JProducing Large Yield. 273 



tent of digestive and milk-forming power will transform 

 the milk constituents from a certain quantity of feed. 

 Hence two cows cannot make any more milk from an 

 acre of grass or a ton of hay than three cows can produce 

 from the same amount. If ten bushels of wheat will 

 produce only 42 lbs. of flour per bushel, no more can be 

 got from it by grinding it with two pairs of stones, than 

 by grinding it with three sets. Hence, as far as cost and 

 quantity of feed are involved, no particular advantage ap- 

 pears in immoderate yield. No particular reason appears 

 why a ton of hay will not supply as much milk by feeding 

 it to three cows yielding four gallons each, as when fed to 

 two cows yielding six gallons each. A man with only 

 room enough for one cow might prefer a six-gallon yield 

 on that account. But, of course, providing there is 

 sufficient room for a greater number of cows, we do 

 not see why cows of moderate size and yield cannot 

 get as much milk out of any size of pasture, or any known 

 quantity of hay or other feed, as cows of very large yield. 



On the other hand there are certain objections to im- 

 moderate yield. Over-feeding weakens digestive power and 

 brings on dyspepsia in cows. Digestion is the basis of 

 yield, and much milk-forming material is left in the drop- 

 pings, when digestive power is much impaired by over- 

 feeding, to induce excessive yield. 



Breeding power is also weakened in many cases, or sus- 

 pended, as we see in farrow cows;* in other cases, breed- 

 ing power is entirely destroyed ; thus destroying or im- 

 pairing the value of good cows, for breeding successors. It 

 is also difficult to dry cows whose breeding power is weak- 

 ened, and they are slow and unprofitable in fattening. 



When pregnant cows dry up their yield readily, at the 

 proper time, and breed large calves, their yield is not ex- 

 cessive. But if they dry up very slowly, and breed small 

 * See chapters on Farrow ( ows and "Deep Milkers." 



