THE FEEDING OF MILCH CATTLE 341 



carbohydrate material. If the fattening were begun 

 earlier, then not only would the milk yield 

 suffer, but the quantity of food used would also 

 be more. 



Pregnant cows require a slight addition of diges- 

 tible protein matter for the development of the 

 calf, and the quantity may be approximately cal- 

 culated from the weight of the newly born calf. 

 A calf weighing 40 kg. contains about 8 kg. protein, 

 and for the formation of this the mother must 

 be given about n kg. protein in the food during 

 the last 5 or 6 months of pregnancy — that is, 60 g. 

 per day, although with the bigger breeds 100 g. 

 are necessary in any case, though the daily addition 

 to the ration is very small. The nitrogen-free 

 nutrients do not require to be increased, for calves at 

 birth contain less than 1 % fat. With cows heavy 

 in calf a reduction of the coarse fodder during the 

 last 2 or 3 months is advisable, because the 

 weight of such food when partially digested presses 

 on the internal organs, and can in some cases cause 

 a miscarriage. Straw should only be given in very 

 small amounts during this time, and the best coarse 

 fodder is hay (10 lbs. per 1000 lbs. body weight). 

 Foods with a heating or constipating effect should 

 also be avoided. When a cow is dry a ration which 

 contains J lb. of digestible protein and a starch 

 equivalent of 6 lbs. per 1000 lbs. live weight is 

 sufficient. 



