230 Missouri Agricultural Report. 



bination, but it is sometimes economy to submit to a present los.3 

 if probably profit in the future will more than counterbalance it. 

 Bear in mind also that the food of maintenance must be supplied 

 and only that which is fed in excess of this should be considered 

 when the market runs the wrong way. 



DISCUSSION. 



Q. What breed of cows have you? 



A. We have the Guernseys; but I don't think there is any- 

 thing gained in a meeting of this kind by discussing the different 

 breeds — I would rather say dairy cows. It is a matter of your 

 own personal taste; you should select the breed you like best. 

 And I don't think we should pay any attention to fancy points 

 about the cow, either. Professor Spillman spoke to you last nighc 

 about the cow with the stripe around her body being so much in 

 demand. Now, that stripe doesn't mean anything. We have a 

 cow in our herd which is almost a solid color, and some buyers 

 would pass her by when looking through our herd ; and yet she 

 stands there year after year with a record of 400 pounds of fat — 

 449 last year. Now, that's a pretty good cow, and she is one of 

 the most economical producers we have. Last year she only ate 

 $50 worth of feed, and returned a profit of $100; and yet if you 

 were a Guernsey man you would not consider her at all. She is 

 willing to take the grains that we raise on our farm and those that 

 we buy, and give us over and above all the cost of her feed $100 

 in profit. Now, we should not let a little thing like that stripe in- 

 fluence us. 



Q. In speaking of the profit from a cow, you do not in- 

 clude the cost of labor, do you? 



A. No; just the amount of feed we put into that cow and 

 take out so much milk. 



Q. How can we tell when we are feeding too much? 



A. You will notice that the animal is leaving part of her 

 feed. And then you will notice it in the excretion — you will no- 

 tice that the cow is not right constitutionally, that there is some- 

 thing wrong with her digestion, 



Q. Does clover hay answer the purpose of alfalfa ? 



A. Yes; clover hay is also rich in protein. Alfalfa contains 

 11 per cent and clover practically 7 per cent. But don't misunder- 

 stand me to say that carbohydrates are not important. But here 

 in Missouri, where you have plenty of corn, you are more con- 

 cerned with getting protein feed, and when you buy feed you think 



