FOOD OF THE COW. 



instead of hay, and they are also allowed two feeds of 

 steamed mixture. This treatment is continued till October, 

 when they are again wholly housed. In January, 1854, I 

 commenced weighing my milch cows ; and I have con- 

 tinued this practice once a month almost without omission. 

 I find ihat cows in full milk yielding 12 to 16 quarts each 

 per day vary but little in weight, some losing, others 

 gaining, slightly. It is common for a cow to continue 

 from six to eight months before she gives below 12 quarts 

 per day, at which time she has usually, if not invariably, 

 gained weight. The cows giving less than 12 quarts, and 

 down to 5 quarts per day, are found when free from ail- 

 ment to gain without exception. This gain, with an 

 average yield of nearly 8 quarts per day, is at the rate of 

 7 to 8 Ibs. per week each." This, of course, is only in the 

 case of cows not in calf, intended to be dried and sold fat. 



Relations of Pood to Dairy Produce It is difficult to 

 say of any agricultural result how much of it is due to any 

 particular cause ; and in the case of dairy produce, so 

 many causes contribute to the result that the difficulty is 

 greatly increased. The breed, the individual character of 

 the cow, its treatment, and the dairy management of its 

 milk all, as well as the food which it receives, affect the 

 quantity of butter or of cheese which is obtained from it : 

 and thus any comparative experiments in order to ascertain 

 the effect of particular foods must be carried on for a length 

 of time before their results can be considered trustworthy. 



The following are experiments quoted in the Journal of 

 the Albert Institution, Glasnevin, Dublin. The first table 

 gives the result of a weekly observation of the food and 

 produce of cows during the months named. During the 



c 2 



