126 ILLINOIS STATE DAIRYMEN'S ASSOCIATION 



be provided for the dairy cow so that she may be kept up to 

 her maximum yield during the critical period so often experi- 

 enced during the dry, hot summer. 



Silos and Silage 



In most localities no crop better adapts itself for use as 

 silage nor can be grown more economically than corn. It is 

 quite easy to select varieties that will mature sufficiently to yield 

 succulent feed of high feeding value. 



Some ten or fifteen years ago very few farmers were inter- 

 ested in silos or silage. Now in many parts of the country silos 

 are as common as other farm buildings and many of our best 

 farmers would think as much of dairying without barns as with- 

 out a well filled silo. By the use of a silo the farmer is able to 

 retain for feed a larger amount of the food material found in 

 the fodder, than by any other method now in vogue. The silo 

 also furnishes a convenient method of supplying throughout the 

 year an abundance of succulent feed for dairy cows. This is 

 especially advantageous, as it does not necessitate any sudden 

 changes of feed with the change of season. It also economizes 

 space as more feed can be stored away in the silo than in any 

 equal amount of space in the barn. 



Different Cows Need Different Amounts 



The amount of feed needed by the cow depends upon her 

 capacity to produce and on her own body weight. That is, cows 

 of high productive capacity need more protein than do those less 

 productive, and likewise large cows need more feed for main- 

 tenance than do smaller ones. In a general way the cow should 

 be fed such an amount as will keep her body weight fairly uni- 

 form. It is, of course, to be expected that during the first few 

 weeks of her milking period the cow will slightly lose in weight 

 and during the latter part of her milking period her weight will 

 increase, due largely to the liapid development of the foetus and 

 also to the fact that at this time there is a natural tendency to 

 lay on some fat. 



