CHAPTER XIII. 



Feeding and Care of Cows for 

 Record Making 



It has seemed wise to me to have a chapter in this History 

 of the Guernsey Breed on the feeding and care of cows for 

 making records, and I asked R. G. Murphy, who was for five 

 years in charge of the Anna Dean Farm, at Barberton, Ohio, 

 to write such a chapter. Mr. Murphy was very reluctant to 

 do this, but finally, in co-operation with Carl Gockerell, who 

 was responsible with Mr. Murphy for the records made at 

 the Anna Dean Farm, they prepared the following. The large 

 number of large records made at the Anna Dean Farm attests 

 the fact that they know what they are talking about. 



In discussing the subject of the feeding and care of the 

 Guernsey cow one may properly begin with the feeding and 

 care of the dam of the unborn calf. 



Brief mention is made here of the importance of know- 

 ing that not only the general health of the cow is good at 

 the time of conception but that the generative organs are in 

 a healthy condition. 



The cow having been bred she should have an abundance 

 of feed of a kind that will stimulate a large and persistent 

 milk flow, as it is believed that the tendency toward large 

 production at the pail may be strengthened, in the case of 

 the embryo calf, by proper feeding of the dam during her 

 period of gestation. 



Feed the pregnant cow, therefore, in such a manner as 

 will induce a large and persistent milk flow during her entire 

 period of lactation. She should be kept in full, though not in- 

 creasing, flesh until the time arrives when she should be 

 turned dry preparatory to next freshening. While dry she 

 should be fed such an amount of feed as will bring her to a 

 high degree of flesh by a week before the date of birth of 

 the calf. 



Cows very frequently accept the service of the bull several 

 weeks, even, after they are in calf, and this leads to confusion 

 as to the date when she may calve. In a case of this kind 

 and where the cow has not been turned dry in time, give her 

 sufficient feed to meet the requirements of the unborn calf 

 and also to keep up her milk flow. Experience shows this to 



