186 ILLINOIS STATE DAIRYMEN'S ASSOCIATION. 



Thursday Afternoon, January 21, 1909. 



ADDRESS 



By 

 Prof. Eckels, University of Missouri 



Dairy Husbandry. 



Feeding the Dairy Cow. 



By the President : — I wish u) introduce Professor Eckels of 

 the University of Missouri, who will talk to us on Dairy Hus- 

 bandry. 



There are two factors whiai largely control the economical 

 production of milk. One is the adaptability of the cow used to 

 this purpose and depends upon her individual and breed charac- 

 teristics. The other is the amount and kind of food eaten. The 

 problem confronting the dairyman is the production of the lrag- 

 est amount of milk and butter at the least expense. In order that 

 this may be realized, both the important factors mentioned must 

 receive careful attention. 



In most cases the largest direct expense is for feed. Every 

 one familiar with the prevailing conditions knows a large amount 

 of feed is used without producing the returns it should. It would 

 be safe to say that the average yearly milk production per cow 

 could be increased by one-half or three-fourths by following bet- 

 ter methods of feeding. 



It is not the intention at this time to give results of new ex- 

 perimental work, nor to lay down fixed rules for feeding, but to 

 make some suggestions for practical feeding, these suggestions 

 being based on the facts developed by the practice of the best 

 dairymen and by scientific experiments. 



