206 ELEMENTS OF FARM PRACTICE 



hydrates nor fats can take the place of protein. A cow 

 must have sufficient protein or she cannot maintain her 

 body or produce milk. It is not to be wondered at, then, 

 fchat a cow fed a ration similar to the above would gradually 

 decrease in her milk flow until her requirements balanced 

 the protein she was getting. She would then get more 

 carbohydrates (fat-forming feed) than needed for milk 

 production, and so would begin to fatten, an undesirable 

 result in a milch cow. 



A Good Ration. — The required nutrients for the cow 

 mentioned above could be supplied by replacing 3 lbs. of 

 the corn or barley with 3 lbs. of oil meal (try it); but such 

 a ration would be more expensive and no better than if the 

 12 lbs. of slough hay and 7 lbs. of the corn stover were 

 replaced with 16 lbs. of clover hay. This would make a 

 good ration and supply the need of the cow. 



Daily Ration for a 1,000 lb Cow Giving 20 lbs. of 4.5% Milk 



Pro. C. H. Fat 



Corn, dent 4 lbs. .300 2.77 .184 



Barley 3 lbs. .270 2.00 .048 



Corn stover, high in water 5 lbs. .070 1.56 ,030 



Clover hay, red 15 lbs. 1.140 5.90 270 



Total nutrients 1.780 12.23 .532 



This ration emphasizes the fact that every farmer 

 should provide plenty of good clover hay for his cattle. 

 Questions: 



1. Can you tell what is wrong with the ration given under the 

 head "A poor ration?" 



2. Why would a cow be unable to keep up her flow of milk, if 

 fed such a ration? 



3. Why is the ration given under the head "A good ration" 

 better than the other? 



Arithmetic: 



1. Find the cost of the grain in the above ration, 4 lbs. of com 

 and 3 lbs. of barley. (Corn 50c. per bushel (56 lbs.), and barley 50c. 

 per bushel (48 lbs.).) 



2. Find the cost of a similar ration, if 3 lbs. of com were replaced 

 with 3 lbs. of oil meal, making the grain ration 1 lb. of corn, 3 lbs. of 

 oil meal and 3 lbs. of barley. (Oil meal costs $35.00 per ton.) 



3. What is tJie entire cost of the last ration given, corn 50c. per 

 bushel, barley 50c. per bushel, clover hay $5 per ton and com stover 

 $3 per ton? 



4. Find the requirements of a 1,200 lb. cow, givirg 35 lbs. of milk 

 testing 3.5% fat. 



