144 PROFITABLE DAIRYING 



Protein more important than carbohydrates. 



In looking over this table the reader will at 

 once notice that the cow receives more feed 

 when she is giving a larger quantity of milk; 

 especially is the proportional increase greater in 

 protein than in carbohydrates. The reason for 

 this is very evident; protein is a very essential 

 part of all foods. In fact, the percentage of 

 protein in a food determines its value for build- 

 ing the muscles of the body and supplying the 

 casein of milk. It is also argued by some that it 

 is one of the sources of fat in milk. Such feeds 

 as clover, alfalfa, bran and gluten contain a great 

 deal of protein, and for this reason they are very 

 desirable feeds. Carbohydrates are found in 

 more or less abundance in all feed and are easier 

 to obtain than protein. Their chief property is 

 the maintaining of the heat of the body. Starches 

 and sugars are good examples of this class of 

 feeds. 



The value of fat. Ether extract, so called be- 

 cause this element is extracted by ether when 

 an examination of food is made by chemical 

 analysis, is, in homely language, the fat of the 

 feed. The principal function of this part of 

 the food is similar to that of carbohydrates; that 

 is, to maintain temperature. However, a pound 

 of ether extract has within it the power to pro- 

 duce more heat than a pound of carbohydrates. 



