CARE OF THE COW 159 



the steer and not so much fat on her body to 

 protect her from the cold. That it is profitable 

 to protect her from the weather has been proven 

 over and over again by experiment. The Indiana 

 Experiment Station conducted a series of trials 

 and found that cows required less feed when 

 well housed, and that they gave more milk as 

 a result of this care. In fact, sheltering three 

 cows for forty-eight days gave an increased 

 profit of $12.75, or $4.25 for each cow. This is 

 a large item when a herd of twenty or thirty 

 animals is considered. Just how cows should be 

 sheltered depends a great deal on the location 

 of the dairy farm. In another chapter the 

 importance of a good barn is discussed, and also 

 the necessity for providing sufficient fresh air 

 and plenty of sunlight. 



Dairy cows need exercise. When sheltered 

 during the winter season, it is very essential 

 that cows be given sufficient exercise so that 

 they are kept in a healthy condition. Some 

 dairymen follow this rule: They allow their 

 cows to go out of doors on days when it is com- 

 fortable for a man to walk about the yard for a 

 short time in his shirt sleeves. On a cold, rainy, 

 drizzling day there would not be much comfort 

 in walking about the yard without a coat and 

 therefore it would not be advisable to turn cows 

 out at such times. If the cow is not protected 



