Balanced Rations
Categories:
Feeding Farm Animals
What is a balanced ration for milk cows and brood sows?
When plenty of alfalfa is available many dairymen feed that alone. It is
better to feed a little corn, grain hay, beet pulp or the beets
themselves to balance up the ration. Some of the best concentrates to
feed to offset alfalfa hay are ground barley and dried beet pulp. The
same thing can be said about the sows. They will consume about 10 pounds
of chopped alfalfa per day and all the skim-milk that is likely to be
given them. Not more than eight pounds of concentrates need be fed, of
which one-fifth may be bran, the same amount, or more, of cocoanut oil
cake, and the rest corn or barley. With plenty of skim-milk and alfalfa,
but little grain or other concentrates will be needed. A few beets will
also go well with alfalfa.