ILLINOIS DAIRYMEN'S ASSOCIATION. 153 



the revenue from the dairy industry will not reacli the figure it 

 should. 



The water supply should be abundant and pure. Ponds 

 and pools are an abomination and should never be tolerated. 

 When we realize the large percentage of water in milk we see 

 the necessity for furnishing a pure supply to our cows. In fact 

 if we would have pure milk we must furnish water that is of good 

 quality. Of course it is apparent to all that during the winter 

 season some means should be provided to warm it, because if 

 the cow is allowed to fill herself with cold water a condition of 

 discomfort is again present and is sure to effect the milk flow. 

 The water supply is of great importance and receives by far too 

 little attention. 



To provide the food required by the dairy cow is a problem 

 not easily solved. Of course the animal must be supplied witn 

 the nutrients required to support the body and enable her to 

 manufacture a liberal flow of milk. Several items must be con- 

 sidered, among which are these : The health of the animal, the 

 palatability of the several feeds entering into the ration, and 

 their respective cost. The quality of the milk is also directly 

 affected by the feeds used. 



Where alfalfa and corn do well, the necessary food supply 

 is easily provided, but unfortunately only a very few of us, com- 

 paratively speaking, have succeeded in growing alfalfa. Next 

 to alfalfa probably clover is the most valuable forage crop. It 

 not only furnishes us a very desirable food, but also helps us 

 wonderfully in retaining soil fertility. 



Until quite recently (perhaps two or three years) it was 

 generally conceded that the Wolff standard formulated forty 

 years ago was correct; that in order to do good work in milk 

 production the cow must have 2y 2 pounds of protein daily. 

 By repeated and extended experiment it has been demonstrated 

 that 60 per cent of the protein called for by Wolff is sufficient 

 for a cow doing average work, hence it is much easier to provide 

 a. balanced ration now than when we were led by the teachings 

 Df a man who was forty years behind the age in which we 



