GENERAL MANAGEMENT 431 



517. Quantity of the ration. — Great stress is usually 

 laid upon the fact that it is only the food that is supplied 

 above maintenance needs which is productive. This 

 truth, indiscriminately accepted, has led to feeding 

 so excessively as to injiu-e the health of the animals and 

 ditninish profits. The largest production is not always 

 the most profitable. Abundant testimony can be cited 

 in support of the statement that very heavy rations 

 yield smaller returns for each unit of food consumed 

 than more moderate ones. It is possible, also, to adopt 

 an unprofitable extreme in the direction of light feeding. 

 Heavy rations are sometimes warranted by the low 

 cost of feeds and the high price of the resulting product, 

 a condition which has not existed for the past ten 

 years. In the writer's judgment, milk is more economically 

 produced by cows not unusual in character or size when 

 the grain ration, wisely compounded, ranges between 

 eight and ten pounds daily, according to the weight 

 and capacity of the animal, than when more is fed, pro- 

 vided the coarse foods are supplied in the ordinary propor- 

 tion. It is especially important with breeding animals, 

 where the physical condition of the dam should be kept 

 at its best, that the indigestion and high physical tension 

 induced by extreme rations should be avoided. The wel- 

 fare of future generations demands this. 



518. Environment and treatment of animals. — ^The 

 quarters in which animals live should be comfortable, 

 that is, they should be neither too warm nor too cold and 

 should be well ventilated. These conditions are essential 

 to health and the most profitable production. The 

 stable temperature in winter should be held above 45° F. 

 as a minimum, and may well be kept below 60°. A con- 

 stant exchange of air should be secured without creating 



