ensilage is without a rival in providing winter succulence for cows.
Field roots furnish succulence that, pound for pound, is more valuable
than corn, because of the more favorable influence which it exerts on
the digestion. But roots cost more to grow than corn. Rutabagas and
turnips will give the milk an offensive taint if fed freely at any other
time than just after the milk has been withdrawn, but that is not true
of mangel wurtzel, sugar beets, or carrots.

The necessity for giving grain feed containing high percentage of
digestible matter (known as concentrates) to dairy cows is based on the
inability of the cow to consume and digest enough coarse fodders to
result in maximum production, even though the fodders should be in
balance as to their constituents.

Concentrates are purchased or home grown. It matters not from which
source they are obtained, but the values of those purchased are becoming
so high as to force upon dairy-men the necessity of growing them at home
as far as this may be practicable, and of insuring sound digestion by
giving some such tonic and appetizer as Pratts Cow Remedy. This splendid
prescription should be kept on hand the year round, and should be given
with every feeding, especially in winter. Its value in keeping up milk
production and for maintaining health is unequalled.

The method of furnishing concentrates by growing certain of the small
grains in combination is growing in favor. These combinations may
include wheat, barley, outs, peas, and flax. Frequently but two
varieties are grown together. They are grown thus, in the first place,
to secure better yields, and, in the second, to furnish concentrates in
approximate balance. Such a food, for instance, is obtained from
growing wheat and oats together, and if some flax is grown in the
mixture it will be further improved.

When choosing concentrates for feeding cows, the aim should be to select
them so that when fed along with the roughage on hand, they will be in
approximate balance, that is, the elements in them will best meet the
needs of the cows.

If a flesh and milk-making food, like clover, is the source of the
fodder, then a fat and heat-producing food, like corn, should furnish a
large proportion of the grain fed. But it is not more profitable in all
instances to feed foods in exact balance. Some of the factors may be so
high priced and others so cheap that it will pay better to feed them
more or less out of balance.