202 Missouri Agricultural Report. 



A cow secreting milk must produce substances in the milk of 

 each of these classes. In one hundred pounds of average milk we 

 find about 3.3 pounds of protein in form of case in (curd) and al- 

 bumen, five pounds of carbohydrates in form of milk sugar, four 

 pounds of fat in form of butter fat. Since these three kinds of 

 solids must be present in order to form milk, it is necessary to 

 furnish them in the feed in sufficient quantities and in about the 

 right proportion, so there will be no loss. When this is done, the 

 ration is properly balanced. If a cow be supplied with sufficient 

 material in her feed to produce thirty pounds of milk per day, but 

 on account of lacking protein produces but fifteen pounds, it is 

 useless to further increase the fat-producing material and expect 

 the flow of milk to be increased. The surplus fat in the feed will 

 not be put into the milk and make it unusually rich. The results of 

 numerous experiments carried on by various investigators show 

 that as far as the practical feeder is concerned the proportion of 

 butter fat in cow's milk cannot be changed appreciably by the kind 

 of feed given. The richness of a cow's milk is a natural character- 

 istic. 



Returns from liberal feeding and care in balancing the ration 

 should be looked for in a larger yield of milk and not in a richer 

 milk. The quality of richness of milk is controlled by the selection 

 of the individual animals and to a certain extent by the breed. 

 The problem the feeder has before him constantly is how to best 

 combine his feeds to furnish the necessary food elements in the right 

 proportion and with the greatest degrees of economy. 



As an aid in properly balancing the rations, it is useful to 

 divide our common feeds into two classes. 



Class 1. Including those feeds which contain a large amount 

 of fat producing material (carbohydrates and fat) but which are 

 notably deficient in protein, one of the essential substances required 

 for producing milk and growth in young animals. 



In this class we have: 



Corn Oat Straw 



Corn Fodder Wheat Straw 



Corn Silage Millet Hay 



Timothy Hay Sorghum Hay 



Class 2. This class contains a much larger proportion of pro- 

 tein, the essential growth and milk producing elements, and smaller 

 quantities of the fat making materials. It includes : 



