42 ILLINOIS STATE DAIRYMEN'S ASSOCIATION 



mind, that when there is plenty of legume hay in the ration 

 a man should see which supplement furnishes protein at 

 the least price, at all times paying attention to the physical 

 characteristics of these feeds. For example, if a man has 

 an abundance of alfalfa hay, with farm grain, and has a 

 lot of bran to feed, you will have to look out that the ration 

 is not too laxative. He would not want to use too much 

 linseed meal. Use cotton seed meal. On the other hand 

 if he has timothy and corn stalks, then use corn and oats. 

 He will have to use a laxative if he is using a lot of these, 

 and he would use linseed meal. 



Now at any time I will be glad to answer at the close 

 of this discussion or this afternoon, any questions on the 

 application of this method of the selection of proteins in 

 feeding the dairy cow. I shall take up this afternoon the 

 question of minerals for dairy cows, but I will make a few 

 remarks right now with reference to the conclusions we 

 have reached concerning minerals for dairy cows, and give 

 you the results of these conclusions this afternoon. 



First of all cows should get plenty of common salt. 

 You people don't need to buy it from a mineral feed manu- 

 facturer. Mix a half-barrel or a pound of salt in every 

 one hundred pounds of concentrates, and then I believe it 

 is a good plan to let the cows have what salt they want in 

 addition. 



In addition to salt, what minerals are apt to be lack- 

 ing in the ordinary rations in the feeding of dairy cows? 

 The only two minerals that are apt to be lacking in the 

 rations fed dairy cows are calcium and lime or phosphates. 

 That is because milk is so rich in calcium and phosphorus. 



We have here another reason why milk is such excel- 

 lent food for humans, because it is rich in calcium and phos- 

 phorus besides common salt. We may not give our stock 

 sufficient salt, but usually with the salt cellar at hand we 

 will use enough of it on our own tables. 



How should we supply limes and phosphorus? The 

 best way I know of supplying lime in the ration of the dairy 

 cow is by the liberal use of legume hay, Alfalfa contains 

 191/^ pounds of calcium oxide per thousand pounds. Corn 



