BREEDS OF DAIRY CATTLE 173 



amount or not, but good judgment must be used in regulating the 

 ration by observing this condition. We must expect that a cow will 

 lose weight in the first few weeks of her milking period, but after 

 this period is past there is no reason why she need to change much in 

 weight for several months, and this is the period when the greater 

 part of the milk production is secured. It will not mean, of course, 

 that the animal should not be allowed to gain in weight during the 

 latter end of the milking period. This is necessary on account of 

 the development of the foetus, and since it is natural for the animal 

 to carry some fat on her body at calving time. 



It does not mean, however, that in order to feed a herd of cows 

 economically it will not do to feed them all the same quantity of 

 grain whether they are giving a gallon of milk a day or whether 

 they are giving four gallons, and it means that when a cow in the 

 middle of her lactation period is putting on weight that she is being 

 fed more than she needs and will give just as much milk if the feed 

 is cut down somewhat. It also means that if a certain animal is los- 

 ing in weight that sufficient feed is not being given, and if the defi- 

 ciency is not supplied it will not be long before the milk production 

 will come down to correspond with the amount of feed available. 



Feeding as Individuals. In connection with this subject of the 

 amount to feed cows it needs to be pointed out that it is only possible 

 to feed a bunch of cows economically when they are fed as individu- 

 als, and not as a herd. A too common practice, even in the other- 

 wise well conducted herds, is for all animals to be fed the same 

 amount of grain regardless of the time they have been in milk or the 

 quantity of milk individual cows are producing. Such feeding al- 

 ways lacks economy, as the high producing cow does not get enough, 

 and while she may milk very well for a short time, she soon comes 

 down to a lower level, while the lighter producing cow usually gets 

 too much and accumulates fat. One of the difficult problems which 

 confronts the practical feeder is how to adjust the quantity of feed 

 to meet these individual requirements. It can be done fairly well 

 even in the large herds by observing how much milk the cow is pro- 

 ducing, and whether she is gaining or losing in body weight. 



Amount of Grain and Roughness to Feed. The cow being 

 adapted by nature for consuming bulky feeds does not feel satis- 

 fied unless she has sufficient bulk to the ration given at all times. 

 An animal that is fed too much grain in proportion to the amount 

 of roughness may seem hungry, while sne really has a sufficient 

 amount of nutrients, but so concentrated that it does not have suffi- 

 cient bulk. The cow should be fed practically all the roughness she 

 will eat up clean, and the difference in rations fed to different 

 animals should not be so much in the amount fed as in varying 

 amounts given: 1. Feed all the roughness they will eat up clean 

 at all times. 2. Feed one pound of grain per day for each pound 

 butter fat produced per week, or one pound grain daily for each 

 three pounds of milk. 3. Feed all the cows will take without gain- 

 ing in weight. 



