22 STATE BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



milkers. It is also unwise to change the feed suddenly, and if some 

 new feed is to be given them, the change should be gradual. It is often 

 claimed that turnips, beet tops and silage taint the milk but if they are 

 properly fed there will be no taint. 



Prof. C. D. Smith: I protest against the feeding of silage before milk- 

 ing, as I consider it entirely wrong to do so. Silage should be fed after 

 milking. If this is not done the effect will be immediately noticed in 

 the milk, which will be tainted. The injury is often even more noticeable 

 when dry fodders are given to the cows either just before milking or 

 while milking is going on. 



C. C. Lillie : I heard you say once that you milked cows and put the 

 milk in a silo and it had no effect. 



Geo. F. Richardson : When ensilage is fed either just before or during 

 the milking period the milk will surely be tainted. 



The remarks of N. P. Hull, of Diamondale, who opened the discussion, 

 were as follows: 



Despite all that has been said and written on the Feeding and Care of 

 the dairy cow, the average production of the cows of Michigan, is not 

 much, if any, above the average cost of production. However, this does 

 not prove in any way that dairying cannot be made to pay a steady, con- 

 tinuous and splendid profit on our Michigan farms. Perhaps in no line 

 of work are there greater differences between averages and possibilities. 

 The first essential for maximum production is a good herd of cows. It 

 is not enough to know that the herd is producing profitably, but we 

 should know that each individual in that herd is a profitable animal. 

 In determining this, while we should not neglect the point of conforma- 

 tion as indicating dairy temperament, yet the only safe tests are the 

 scales and Balbcock tester. And even then we should not condemn an 

 animal until we know that she has been properly fed and cared for. 



For the ideal dairy cow, with the nervous susceptible temperament 

 that responds so royally to proper conditions, may be the first to fail 

 if given unkind treatment, poor or insufficient food, and uncomfortable 

 quarters. It requires about one-ihalf of all a cow can eat, digest and 

 assimilate for the maintainance ration, i. e. just to keep her a cow; or to 

 keep her milk giving machinery running. Manifestly there is no profit 

 in just running the machinery and it is equally clear that in feeding 

 for maximum profits, we must make the conditions right so that this 

 machine, that is costing so much to run, shall eat, digest, assimilate and 

 convert into milk just as large an amount of food in proportion to that 

 required to run the machine as is possible. To bring this about, the 

 cow must have a ration composed of the necessary food elements, so 

 compounded as to have about the right proportions. 



Succulent food during the winter season is desirable. I know of no 

 better food of this character tlian the corn plant properly ensiloed. 

 A cow should be fed regularly and with a variety of food, of which 

 25 to 35 per cent, of the digestible nutriment should be in the form of 

 concentrates. We believe it to be very essential that the food before a 

 dairy cow, should smell right and taste right to be palatable. That it 



