FORTY-FIRST ANNUAL CONVENTION 115 



5. Producing Ability. The digested food is converted into 

 milk only after reaching the udder. A large udder that is soft 

 and pliable but not flabby when empty, and well developed for- 

 ward and attached rather high behind, and teats of medium 

 size and squarely placed are the best indications of the cow's 

 producing ability. 



Care of the Cow Just Before and Just After Calving. 



The cow is very similar to a steam engine, which, as is well, 

 known, must have attention and sufficient fuel to maintain it at 

 full capacity. The proper time to begin giving the cow special 

 attention is about two months previous to freshening, as she re- 

 quires about this amount of rest to properly prepare for the next 

 lactation period. A cow that is to freshen during the winter 

 should receive about 25 pounds of corn silage and all the alfalfa 

 hay that she will eat up clean, together with a light grain ration, 

 the amount that she should receive being governed by the 

 amount of flesh the animal carries. The grain fed at this time 

 should be of a cooling and laxative nature. It is generally best 

 to place the cow in a separate box stall a few days before calv- 

 ing. All water given immediately after freshening should be 

 warm and for a few days grain should be limited to bran mash. 

 Alfalfa and other roughage may be fed ad libitum. As soon 

 as she has reached normal condition, the grain ration can bq 

 changed and increased in accordance with the amount of milk 

 given. 



Feeding the Dairy Cow. 



Before profitable results can be obtained from even the best 

 methods of feeding, it is, of course, expected that the dairyman 

 has given intelligent attention to the matter of selecting a herd 

 of cows of the pronounced dairy type and temperament, such 

 as experience has taught us are most desirable for economical 

 milk production. It is also assumed that he realizes the value of 

 keeping a careful and complete record of the milk and butter 

 fat records of each cow in this herd. That there is a surprisingly 



