410 Feedi and Feeding. 



The table sho^s tliat the cows yielding the largest amount of 

 Bolids and fat consumed the most feed; farther, and what is of 

 the most importance, they gave the largest net profit. The cowa 

 giving the smallest yield cost 20 per cent, less to feed, but the 

 net profits from them were 60 per cent less than from the heavy 

 feeders. It does not follow that every large feeder in a dairy 

 herd is an economical cow; the wise dairyman will not judge 

 his cows by the amount of feed, but rather by the milk yield and 

 fat test, taking cognizance, in the second place, of the feed con- 

 sumed. 



625. Amount of water drank. — In feeding experiments at the 

 Copenhagen Station * the water drank by seventy -six cows on two 



estates was as follows: 



Av. water drank 

 per day. 



Ordinary ration 97.9 pounds. 



Same, 2 lbs. grain replaced by 20 lbs. roots 81.4 pounds. 



Same, 4 lbs. grain replaced by 40 lbs. roots 61.6 pounds. 



Same, plus 40 lbs. roots 74.8 pounds. 



At the Pennsylvania Station, * Armsby found that cows averag- 

 ing 773 pounds in weight, confined to stalls in summer where an 

 average temperature of 70* Fahr. prevailed, and living on fresh 

 grass, drank 61 pounds of water per head per day, while cows aver- 

 aging 735 pounds, confined in stalls where a temperature of 73° 

 prevailed, drank 107 pounds when fed on dry grass. 



At the Wisconsin Station » the same investigator found that 

 more water was drank with narrow rations than with wide ones. 

 Thus, with a nutritive ratio of 1 : 5.5, there were 4. 03 pounds of 

 water drank for each pound of dry matter, while with a ratio of 

 1 : 8. only 3. 70 pounds were drank. 



In general it may be said that cows require about four pounds of 

 water for each pound of dry matter in the feed consumed. (73) 



Sturtevant, of the New York (Geneva) Station,* writes: "A 

 water supply should be sufficient to furnish an average of eight 

 gallons daily per head for the cows kept, in order to be assured 

 of a full supply." 



626. Relation of water drank or in food to milk yield. — Collier, 

 reporting findings in this matter at the Geneva Station, « writes: 



I Rept. 1890, p. 8. » Rept. 1888. * Rept. 1886. * Kept. 1886. 

 • Proc. of " New York Farmers," 1892-93. 



