1002 New Yokk State JJaikymex's Association 



Pkof. ^'AX Pei,t : Very often wo have cows in our herd that 

 will not go tlrv or are dithcult to turn dry. In such cases I 

 would not liy any moans advocate turning the cow dry at the ex- 

 pense of hor usofulnoss. In other words, I would not run the 

 risk of spoiling a cow's udder merely to get her dry. Usually how- 

 ever, by giving her corn stalks, timothy hay and ice water and 

 letting the hired man milk hor we can get her dry pretty shortly. 



Mk. ]\1attesox : This question is handed to me: Will a cow 

 live as long if she is required to work so hard i Xow I would 

 say that if a cow is made up as I am she will live longer. 



PiiOF. Vax Pelt : That question is very often asked. Some- 

 times I think it is a question that we hardly know about. 1 do not 

 believe that a cow will die any sooner if she is fed judiciously, 

 being made to produce heavily, than though she is fed improperly 

 with the result of less production. In fact, I think she will live 

 longer. 



Mil. Gkaxey of Binghamton: Does it not often ruin a cow 

 for milking purposes to fatten her ? 



Prof. Van Pelt: Jt does unless you food for the proper kind 

 of fat. However, in the system I have outlined you do not have 

 to get a cow very fat. She will not put on a very great amount 

 of fat in 30 or -iO days. It will be possible, however, to increase 

 her weight 100 to 125 pounds, but by feeding grains of a light 

 character — bran, oil meal, oats — you put on a light, soft fat, 

 which is milked off after the cow freshens. If after the cow 

 freshens you continue feeding foods of a fattening nature, con- 

 tinue to encourage the placing of fat on her body for a long 

 period at the expense of milk production, you will ruin the cow. 



.Mr. JMattesox : If you wore raising your own stock for your 

 <hiirv, would vou advise feedini!; the heifer at once along the lines 

 of milk production instead of for fat? 



Prof. \'a\ I^klt: ^'cs, indeed. I would begin the feeding at 

 least six weeks before the calf was l)orn. A tVw weeks ago T 

 visited a farm outside of ('lev(dand, wliei'o they have three world's 

 cliaiupion cows. T have been vciy nuieii interested in ihe manner 

 in which they i'ccd their cattle. Tluy have heifers coming into 

 milk weighing 1100 and 1200 and l.'JOO pounds, and the first 



