SEVENTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK— PART VII. 339 



found working his hardest after the point where he had been accus- 

 tomed to think he had finished milking. Another result followed 

 closely: He found his cows were milking much more evenly and 

 keeping up their milk flow much more persistently. During the St. 

 Louis cow demonstration, the milkers of the winning herd were 

 induced to milk each cow perfectly dry, and then manipulate and rub 

 the udder vigorously, but gently, for a few minutes before leaving her. 

 This method had much to do with the fact that at the end of a six 

 months' milking period the cows invariably were producing more but- 

 ter per day than at any other time since freshening. With such 

 care bestowed upon her, the dairy cow is surrounded by environment 

 conducive to making the most of the feed given her. She is then, 

 and not till then, in a condition to make profitable use of her food. 



Proper care and feeding go hand in hand, and it matters little 

 how efficiently one is supplied, if the other is lacking, in a large 

 degree, the results will be discouraging. To properly feed the dairy 

 herd requires continued study on the part of the feeder. 



Like human beings, ccws differ one from another widely; in other 

 words, each cow has her individuality. The food which one cow eats 

 with avidity, another cow dislikes and eats with reluctance. The 

 ration that is perfectly bafanced for one member of the herd, and by 

 the use of which she produces greatly and economically, is entirely out 

 of proportion for another and she produces far below her ability in 

 amount of milk, butter fat, and profit. 



Furthermore, the ration that is balanced properly for a cow at one 

 period of lactation does not contain the feeding nutrients in proper 

 ratio for another period of lactation. There is a wide difference in 

 the capacity of cows to consume food, and even a wider difference 

 in the ability to convert food into milk. Upon the feeder rests the 

 burden of determining and supplying the amount and proportion of 

 the different feeding nutrients necessary for each member of the 

 herd in order that she can at all times produce the greatest amount 

 of milk and butter fat from the least amount of food without injury to 

 her future usefulness. 



To accomplish these results is no little task, so that on farms 

 where the herd is large enough, — containing fifty cows or more, — 

 one man should have entire charge of the feeding. If he is endowed 

 with the qualifications of an expert feeder he can easily stimulate the 

 herd to return handsome profits after deducting his own salary. He 

 should be a man who is capable of studying and learning the peculi- 

 arities of each animal in the herd. 



He should know that foods rich in protein and ash are conducive 

 to the proper development of bone and muscle in the younger mem- 

 bers of the herds, and stimulating to the milking proclivities of the 

 cows in milk. He should know that foods, like corn, that are rich in 

 carbohydrates are largely heat and fat producers, and tend toward 

 fattening an animal rather than growing their muscle and bone and 

 stimulating milk production. Summing up, he should know the 

 character of the ration demanded by each beast in the herd and be 



