FEEDING DAIRY CATTLE 177 



The appetite has a direct connection with the udder. 



Cows that are annoyed by flies and other insects, 

 or that are chased about by dogs or other tormen- 

 tors, will yield milk less in quantity, and, perhaps, 

 poorer in quality, than if they are placed under more 

 comfortable and agreeable conditions. Dairymen 

 are more and more realizing the importance of these 

 facts in practice, and are now giving much attention 

 to the simple details of cow comfort. A little care 

 at this point assists each cow of a herd in giving 

 more milk. 



Pastures Are Ideal Basic Rations. In early 

 spring, cows are usually put out on the pastures as 

 early as there is food enough to support them. New 

 grass has generally a very laxative effect on the 

 cows, and if it alone is relied on, it often has a very 

 bad effect. This can be avoided by feeding only 

 partially on grass, completing the ration through 

 the use of both hay and concentrates. In a short 

 time cows become accustomed to grass, on which 

 they may then be left to subsist entirely. 



Pasture grass is one of our best foods. It is succu- 

 lent, fresh and appetizing, and possesses a high 

 nutritive value. The splendid results obtained by 

 having cows at pasture is not solely because the 

 food is unusually well utilized over winter rations, 

 but because it is rich in nutriment. It ranks with 

 the cereals, and everyone knows how effective such 

 feeds are in milk production. 



No doubt more protein is consumed than cows re- 

 quire when feeding on pasture, but this cannot be 

 avoided unless the daily grazing period is limited 



