FEEDING FOR QUALITY. 73 



FEEDING FOR QUALITY. 

 By G. M. GOWELL, Bowdoiiiham. 



Feeders of other animals than milch cows have only the problem 

 of health, development and growth to contend with, and are free to 

 use any of the forage crops, grains or by-products that their farms 

 produce or the market furnishes, that alone or in combination con- 

 tain nutritive elements in quantity and in ratio suited to the rapid 

 and economical growth of their animals. In the production of beef, 

 pork, mutton, wool and horse flesh, foods are used with reference 

 to their nutritive contents alone. In the growth of the ox and pig, 

 foods with rank flavors are frequently used, and sometimes the flesh 

 of animals so fed is unpalatable as human food. To correct this 

 difficulty it is only necessary to discontinue the obnoxious food 

 during the last few weeks of the animals' lives. Even though the 

 animal has subsisted the larger part of its life upon ill flavored food, 

 the short time of correct feeding near its close is sufficient to elimi- 

 nate all undesirable flavors. 



But the cow, believing in prompt payment for expenses incurred, 

 and in early dividends, yields her lacteal fluid twice daily through- 

 out the whole milking period of her life. Her milk is the daily 

 product of her daily food. With her there is no life of profligacy 

 with a few days of repentance at the end to eliminate the corruption. 

 Bad food in the morning brings its penalty in bad milk at night. 

 Thus the dairyman has not only the question of the contents of his 

 feeding materials in albuminoids and carbohydrates with which to 

 contend, but also their flavoring effects upon the products of the 

 mammary glands. When objectionable foods are used, their prepa- 

 ration and methods of feeding have a tendency to reduce to an 

 appreciable extent, and sometimes almost wholl}' overcome their 

 otherwise ill-flavoring of the milk. Bearing quality in mind, the 

 invariable rule may be adopted that sudden or marked changes in 

 quantity or kind of food are never to be tolerated. When a food to 

 which the cow is unaccustomed is introduced into the ration it 

 should be done very gradually that the digestive and assimilative 

 organs of the animal have opportunity to become familiar with its 

 peculiarities. 



The united efforts of the assimilative organs of the cow in milk 

 are devoted to extracting from her food perfect milk only. Had 



