FEEDING AT A LOSS. 79 



where it should be, and all the apparatus for producing milk 

 has been so arranged in this animal that all that flabby texture 

 that comes with ill-bred animal structure is replaced by some- 

 thing that stays where you leave it — when I give you to under- 

 stand that, you will see that in this business of manufacturing 

 milk human skill has also met with a triumph. 



We are not increasing our cows, as I told you, as we should, 

 for the reason, I think, that we have not yet found out what is 

 the most economical cow, and too many of us are feeding cows 

 at a loss. Is there any doubt about it ? I suppose that more 

 food is wasted in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts annually 

 — not thrown under the feet of cattle, not thr5wn in the manure 

 heap, not burned up or thrown away, but wasted in improvident 

 feeding — than is annually used profitably and systematically in 

 good feeding. Am I wrong in saying that more food is put 

 into the mouths of inappropriate animals than is put into ap- 

 propriate animals' mouths, and that more than three-quarters 

 of the cattle of Massachusetts are fed at a loss, because they are 

 not adapted to the purposes for which they are fed ? I believe 

 every farmer will agree with me. Hence our disappointment. 

 Our cattle come out in the spring not in such a condition as we 

 anticipated, because they are not adapted for what we intended 

 them. We do not properly select our cows. We feed cows too 

 large or too small for the purpose for which we intend them. 

 What we want is a fair, medium-sized cow for the dairy. We 

 do not want too large a one. We want a medium-sized cow — 

 a cow that will thrive when she is dry, and which does not re- 

 quire a mouthful of grain until she comes to do service again. 

 You cannot afford to raise grain for dry cows ; you cannot 

 afford to buy it. What we want is a cow which, when she dries 

 up, is in a good condition, has not been exhausted in the process 

 of milking, and when you give her a little rest in the barn, will 

 begin to improve and come up again, well and strong, to this 

 great business of parturition and giving milk. That is what we 

 demand.' So we need in this climate a medium-sized cow; not 

 too large ; not too coarse ; not too thin nor too fine ; compact ; 

 firmly set upon her legs ; lively countenance ; a good straight 

 back. Mr. Flint said well, when he said, you do not want a 

 drooping rump. It is not good for the cow, it is not good for 

 the owner when he milks her, and it is not good for the man 



