162 CONTINUOUS CROPPING 



starch equivalent of from 1075 lbs. to 12 lbs., and for 

 such a cow when yielding i gall, of milk per day from 

 i-i to 1-4 lbs. of digestible protein, the total daily 

 ration having a starch equivalent of from 8.5 to 9 lbs. 

 Now, when a good dairy cow, one say which will yield 

 4 galls, of milk per day at her flush period, has decHned 

 in her milk yield to i to 2 galls., she has reached the 

 stage when, if in calf, an extra strain is thrown 

 upon her. 



Fed strictly according to the Kellner standard, she 

 will come to the calving time in a weak and poor 

 condition. The result is that the calf may also be 

 weak, and invariably after calving, a large amount of 

 food which should go to milk production, is used to tone 

 up the cow. In plainer language, the thin dairy cow, 

 after calving, " puts the fat on to her ribs instead of 

 into the pail," or if by nature she is a heavy milker she 

 loses weight during her flush period. Better fed when 

 drying off or when dry, such a cow would improve in 

 her condition and have a reserve, which she could 

 afford to lose during the heavy milking period. 



The importance of keeping dairy cows reasonably 

 well fed in the later stages of the milking period, and 

 also when dry cannot in the writer's opinion be over- 

 emphasised. Again, in the case of a cow, which is not 

 in calf, when she has commenced to dry up, it is then 

 generally more profitable to feed her well, so that she 

 is fat for beef when finished milking rather than keep 

 her even on a low dietary and a long time dry. 



CHEAP PROTEIN 



It must also be kept in mind that Kellner and 

 others who have written on the feeding of farm 

 animals, have always had at the back of their minds 

 the very high cost of albuminous foods, which under 

 ^he ordinary system means in practice the purchase^ 



