FEEDING DAIRY CATTLE 213 



ment that we cannot increase the percentage of fat in the milk 

 by feeding is taken to mean that we cannot increase the total 

 fat yield. This, of course, is not true. We can very materially 

 increase the total yield of fat by increasing the total flow of 

 milk by liberal feeding. This is demonstrated on every hand. 

 On the farms where no succulent food is fed during the winter 

 and very little grain, it is well known that the cows will give a 

 much larger flow when turned to pasture in the spring. On the 

 average the percentage of fat will remain the same. 



WATERING THE MILKING COW 



The milch cow requires a liberal supply of water. She not only 

 has the demands of her body to meet, but must supply that in 

 the milk as well. When we recall that cows have yielded over 

 129 pounds of milk in a single day, we can see the urgent need of 

 a large supply of water. The question is often raised as to meth- 

 ods of watering: whether to make provisions for a constant 

 supply of water, or to supply the animal at certain intervals, two 

 or three times daily. It has been fairly well proved that cattle 

 provided with water constantly give a slightly larger yield than 

 when watered twice daily, though the difference is not marked. 

 This observation has led to the placing of small troughs or vessels 

 in the stable immediately in front of the animals (Fig. 73). 

 If these vessels can be kept clean and free from odor, the practice 

 is a good one. In many instances, however, these individual 

 watering devices are traps of filth and foul-smelling water, and 

 produce anything but good results. 



There are two factors that must not be lost sight of in water- 

 ing the milking cow : regularity and temperature of water in 

 winter. Whatever method of watering is employed, the animal 

 should be watered regularly and uniformly. When we recall the 

 large amount of water necessary to meet the needs of the high- 

 producing cow, it becomes apparent that she should not be com- 

 pelled to drink ice-cold water. There are many objections to 



