286 TIli; MANAGEMENT AND FlCliDIXG OF CATTLE 



up to the standard of production fixed upon, on the 

 same food that is given to younger cows; (2) as long 

 as she is able to breed with that regularity which re- 

 sults in the usual period of lactation and at the 

 time desired; and (3) as long as she retains enough 

 flesh to make a respectable appearance in the dairy. 

 This ma}' give to her, in some instances, not fewer than 

 ten years in the dairj-, although that is much longer than 

 the average time during which cows are retained in 

 herds. 



Fattening milch cows for the block. — There are in- 

 stances in which it will not pay to fatten cows that have 

 completed their work in the dairy. The more pro- 

 nounced they are in what is considered straight dairy 

 form, and the older they are, the more certain is it that 

 such fattening will not be remunerative, as the less, 

 relatively, will be the price paid for them in the market. 

 If the food used in fattening must be purchased, 

 as would probably be the case with city dairj^men, the 

 cost would certainly be greater than the increased value 

 of the cows when sold. Such cows would be used by the 

 trade in furnishing canned meats. 



It is possible, however, to combine the last months 

 of lactation in cows that are to be sold with what is the 

 equivalent of at least partial fattening. This would 

 mean that the food given would be so rich in carbo- 

 hydrates that she would add to her flesh while yet in 

 milk, so that by the time she was dry she would be 

 reasonably well fleshed. The extent to which such feed- 

 ing could be carried with profit will depend more or 

 less upon the source of food supplies. This method 

 could be practiced more successfully by the grower of 

 certain foods adapted to fattening than by the dairyman 

 who purchased them. 



The farmer dairyman mav also be in a position to 

 fatten cows by turning them on grass pasture after 

 lactation. The best pastures for such fattening would 



