No. 4.] DAIRYING. 115 



First. — To the fact that at all times the rations ffiven 

 were eitlier balanced or contained an excess of protein, 

 whereas the average Kansas cow on dry feed usually got 

 but half enough protein. 



Second. — To kindness and adequate shelter. 



Tliird. — To the maintenance of a full milk yield throu^h- 

 out the summer drought, secured by extra feeding. 



I have lingered long on this phase of the subject, and 

 have only emphasized old ideas ; but the better cow is so 

 badly needed, and some of these means of more nearly 

 attaining her upon every farm, and particularly the prac- 

 ticability of setting some of these means in motion, are so 

 ill-appreciated, that in season and out of season, in class 

 room, institute meeting and at large gatherings such as this, 

 whenever dairying matters are in hand, I label this propo- 

 sition, moldy old chestnut that it is, "Exhibit A," and talk 

 and talk and talk about it. Let us do, as well as talk. We 

 can, if we will, get ahead in this matter, slowly, to be sure, 

 but yet ahead. Keep thinking about it ; and then do some- 

 thing. 



The Protein Content of the Ration. 



A generation or so ago precept stated that 2.5 pounds of 

 digestible protein daily was needed by a 1,000-pound cow 

 in full flow of milk ; that a balanced ration was a definite 

 and arbitrary thing ; and that he who fed less protein than 

 this was unwise. Practice, however, has not accepted this 

 dogma without question ; and, moreover, further investiga- 

 tion has served materially to modify its interpretation. The 

 old German feeding standards are now taken to be guides 

 rather than rules ; as suggestions rather than as assertions. 

 It is realized that they are made of india rubber, and not of 

 cast iron. Protein is not made so much of as of old ; it is 

 no longer a fetish. Its paramouncy is still admitted, but 

 less stress is laid upon the needs of definite amounts. 

 Haecker's fine dairy cows, mature animals in good milking 

 form, yielding well, though they have never eaten as much 

 as 2 pounds of protein a day, are living exponents of doubt. 

 The forthcoming report of the Vermont station will contain 

 a summary of seven years' study of this matter, using nearly 



