 for November. In December he jumped from a loss of $13.73 to a profit of $28. His cows had increased in production enough to pay for extra grain feed and their hay and still have a very good profit left. Had he not begun feeding more grain his cows undoubtedly would have shrunk in milk flow in December, and consequently his loss for that month would have been even greater than it was in November.

In another herd the owner was planning to cut out the grain ration for most of his cows. He told me that he never fed grain in the winter because he didn't think that it paid. He said: "Grain is high and it will not pay." I began explaining to him where he would lose if he left out the grain. He is an old man and has been connected with the dairy business a number of years. After talking a while about it he said: "I'm in this association to learn what I can, and I'll try your plan of feeding for a while, if it don't put me into the hole too bad."

Having the weight of milk from each cow he figured out approximately the amount of grain each cow should have giving about one pound grain to 3½ pounds milk. He has fed according to this rule ever since. As a result his herd made a profit of better than $45 for November, December and January. His cows freshened in the early spring so one would not expect a very large profit from a herd of cows due to freshen in two to four months.

On my January visit to his place he told me his cows had always been dry at that time of year and it was quite unusual for him to take milk to the creamery during at least a couple of months in the year. He said: "I am convinced that it has paid to feed some grain and thereby get enough more milk to pay for hay and grain and have a little profit left over rather than not to feed grain and let the cows dry off as they usually did and consequently not pay for the hay they eat."

The other advantages of feeding grain which are not shown by figures are as follows: First, manure is worth more, ton for ton, than if no grain is fed; secondly, cattle are undoubtedly in a better condition; third, a cow that is fed some grain will not eat as much hay as when no grain used. — Archie Holden, New Hampshire in New England Homestead.

Hogs Under Military Drill

1896

Major Carpenter, a veteran who conducts a farm near Stockbridge, Mich., gave an exhibition yesterday which proves that ordinary hogs may be educated to a high degree. The Major has introduced military discipline among his porkers to such an extent that they go through the evolutions with almost human precision.

The exhibition yesterday was given by Major Carpenter for the benefit of a few former army comrades, who pronounced it wonderful. Eight of the animals formed in line at the Major's command, and stood like so many statues. In front of them, about two rods, was a trough into which a farm hand then dumped five or six pails of mixed feed. The hogs took great interest in the operation, and their little eyes twinkled in anticipation, but not a hog of them stirred until the Major cried out: "Forward! March!" When they were three feet from the trough he commanded "Halt!" and all stood still, though it was evident they were laboring under great excitement. Finally he shouted "Charge!" and eight porcine noses went into the trough at the same instant.

When the meal was over the animals re-formed in line, marched solemnly to their pen and were disbanded by a wave of the Major's hand. —St. Louis Globe-Democrat.

Czarina the Peevish Python Force-Fed

1910

Star Monster Made to Devour Two Eight-Pound Roosters

New York — The regal or reticulated python Czarina, measuring 24 feet in length, weighing 200 pounds and possessing a color pattern of a richness that rivals oriental tapestry, had to be fed on two eight-pound roosters, feathers and all, at the Bronx park zoo a few days ago, and now it is satisfied and preoccupied with digestion.

Czarina, the star monster of her kind, has been very peevish of late. The keepers in the reptile house notified Curator Raymond L. Ditmars that the big snake had refused food, and it was then decided to force the python to eat. So three husky keepers fearlessly took the creature from its glass cage out into the open. There the reptile wiggled for a half hour while the three keepers tried to straighten it out so that it could be stuffed. And they had to be extremely careful, for if the python should coil itself around the body of one of them it could with great ease crush him to death. After a hard struggle the big snake was forced to swallow two roosters which had been purchased in a Bronx butcher shop for the banquet.

In captivity the regal python is vicious and resents any familiarity on the part of the keeper. While confined it prefers to feed on poultry and can engulf without difficulty, as it did a few days ago, two eight-pound roosters in full feather. Two such fowls usually constitute a square meal, but a very hungry snake of this species will consume four chickens of this size and be ready for more within ten days' time.

During the first few months of confinement very large specimens of this variety of snake appear to suffer from the restraints of captivity, and refuse food. Whenever a large serpent is thus languishing and approaching a suicidal end, it is necessary to feed it by force and thus counteract its sluggish appetite.

Generally young rabbits are killed and tied together with twine; the snake is then held by the keepers as nearly straight as possible and by means of a pole the meal is forced down its throat a distance of about six feet. Food thus administered usually changes the snake's demeanor toward captivity. With such a meal once digested, there comes an appetite for food, which usually can be detected by the snake's actions, although for a time the reptile may lack sufficient courage to feed voluntarily.

Attention on the part of the keeper usually renders a repetition of compulsory feeding unnecessary, although occasional specimens are very stubborn, as in the case of Czarina at the park.