FEEDING MILK COWS 



and the percentage of fat and dry matter, 

 secured the following results : 



469 

 For example, Fleischer 1 



There was also a falling off in condition of the animal. The 

 insufficient food decreased the milk nearly 30 per cent. 



Insufficient food also decreases the ability of the udder to 

 secrete milk, which decrease may become permanent if an in- 

 sufficient ration is fed for a long time. The decrease in produc- 

 tion naturally occurring in the course of lactation, is accelerated 

 by insufficient food, and diminished by abundant food. 



If we start with a very insufficient ration, and increase it, the 

 production of milk will increase at first in proportion to the addi- 

 tions, and then the increase in milk will be less for each equal 

 increment of food, until no effect at all is secured. After a cer- 

 tain amount of milk is produced, every increase of production re- 

 quires a much larger amount of food, increasing quantities of 

 which are stored as body fat. The highest milk production is 

 associated with an improvement in condition. 



The greater the productiveness of the animal, the greater is 

 the response to liberal feeding. For example, Kuhn 3 determined 

 the effect of equal additions to the ration of cows having different 

 productiveness, to be as follows : 



1 Jour. f. Landw., 1871, p. 371 ; 1872, p. 395. 

 - Periods of different length. 

 3 Jour. f. Landw., 1876, p. 190. 



