THE FEEDING OF MILCH CATTLE 345 



feeding was being followed. The good result of 

 being at grass is not in consequence of a better 

 utilisation of the food, but due to more and richer 

 nourishment. Unfortunately, under the usual con- 

 ditions of pasturing there is a waste of food material, 

 in that much more protein substance is consumed 

 than is necessary. Even when the green fodder is 

 fed in the stall there is often more used than is 

 needed — as, for instance, when stock are given as 

 much young clover as they can eat. When, there- 

 fore, cows are on good pastures, or when they are 

 getting young clover, they should also be given 

 some straw; on the contrary, when the grass is 

 poor some concentrated food is necessary. The 

 quantity of straw which is to be given with the 

 clover will vary according to the age of the latter, 

 for the older the clover plant becomes the less straw 

 will be required, until at the time of flowering no 

 such addition is required, owing to the changes in 

 the nutrients of the plant (p. 151). Similarly with 

 the leaves of roots such as mangels, sugar beet, or 

 carrots, the vegetable portion of which possesses a 

 fairly narrow albuminoid ratio, there is generally 

 some dry food given to prevent scouring, which 

 otherwise easily takes place owing to the salts of 

 organic acids in the leaves. Liberal feeding with 

 the leaves of the sugar beet, which is often done 

 during and after the harvesting of the beets, has 

 the same effect as with good pasture or clover 



