Milch Cows and Dairy Farming / Comprising the Breeds, Breeding, and Management, in Health and Disease, of Dairy and Other Stock, the Selection of Milch Cows, with a Full Explanation of Guenon's Method; The Culture of Forage Plants, and the Production of Milk, Butter, and Cheese: Embodying the Most Recent Improvements, and Adapted to Farming in the United States and British Provinces. With a Treatise upon the Dairy Husbandry of Holland; To Which Is Added Horsfall's System of Dairy Management

by Charles Louis Flint

Either the rape-cake or bran alone suffices for the restoration of the phosphoric acid.

The amount of phosphoric acid in the manure is 393 pounds, being about sixteen per cent. of the whole ash or mineral matter. The ash of meadow hay contains about 14 per cent., that of rape-cake 30 per cent., bran 50 per cent., malt-combs 25 per cent., and turnips, &c., 10 per cent. of phosphoric acid.

The amount of potash in the excrement is 616 pounds, being about 25 per cent. of the whole ash or mineral matter. The ash of meadow hay contains about 20 per cent.; rape-cake, 21 per cent.; malt-combs, 37 per cent.; turnips (various), 44 per cent.; from which it may be inferred that the sample of excrement sent to Professor Way for analysis did not contain more than a fair proportion of these ingredients.

To ascertain the quantity of excrement, the contents of the tanks into which the cows had dropped their solid and liquid excrement during five weeks were weighed, and found to be 500 cwt. 2 qrs. 0 lbs, from 18 cows, being 88 lbs. per cow per day. The sample for analysis was taken from that which the cows had deposited within the preceding 24 hours. This was collected in the mud-cart, well blended, and sent off quite fresh.

It is sufficiently proved, by the experience of this district, that 20 pounds of meadow hay suffice for the maintenance of a cow of fair size in store condition; a like result is stated to be obtained from 120 pounds of turnips per day. The six cows will have then required, during the 27¹⁄₃ weeks, for their maintenance, only

Per day.		Weeks.	Total Weight.			Albumi- nous mat.	Oil.	Starch, &c.
lbs.			lbs.			lbs.	lbs.	lbs.
120	of hay or for	271⁄3	22,960	containing	of	2127	616	9130
150	of turnips, or for	271⁄3	137,760	“	“	2295	306	9100

They will further have required adequate food—

	Albuminous matter, fibrin, and caseine.	Oil and butter.	Starch and sugar of milk.
For the production of	2,116	1,235	1,894
And for maintenance by turnips,	2,295	306	9,100
	4,411	1,541	10,994
The food supplied is computed to have contained	5,459	1,345	15,664

I omit the minerals, which are observed to be in excess of the requirements.

For the maintenance of a fair-sized cow, for one day, in a normal state, the following elements seem adequate: