CHAPTER IV. 



FEEDING AND MANAGEMENT OF DAIRY COWS. 



No branch of dairy farming can compare in import- 

 ance with the management of cows. The highest 

 success will depend very much upon it, whatever breed 

 be selected, and whatever amount of care and attention 

 be given to the points of the animals ; for experience 

 will show that very little milk comes out of the bag 

 that is not first put into the throat. It is poor econ- 

 omy, therefore, to attempt to keep too many cows for 

 the amount of feed we have ; for it will generally be 

 found that one good cow well bred and well fed will 

 yield as much as two ordinary cows kept in the ordi- 

 nary way, while a saving is effected both in labor and 

 room required, and in the risks on the capital invested. 

 If the larger number on poorer feed is urged for the 

 sake of the manure, which is the only ground on which 

 it can be put, it is sufficient to remark that it is a very 

 expensive way of making manure. It is not too much 

 to say that a proper regard to profit and economy 

 would require many an American farmer to sell off 

 nearly half his cows, and to feed the whole of his hay 

 and roots hitherto used into the remainder. 



A certain German farmer was visited, one day, by 



some Swiss from over the border, who desired to buy 



of him all the milk of his cows for the purpose of 



making cheese. Not being able to agree upon the 



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