LC 5U55 A•ta\ e_~

f"O·L.('' Pl Good ·Dairy Cows Will · . ..

• • • Turn Feed Into Profit

-Six Steps That

•

-Pav •

-Off In Dairying

1 Fertilize your soils to get a balanced pasture crop at low cost.

2. Grow as much high-quality feed as possible on your own farm.

3. Have enough healthy cows to use the feed, labor and equipment efficiently.

4. Stick to a good prog~m for preventing and controlling disease.

5. Follow a clock-like routine of feeding, milking, and managing.

6. Keep equip'ment clean and use every possible method to assure high-quality milk.

You Need This Much Feed Each Year FOR ONE DAIRY COW

(Producing 7,500 pounds C872 gallons) of milk a year, or an average of 24.6 pounds (2.9 gallons) daily for ten months.>

240 successive days of gr a zing on rich pasture.

1 % to 2 tons of leafy, green legume hay*.

3 tons of silage-high-quality corn, legume or grass**.

1 ton of balanced grain mixture.

FOR A TEN-COW HERD <Producing 75,000 pounds in 365 days, or an average of 206 pounds a day throug:·.out the year.>

240 successive day• of g r a z i n g on rich pasture or 2,400 cow-c!ays of grazing a year.

15 to 20 tons of leafy, green, legume hay, barn-cured pref erred':'.

30 to 35 tons of sitage-high-quality corn, legume, or grass*'~.

10 to 12 tons of balanced grain mixture. *Be prepared to feed double this amount of hoy if silage is locking or posture is poor.

•*One pound of hoy equals three pounds of corn silage in the om ount of total digestohle nutrients supplied, but corn silage fed with good hoy Is better thon corn silage fed alone.

Two growing heifers need as much as one mature cow in full production.

How To Feed and Manage for Greater Profit Grow the Crops You Need-Feed Wisely the Crops You Grow

1. Know each cow's feed needs; keep rec-ords.

a. Determine her body \\"Pig-ht; use a "lin• weight estimation'' tapt>. Writl' the weight in your rf'cord book.

L. \Veigh the milk she gi,·es i11 one day of each week. Record this weight in your book.

2. Give each cow the feed ahe needa every day.

a. For each I 00 pounds the cow weighs, feed her at least: I I/~ pounds of good legume hay, when the hay is fed with silage. 3 pounds of silage, when the silage is fed with hay. 2 pounds of hay. when no silage is fed. If a cow is fed 3 pounds of sila.ge daily for ea.ch

100 pounds she weighs, along with all the good quality legume hay she will ea.t twice a day, she

will haw enough feed to keep her body in good condition and also let her produce UJ> to 16 pounds of milk if she is :a Holstein, 12 pounds it i.he is a Guernsey, a.nd 111 1111unds if a Jersey.

b. If the cow can produrl' more milk, feed her grain as follows:

To Holsteins, 0.4 pound:-i ( 61;~ ounces or :!/1 pint) of grain for each pound Of milk produced daily abow 16 pounds.

To Gut>mscys, 0.5 pounds (8 ounces 01

1 pint) of grain for eat' h pound of milk produced daily above 12 pounds.

To Jerseys, 0.6 poundl-l ( 10 ounces 01

1 'h pints) of grain for each pound o1 milk produced daily above 10 pounds

c. If a cow eats plenty of good quality le· gume hay or rich pasturage, she shouk produce well on a low-protein grair mixture.

The picture on the cover was taken on the farm of Luck Brothers In Hanover County (an scs plfo&o).

3. Balance grain mixture to make up any nutrients lacking in roughage.

Use home - grown grains; STOCK GRAIN MIXTURE with top quality pasturage hay.

make a to be fed or legume

Stock Grain Mixture

Feed Ingredients

100 lbs. Corn and Cob 100 lbs. Ground Barley 100 lbs. Ground Oats 100 lbs. Wheat Bran

400 lbs. STOCK GRAIN

Analysis

Meal

MIX

Protein Total Digestable

Total Digestable Nutrients (T.D.N.)

8.5 lbs. 6.1 lbs. 78.1 lbs. 11.8 lbs. 9.3 lbs. 78.7 lbs. 12.0 lbs. 9.4 lbs. 71.5 lbs. 15.8 lbs. 13.1 lbs. 70.2 lbs.

41.1 lbs. 37.9 lbs. 298.5 lbs.

12.0<;t,. 9.5<7, 74.6%

With legume-grass mixed hay or mid-season pasture, feed: 400 lbs. STOCK GRAIN MIX 48.1 lbs. 37.9 lbs. 298.5 lbs.

PLUS s 75 lbs. Soybean Meal 33.2 lbs. 28.2 lbs. 61.6 lbs.

475 lbs. Grain Mixture 81.3 lbs. 66.1 lbs. 360.1 lbs.

Analysis 17.1% 13.9% 85.8%

With grass hay or late-season pasture, feed: 400 lbs. STOCK GRAIN MIX 48.1 lbs. 37.9 lbs. 298.5 lbs.

PLUS s 75 lbs. Soybean Meal 33.2 lbs. 28.2 lbs. 61.6 lbs. 75 lbs. Peanut Meal 32.5 lbs. 28.9 lbs. 60.7 lbs.

550 lbs. Grain Mixture 113.B lbs. 95.0 lbs. 420.8 lbs.

Analysis 20.7% 17.3% 76.5%

Add 1 lb. salt and 1 lb. steamed bone meal to each 100 lbs. of each mixture.

Barley and oats may be substituted for each other, pound for pound.

Soybean meal, peanut meal, and cottonseed meal may be substituted for each other on an equal pound basis, using not more than 100 lbs. of any one of the protein supplements in any of the. above mixtures.

4. Give each cow all the clean, fresh water she will driDk.

Each 100 pounds of milk contains 87 pounds of water. A dairy cow needs at least 3 pounds of water for each 1 pound of milk she produces. Automatic drinking cups in the barn help make more milk, especially in cold weather.

Manage Your Cows So That They Will Use Feed, Labor, And Equipment At a Profit 1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

For efficient production, guard your cow's health. Keep them clean, com-fortable, contented.

You and your cows will work best in a clean barn, well-arranged, well-lighted, well-ventilated.

Dairy cows respond to gentle but regu-lar treatment. Feed them, milk them. care for them on a clock-like schedule.

Heifers and cows bred in December and January will freshen the following Sep-tember, October and November, when the demand and p r i c e s for milk are highest. Fall-freshening cows produce more milk than when they freshen in other seasons. Fall-born heifer calves offer good chances for profits to the man who raises his own herd replace-ments.

Liberal feeding through a six to eight weeks' rest period before each calving pays off in a higher level of milk pro-duction following calving.

Managed milking pays. Just before each cow is milked, wipe her udder and teats with a damp cloth wrung out of hot wa-ter (130° F) ; gently massage the udder for one minute; then milk the cow quickly, gently, and completely. Milk on the same schedule every day.

Dairying by "remote control" seldom pays. Know what your cows are doing each day. Keep records.

No dairy enterprise can prosper if the cattle are of poor breeding. Use only the best, production - bred bu I Is and raise your own herd replacements.

High quailty milk sells first and at the best prices. Clean cows, clean barn, clean utensils, clean milking, quick cool-ing, and prompt delivery to market lead to quality prices.

More profits will be made if cows fresh-en once in each twelve months. Keep careful records of breeding and calving.

What To Grow For Ten Cows 1. Pasture 2. Hay

I.

15 acres permanent pasture for dry cows and other use when needed.

6 acres Ladino clover-orchard grass for grazing from April througl: October.

10 acres small grain, rye grass, and crimson clover for November and March grazing.

3 acres sweet Sudan grass and soybeans for July and August grazing.

5 acres alfalfa. 6 a.cres clover or lespedeza hay.

3. Grain 6 acres of corn for silage and grain. 6 acres of barley and oats for grain and bedding.

How To Grow It Plan for at least 200 to 250 days continuous grazing. (2) Seed 15 pounds of rye-grass and 1 to 2

bushels of small grain or 15 pounds of rye-grass, 1 bushel of Abruzzi or Balbo rye, and 15 pounds of crimson clover following silage and Sudan grass. Fertilize with 400 to 600 pounds per acre of 4-16-8 or 4-12-8.

(a)

(b)

Boost spring, summer, and fall grazing:

(1) Have Ladino clover-orchard grass pasture April through October. (a) Lime soil to pH of 6.0. A~pl} from

600 to 1000 pounds per acre ' f -12-12 fertilizer.

(b) Disk thoroughly. Seed 8-10 pounds of orchard grass in Eastern Virginia and middle and southern Piedmont, 6-8 pounds in North Piedmont and west of Blue Ridge, and 2 pounds of certified Ladino clover seed per acre on rolled or culti-packed land and cross barrow.

(c) Top-dress each spring with at least 500 to 800 pounds of 0-14-14 per acre.

(2) Improve and maintain permanent sods. Start with an application of 500 to 800 pounds of 20% superphosphate per acre fol-lowed by an average of 200 to 300 pounds per acre per year of 0-14-7 or 0-14-14. Or apply 800 to 1000 J?OUnds every 4 to 5 years. If additional grazing is needed, apply 160 to 200 pounds per acre of nitrate of soda or its equivalent per acre in early spring.

(3) Sweet Sudan grass and soybeans. Seed 20 to 30 pounds of sweet Sudan grass and 3 to 4 pecks of ·soybeans per acre soon after corn is planted. Fertilize with 500 to 600 pounds per acre of 4-12-8 or 4-16-8 fertiliz-er at seeding. Disk the field late in August or early September and seed 15 pounds of rye-grass and 1 to 2 bushels of small f,rain per acre (or 15 pounds of rye-grass, 1 ush-el of Abruzzi rye, and 15 pounds of crim-son clover), for late fall, winter, and early spring grazing.

Have late fall, winter and early spring grazing.

(I) Disk permanent lespedeza-orchard grass pasture lightly in August or early Septem-ber and seed 15 pounds of rye-grass and 2-3 bushels of small grain for winter grazing. In eastern and Piedmont sections, include 15 pounds of crimson clover. Fertilize with 500 to 600 pounds per acre of 4-12-8 or 4-16-8.

2. Grow more and better qualit~ ha~· with alfalfa. a. Select well-drained land. b. Use Kansas Common, Oklahoma Common or Buf-

falo seed 15 to 20 pounds per acre. Atlantic and Williamsburg recommended but seed is scarce.

c. Lime soil according to need as shown by soil test. d. Use 1,000 to 1,200 r.ounds of borated 2-12-12 or

borated 0-14-14 fertilizer per acre. e. Plow down half of the lime and half of the ferti-

lizer; use balance at seeding. f. Inoculate the seed. g. Roll or cultipack the land and cross harrow. h. Sow 30-45 days before average date of the first

killing frost in fall or 30 days before average date of the last killing frost in .spring.

i. Top-dress each spring with at least 600 to 1000 pounds of borated 0-14-14. or borated 0-10-20.

3. Make the most of small grain.

a. Use high-yielding varieties. b. Fertilize with 400 to 600 pouncl.s per acre of

3-12-6 or 2-12-12 at seeding and top-dress with 150 to 200 pounds per acre of quickly available nitrogen fertilizer in spring just before growth starts. On soils where grain lodges, leave off top-dressing.

4. Produce 75 to HIO bushels of rorn or 15 to 20 tons silage pt'r acre.

a. Prepare good seedbed. b. Use adapted hybrid seed. c. Use 500 to 800 pounds of 2-12-12 (without borax),

4-12-8 or 4-16-8 fertilizer per acre (drill 200-300 pounds per acre in row at planting and broad-cast balance before planting) or 10 tons of ma-nure and 400 pounds of 20% superphosphate. If manure is used put 200-300 lbs. of complete fer-tilizer in row at planting.

d. Plant 12,000-16,000 stalks per acre.

Circular 411 December, 1951

e. Side-dress with at least 40 to 60 pounds nitrogen per acre when corn is knee high. When manure is used, 20 to 30 lbs. of additional nitrogen may be beneficial. If corn turns yellow anytime be-fore last cultivation, use nitrogen immediately.

Virginia. Polytechnic Inat1tute and the United StatH Department of Agriculture Cooperating: J:xten•lon Service, L. B. Dietrick, Director, Blacll:aburg, Virginia

Printed and Dietributed in Furtherance of tbe Acts of Congress of May 6 and June 30, 1914