136 VETEEINAEY HYGIENE 



the influence of diet on the quantity and quality of milk is 

 considerable. 



The essential constituent in the diet of cows is proteid, 

 if this is too low not only does the amount of milk produced 

 fall off but its quality suffers. The difference between a 

 . diet rich in proteid and one poor in it may cause a falling 

 off of from 20 per cent, to 40 per cent, in the supply of 

 milk. 



Wolff puts the daily diet of a milch cow at 



Lbs. Oz. 



Digestible Proteid ... ... ... 2 8 



,, Carbo-hydrates ... ... 13 8 



Fats 7 



The albuminoid ratio being 1 : 5'4. 



This amount can be provided by the following, which 

 may be taken as a sample of many diets in use : 



Lbs. 

 Hay ... ... ... ... ... 12 



Oat Straw ... ... ... ... 4 



Mangels ... ... ... ... ... 30 



Grains ... ... ... ... ... 30 



Cake ... ... ... ... ... 2-5 



The food most favourable for milk production is oats, 

 while more nitrogen if necessary can be supplied by linseed 

 or cotton cake, peas, beans, etc. Green food is an admir- 

 able diet, while brewers' or distillers' grains, as previously 

 mentioned, will greatly increase the actual yield, but not the 

 quality. 



Diet has a marked effect on the butter ; linseed cake 

 produces a soft oily butter, peas a hard butter, while turnips 

 impart a flavour and bitter taste. With a diet poor in 

 nitrogen the butter may be as hard as tallow and without 

 flavour. 



The feeding of dry cows is a matter which the intelligent 

 farmer needs no advice about, but there is a feeling among 

 some that her diet may be mere subsistence, whereas it is 

 economical to feed her well, hay and cake during the winter, 

 with roots, bearing in mind she is only being prepared for 



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