116 ILLINOIS STATE DAIRYMEN'S ASSOCIATION 



marked difference in the yield of butter fat from cows in the 

 same herd and kept under the same conditions, has been fre- 

 quently noted by the speaker and hundreds of farmers, who 

 have kept records. 



However, before he decides to part company with any cow 

 of his herd, the dairyman's sense of fair play should lead him 

 to carefully investigate the possibility of the cow not having 

 received such a ration as would make it possible for her to be an 

 economical producer. It is estimated that in the United tSates 

 there are about 20,000,000 milk cows, 3,000,000 of which are 

 unprofitable because of lack of proper care and feed. Perhaps 

 they have never had a square deal, or let us say a square meal. 



To become a good feeder requires first of all a knowledge 

 of the needs of the individual cows of the herd and of the com- 

 position and the palatability of the available dairy feeds. One 

 of the most important factors which has to do with the economi- 

 cal production of milk concerns the amount and the character of 

 feeds consumed. Dairy feeders speak of ''The Ration of Main- 

 tenance." By this is meant the amount of feed needed to furn- 

 ish heat and energy, and to rebuild worn-out tissues. While the 

 amount of feed necessary to supply actual body needs is about 

 the same whether the cow is milking or not milking, it must be 

 borne in mind that every pound of milk produced requires an 

 additional amount of feed. Roughly speaking, in the case of a 

 good dairy cow, fully one-half of the ration fed goes to supply 

 body needs. Perhaps the poor feeder makes no more frequent 

 mistake than to refuse to give that additional part of the ration 

 that would be exclusively used for milk production. No matter 

 how good a cow may be so far as breed is concerned, she can- 

 not be expected to give in her product what she does not get in 

 her feed. In a general way, then, economical milk production 

 means liberal, but not wasteful feeding. 



The Balanced Ration. 



The feeder who is familiar with the many demands made 

 on the system of the dairy cow readily realizes why it is desirable 

 to feed a "balanced ration." By a ''balanced ration" is meant 



