DAIRY MEETING. I47 



of. Every variation made is with the view to make the subject 

 give more milk. Experimental feeding of dairy cows, at the 

 stations and with private herds, has been to learn the combi- 

 nation that will squeeze a little more of product from the cow. 

 The direction coming to the novice in feeding from the highest 

 authorities among us is to increase the feed so long as an 

 increase of milk is the result. To such extent has this milk- 

 giving propensity been cultivated, w4th many susceptible cows, 

 that as their year's production is rounded out there is little 

 of physical power left. Their vital powers have been surrendered 

 to the never satisfied demands of the milk pail. 



This is just what is going on among breeders of dairy stock 

 at the present time. Not a thought is given, apparently, to any 

 other factor involved in the improvement of the dairy herd. 

 Even scientific investigators, those who stand before us as our 

 teachers, are wont to illustrate the dairy cow as a "machine" 

 into which a balanced ration is dumped, to be ground out into 

 milk and cream. If the cow were only a machine there would 

 be a parallel in the comparison, and sense in the illustration. 

 But instead of an inanimate machine, the cow is a living organ- 

 ism. It takes power to be a great producer. Unless that power 

 is sustained Avhile production is being continued, the vital energy 

 of the cow will be weakened. So long as feed and care are 

 directed to the forcing of more milk, and the vital powers behind 

 it are neglected, weakness must follow. 



Is not here a reason why the standard of many herds 

 is so rarely kept up in the offspring? Some of you will recall 

 having seen at the State Fair Mr. Russell's notable cow, "Old 

 Creamer," that set the pace of over two pounds of butter fat in 

 a single day. Any breeder would know at a glance that with 

 vitality so reduced by drafts for the pail as this cow showed, it 

 could not be possible that she could reproduce her equal through 

 her offspring, much less improve upon it. 



To breed and grow a better cow, then, there must be an 

 increase of vital power to meet and sustain the added demand 

 of a larger milk flow. A balance between the larger production 

 and the power to sustain it must be maintained. Instead of 

 breeding for a phenomenal milk flow, the sensible course would 

 seem to be to breed and build up an animal capable of giving a 

 large flow of milk. Too many calves, even from well bred 



