Feeding Dairy Cattle 



a-> fat as he thinks they should be. This will mean four to 

 six piiunds a day, practically from one year old to the time of 

 cah-ing, except on the very best of pasture. 



The same mixture does very vi^ell for mature cows that 

 are to be tested. Sometimes it is necessary to feed mature 

 animals lo to 12 pounds per day to get them in proper conrli- 

 tion. It is the usual custom to rest cows that are to be 

 tested a long period before. It has always seemed to the 

 writer that a period longer than twelve weeks is not neces- 

 sary, and perhaps it is detrimental to the best interests of 

 the breed if the rest period is longer than eight to ten weeks 



XIV. Feeding for Advanced Registry Records 



I\ OFFERING suggestions in the feeding of individual 

 cows which are being tested for advanced registr\- records, 



it is assumed that these animals have been rested for a 

 period of eight to twelve weeks after having been carefully 

 dried of¥. It is supposed that they have been well fed and 

 cared for, that they have calved and cleaned all right and 

 that they are in good flesh. Perhaps it is well to have them 

 more than in good flesh, they should be fat for the best 

 results. 



While a large number of records have been made directlv 

 after calving in the first three weeks, on the average a cow 

 does not strike her best gait until about three weeks after she 

 has dropped her calf. She should be treated carefully from the 

 start and watched, milked and cared for just as if she were 

 doing her best at all times and if she shows a tendency to 

 strike her gait early, then it is well to be readv for it and 

 take all advantage of such a condition. Applications for a 

 supervisor should be made with the proper authorities early 

 enough to insure having one when one is needed. Getting a 

 .supervisor within two or three days of the time actuallv 

 needed is almost entirely a question of making an applica- 

 tion early enough, months before one really needs him. The 

 experiment station or college authorities who send out the 

 supervisors and authenticate the records are ahvavs ver\- 

 willing to cancel applications or to defer the time when a 

 supervisor shall be sent if a reasonable notice is o-iven bv the 

 breeder that he wishes his application cancelled or wishes his 

 test deferred. Therefore to be on the safe side, send in 

 your application about three months before the time vou 



Page Fifty-six 



