"Feeds and Feeding" by F.B. Morrison. Its was printed and updated for over 60 years. I'm not sure when the last update was. The latest I know of was 1959. Prof. Morrison died in 1958. I have the 1912 and 1956 editions.
Good Book
- Thread starter Bluestem
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gerardplauche
Well-known member
Where could one obtain a copy of this book?
TexasBred
Well-known member
For ages that has been the "Bible" for feed. I have an old copy and you will laugh yourself silly at some of the pictures of cattle, hogs etc. in the book. Some of the information is outdated just like the pictures but still a world of information in the old book.
TexasBred":8mori780 said:
I have the 8th Edition. Printed in 1950. The nutrient requirements and grain compositions are still dead on.
The pigs and chickens in the book are being raised outside. :shock:
TexasBred
Well-known member
MikeC":2wd6ae7a said:
Certainly the nutrient profiles wouldn't change on an ingredient as corn is still corn and c/s/m is still c/s/m but nutrient requirements have changed dramatically. Feed for lactating dairy cattle for instance has to be much more energy dense for today's cow than the 1950's cow. Just one example.
Morrisons recommends feeding dairy cows according to milk production, based on that along with weight of cow, with which I agree is proper.
It takes no more energy per pound of milk today than it did with a 1950 cow, given like sizes and production.
They don't have Energy values broken down in mg/cal in their compositions back then though. TDN.
Texas PaPaw
Well-known member
gerardplauche":j8a72uqi said:
Gerard
Try a google search for morrison "feeds & feeding "
auctionboy
Well-known member
I like to use "The Stockman's Handbook". This one is fourth edition 1970, but has a lot of great info.
RiverSide Cattle
Active member
You should be able to find this book here:
http://www.alibris.com/booksearch?q...ry=FEED+AND+FEEDING&cm_sp=works*listing*title
I have no experience with this book but have ordered other old books from this place with decent results.
RSC
http://www.alibris.com/booksearch?q...ry=FEED+AND+FEEDING&cm_sp=works*listing*title
I have no experience with this book but have ordered other old books from this place with decent results.
RSC
ebay has a good selection as well. Try to get the complete version- over 1000 pages vs the abridged verison which is around 500 pages.
Also an important note- some of the information in these books are dated and talk about feeding practices which are no longer allowed. But overall a lot of good information for the price.
Also an important note- some of the information in these books are dated and talk about feeding practices which are no longer allowed. But overall a lot of good information for the price.
TexasBred
Well-known member
MikeC":1ucomhsr said:
"Given like sizes and production".... Glad you qualified that. We don't have 1950's sizes and productons thus cows now need a much more energy dense diets. Some will feed for max production, others know the point of diminishing return and feed for that level. Others just feed. :roll: It's not feasible to feed based on production and/or size anyway unless you're going to mix and hand feed each cow.
auctionboy
Well-known member
Texas bred- With it isn't feasible to feed based on production and or size how would you make your assumption of how much to feed? How would you calculate how much feed you would need for winter?
TexasBred
Well-known member
auctionboy":39mirgm7 said:
Auction as I mentioned in previous post many use their own methods for determining how much of everything to feed. There are also many different methods of dairying. Some feed grain in the barn and nothing but low quality grazing and hay outside. Some feed TMR mixed in a mixer wagon. You can feed based on average cow size and average production, you can feed based on largest cows and highest production. Some will have a group of top producers and a group of low enders and feed accordingly. Personally I prefer to feed for maximum production with a good TMR. Those high producers get what the need to produce milk at maximum potential, try to maintain body condition and breed back. Those long in milk with less production will need the additional feed to increase body condition until time to dry off. Anyway you do it you're not feeding individual cattle but groups or complete herds. Determining the amount of feed to contract can be based on past history unless you anticipate expanding the herd. Most companies won't contract a full year's supply of any commodity anyway but will go six months and most times that is best. (there are exceptions).
That's the way we and all the other dairies did it here. When the cows came in to milk, she would get her share of supplements/grain in her trough individually while she was prepped and milked..
The portions were based on milk production and size.
Plus, I think dairy cows are smaller now than when we were dairying.
TexasBred
Well-known member
Mike, wow you had a computerized feed mixing system with I.D. tags on each cow to be scanned so the 'puter could mix the feed accordingly or just milked very few cows and hand mixed feed for each individual cow based on her size and production. (Bet that stretched out the milking time) Most folks are getting completely away from feeding anything inside the barn and going with a TMR feed in a freestall or in a fenceline feeder. You can make better and often less expensive feed, get more production and avoid a lot of health problems. (feet problems being one of the exceptions).
Don't know about 'bama but Texas dairy cattle have increased in size consistently over the years as genetics have improved and calf rearing operations have feed for larger cattle.
Don't know about 'bama but Texas dairy cattle have increased in size consistently over the years as genetics have improved and calf rearing operations have feed for larger cattle.
Hardly. :lol: We had a simple stanchion barn (as did most others) and fed from a chart that had eartags numbers and number of scoops for each cow. These calcs were derived from DHIA recording of milk weights and tape weighing of animals.
The cows got the same ration, just different amounts.
Milking time took no longer than normal.
We milked between 100 & 200, depending on year.
TexasBred
Well-known member
Ohhh.....Mike that helps. Same ration "different amounts". (I'm dense sometimes) I have a friend over in East Texas that still does that. But he only milks about 60 head and has done it so long he knows everycow immediately when they walk in the barn. Also raises jersey show heifers, grows corn, watermelons, show lambs and pigs. Some say the only time he gets to get any sleep at all is at church on Sunday Morning. 
