cows THAT SUCKLE THEIR CALVES 219 



carrying mature cattle through the winter will apply to 

 feeding and managing them. The aim should be to 

 winter them as cheaply as possible, but in a way that 

 will maintain in them a sufficiency of flesh. 



Food and care in summer. — Cows that nurse their 

 calves must have ample food supplies or both cows and 

 calves will suffer proportionately. The cheapest form m 

 which such food can be supplied is, as a rule, in that 

 of pasture. The expense is usually too great to admit 

 of feeding concentrates, even to such pure-bred cows 

 on grass pasture, and is proportionately greater when 

 fed to grades, as it does not increase the value of the 

 progeny of the latter as it does that of the former. But 

 should the pastures become so poor as to c"all for undue 

 traveling on the part of the cows while securing food, 

 supplementary food should be given in the form of soil- 

 ing food or ensilage. Ensilage may be more cheaply 

 furnished for such feeding in areas where corn may be 

 grown, when the herd is large. Any form of soiling 

 food will answer that can be grown in large quantities. 

 Of such foods corn and the sorghums are usually most 

 cheaply and abundantly grown. More commonly these 

 supplemented foods are fed to cows of this class by 

 strewing them daily over the pastures. Reserve pas- 

 tures, when they can be provided for, will probably 

 furnish food more cheaply than it can be furnished 

 through soiling with conditions as at present. 



Such cows and also their progeny should be pro- 

 tected from cold storms^ from excessive sunshine, and, 

 as far as possible, from the annoyance of flies. What 

 has been said with reference to furnishing protection 

 from the evils referred to in the case of cows that are 

 being milked will be applied mainly to these also. (See 

 page 194.) Protection from cold storms is even more 

 important for cows whose calves graze with them, as 



