ILLINOIS STATE DAIRYMEN'S ASSOCIATION. 125 



A. If you are going to drift onto the subject of ensilage, I will have to 

 ask to be excused. That subject has been placed to Prof. Plumb, and I see 

 he is here in the auditorium and I know he can tell you more about that 

 than I can. 



Mr. Ikert: Do you think the cows on the north side of the road gave 

 enough more milk than the south side cow to pay for the extra feed and 

 time? 



A. I think they did. By keeping the cows in their best condition you 

 can get the best profit from them. It takes 60 per cent of all a cow can 

 eat to keep her alive. If you only give her 70 per cent of what~she can 

 eat, you only make 10 per cent. The amount you feed her regulates the 

 amount of profit you get from her. It takes at least 60 per cent to keep 

 her alive and your profit comes from what you feed above that. 



Mr. Spicer: If these cows have plenty of grass, would it pay to feed 

 them any grain in the summer tirrc? 



A. I don't hardly think it would. Of course, there are other things 

 than the production of the cows that you must consider. You have to keep 

 them in good health, and I suppose you can feed a cow too much pasture. 

 You might ruin her health, but it »s the health of the cow you have to con- 

 sider in feeding her. 



Mr. Patten: I think grain off -sets the danger of bloat to a large ex- 

 tent on good pasture. A little grain twice a day and that off-sets the dan- 

 ger of cattle suffering from indigestion. 



Mr. Powell: Would it be profitable to stable the cows and feed ensi- 

 lage and turn them out at night? 



A. I think that would be a good plan. Yes sir. There are dairies, 

 and Prof. Plumb can tell you about them, where the cows are kept in barns 

 all the time. There is one in New Jersey that has a regular milk factory. 

 They buy cows when fresh and drive them into the barn and feed them 

 and never take them out until taken to the butcher — just feed off their 

 heads and in that way they produce milk cheaper than in any other way. 

 How about that, Prof. Plumb? 



Prof. Plumb: I did not see any such thing. 



