336 THE FEEDING OF ANIMALS 



These rations may be criticized on the grornid that 

 they are too small to sustain heavy milk production. 

 This would be a ^ust criticism for cows of large capacity 

 that are furnishing high-priced milk. 



It is the writer's opinion that a majority of cows not 

 over 1,000 pounds in weight, maintained under ordin- 

 ary business conditions, will not render larger profit from 

 heavier rations. 



437. The sources of commercial protein for milk pro- 

 duction: the home supply. — ^The dairyman has constantly 

 to face the fact that from the usual list of home-grown 

 feeding-stuffs it is difficult to make up a ration ^through- 

 out an entire season with a nutritive ratio much narrower 

 than 1:8, and a proportion of protein even as high as 

 this requires a generous admixtiu^e of clover in the hay, 

 and the use of more or less oats or peas in the grain ration. 

 It should not be forgotten that the plants used for for- 

 age crops are generally not harvested until they are 

 approaching matin-ity, and as the later growth of most 

 plants is largely due to the formation of non-nitrogenous 

 compounds, the hay and other fodders stored for winter 

 feeding are comparatively poor in nitrogen compounds. 

 On those farms where the hay crop comes largely from 

 the true grasses, like timothy and red-top, and where the 

 corn crop is a prominent feature, a home-raised winter 

 milk ration having a maximum efficiency for each unit of 

 dry matter consumed is not possible. On the other hand, 

 where alfalfa and clovers constitute a good proportion 

 of the hay, and where generous areas of peas and oats 

 are grown, a ration compounded from home resom-ces 

 may have a high milk-producing efficiency. 



438. Commercial protein.— It must be confessed, 

 however, that most dairy farms are lacking in a proper 



