94 THE COW 



the subject, both in popular periodicals and in re- 

 search publications, is well-nigh unlimited. There- 

 fore, a few broad generalizations will be sufficient, 

 without any attempt at discussion. 



Wise feeding of the cow must consider three as- 

 sociated factors. Food must be abundant, palat- 

 able, and chosen from such sources and in such 

 relative amounts that it will supply the different 

 classes of nutrients in such proportions as will 

 best minister to the needs of the animals. 



This is a simple definition, but to measure up to 

 its requirements involves practical experience, 

 technical training and a large proportion of good 

 cow-sense. 



Sometimes we talk very technically and at much 

 length about the "balanced ration." What we 

 mean is a ration which by its chemical composition 

 and make-up is fitted to supply all the require- 

 ments of the animal. It is now just about a half- 

 century since the principles of quantitative chemi- 

 cal analysis began to be applied to feeding stuffs 

 and to the animal body, to the mUk and also to 

 the wastes or excreted food residues. Some one 

 then asked a most simple and natural question, 

 "Ought there to be any particular relationship be- 

 tween what we feed an animal and the product 

 that we expect to derive from the food?" and thus 

 this discussion was begun and surely has never 

 been allowed to lapse. 



The broad idea of the balanced ration is funda- 



