154 DOMESTIC ANIMALS, DAIRYING, ETC. 



a small amount of dry matter, and it is almost impossible for a heavy 

 milking cow to eat enough of such feed to supply the necessary 

 amount of nutrients. Wheat and rye pastures are of the same na- 

 ture. Another reason for putting cattle on pasture gradually rather 

 than suddenly, is the effect on the taste of milk. When a cow is 

 changed at once from a grain ration to grass a very marked taste is 

 developed in the milk, while if this change in feed is made gradually 

 and not suddenly the change in the taste of the milk is scarcely 

 noticed. 



Summer Conditions to be Maintained. Soon after the cows are 

 on pasture, usually the latter part of May or the first part of June, 

 they reach the maximum production of milk for the year. This sug- 

 gests that what the dairyman must do in order that the production of 

 milk may be the largest, is to imitate these summer conditions as far 

 as possible throughout the remainder of the year. This is what the 

 careful dairyman and skilled feeder does, and the results correspond 

 closely to the success with which these summer conditions are main- 

 tained. The summer conditions which bring about the maximum 

 production and which are to be maintained as far as possible through 

 the year, are described as follows : 1, an abundance of palatable food ; 

 2, a balanced ration ; 3, succulent feed ; 4, moderate temperature ; 5, 

 comfortable surroundings. 



Grain Feeding While on Pasture. There is some difference of 

 opinion on this question from the standpoint of economy. There is 

 no question but tnat a cow will produce more milk if fed grain while 

 on pasture, and if a large yield is of more importance than economy 

 of production, grain should certainly be fed. The cow that gives a 

 small average quantity of milk will produce but little more, if fed 

 grain while on pasture. However, with the heavy producing cow the 

 case is quite different and it is necessary that she be fed grain or she 

 will not continue on the high level of production long. The neces- 

 sity of feeding grain to the high producing cow arises from the fact 

 that she cannot secure a sufficient amount of nutrients from the grass 

 alone, and must have some concentrated feed in the form of grain in 

 order to continue to produce large quantities of milk. 



Experiments made by the Cornell Experiment Station, covering 

 four years, showed that while an increase of milk yield was secured 

 from grain feeding, it was not economical to produce it in this way. 

 They secured only about an additional pound of milk for each 

 pound of grain fed. In these experiments the pastures produced an 

 abundance of nutritious grasses. They observed, however, that the 

 cows fed grain during the summer gave better results after the graz- 

 ing period was over, than those not having received grain. This is also 

 a matter of common observation, and should be taken into account 

 in considering the advisability of feeding grain. The point is that 

 the cows fed grain stored a considerable quantity of surplus nutri- 

 ents on their body which were afterwards available for the production 

 of milk. A Jersey cow that is giving as much as 20 pounds or 10 

 quarts per day, or a Holstein or Shorthorn giving 25 pounds or more 



