THE GUERNSEY BREED 277 



use of cold water at this time may result in retention of the 

 afterbirth. 



Bring the cow to full feed gradually. Begin with about 

 10 pounds of silage per day in addition to all the good hay 

 she wants. To this add not to exceed four to five pounds 

 of grain daily, and increase at the rate of two-tenths to three- 

 tenths of a pound per day until she is on full feed, which will 

 be'at the end of four to five weeks. On account of too heavy 

 grain feeding soon after freshening a large number of cows 

 fail to show the best work of which they are capable. The 

 fat accumulated while the cow is dry carries her over the 

 first few weeks following freshening in fine condition without 

 the addition of much grain to the ration. 



If the cow is to be entered for a yearly record it is a 

 matter of the .utmost importance that she be supplied with 

 hay of the very best quality obtainable, if the best results are 

 desired. The hay should be soft, full of leaves, fine of stem, 

 and cured without having been wet. Where hay has been 

 exposed to one moderate rain a very large proportion of the 

 most digestible part of its constituents is lost. The second 

 cutting of alfalfa is much to be preferred to any other form 

 of roughage. Good hay is the most important part of the 

 ration. No grain of any kind or in any amount in the absence 

 of good hay will cause the cow to produce the best results 

 at the pail. Far too little importance is made of this point 

 by the average writer or feeder. Experience has shown time 

 after time the importance of this part of the ration, and it is 

 desired here to make this point especially emphatic. 



Feed hay often and in small amounts, only so much at a 

 time as the cow will consume and with evident relish. From 

 hay of good quality the cow not only secures a large amount 

 of nutriment but on account of its palatability she is induced 

 to eat a relatively large amount of it. This when mixed with 

 the grain in the stomach forms a loose, porous mass through 

 which the digestive juices pass readily. Again the relatively 

 large proportion of roughage in the stomach makes the raising 

 and rechewing of the food necessary, resulting in, a large 

 flow of saliva, so essential in the process of digestion. 



The silage should be made from well-matured corn rich 

 in grain. In the case of both silage and hay it is not only 

 positively useless but actually a hindrance to good work 

 when the cow is required to work over a large mass of ma- 

 terial lacking in nutriment. 



The use of roots is especially advised for the large pro- 



