150 ILLINOIS STATE DAIRYMEN'S ASSOCIATION 



In the table, which shows the digestible nutrients in our 

 common feeds, the protein is given in the first column, the carbo- 

 hydrate and fat in the second column, and the nutritive ratio in 

 the third column. Remember that the nutritive ratio is the re- 

 lation in quantity of the digestible protein to the digestible car- 

 bohydrate and fat. In other words, a nutritive ratio of i to 6, 

 means one pound of protein to six pounds of carbohydrate and 

 fat. The table mentioned above will be found on page 24. 



Feeds Grown on the Farm 



What feeds can and should be grown on the farm is a ques- 

 tion of first importance to the dairyman. It is time that all dairy- 

 men begin to farm to feed dairy cows instead of feeding dairy 

 cows simply to dispose of their crops. Feeds grow on the farm 

 are essentially the cheapest, if they can be successfully grown, 

 because all feeds must be grown on some farm, and to feeds pur- 

 chased must be added the expense of preparation and transpor- 

 tation. In making the above statement it is recognized that home 

 grown feed can not always be depended upon alone, and that 

 it becomes necessary to purchase feeds to fill out or supply pro- 

 tein which may not be sufficient in the home grown feeds. It 

 is also true that some crops can be grown well on our farms, 

 which are not suited for feeding to dairy cows and which would 

 be expensive if used for that purpose. These should be sold and 

 other foods purchased. 



The best crops to grow on the dairy farms of Illinois seem 

 to be the following: of the grains, corn, oats, barley, rye, emmer 

 (speltz), and possibly soybean; of the roughage, corn stover, 

 clovers, alfalfa, cowpeas, soybean, field pea and oats, millet, sor- 

 ghum and pasture; of the succulent feeds, silage, mangel and 

 sugar beet. Under ordinary conditions Illinois dairymen are 

 hardly warranted in going outside of the above crops for dairy 

 feeds to be grown on the farm. If dairying is f h^ Hiief business 

 on the farm, and if profit is the aim, it is very important that 

 every crop should be planned for years ahead, and substitute 

 crops should be planned to take the place of any crop which may 



