LLINOIS DAIRYMEN'S ASSOCIATION. 



257 



In order that a cow may produce the greatest yield of which 

 she is capable she must be given the right kinds of feed and the 

 correct amount of each, or a loss more than proportional to the 

 feed withheld will result in a decrease in yield. There is little 

 use in paying high prices and establishing a good dairy herd un- 

 less careful attention is to be given to the amount and character 

 of the feed, for however well bred and efficient the individuals 

 they cannot give in their product what they do not receive in their 

 food. 



The nutrients contained in all feeding stuffs, as well as in 

 animal bodies and in milk, may be divided into five classes as 

 follows : 



Water, 



Ash, (mineral compounds). 



Protein, (nitrogen compounds). 



Carbohydrates, (starches, sugar, etc). 



Fats, (or oils). 



While an ample supply of pure water is one of the first re- 

 quisites of good stock feeding, it is usually supplied in abundance 

 at comparatively little cost and will not be considered further in 

 this duscussion. 



Ash or mineral matter is present in all feeding stuffs in 

 sufficient quantities so that an animal property nourished with 

 the other constituents is sure to receive enough mineral matter ; 

 we will, therefore, pass that group of substances also. 



Protein. 



Protein is the name applied to the constituents of feeds 

 which contain nitrogen, and feeding stuffs which are rich j:i 

 this element ^re frequently called nitrogenous feeds. Among 

 these are: Oil meal, cotton seed meal, gluten meal, and the leg- 

 umes ; as cow peas, alfalfa and clover. The white of an egg, the 

 gluten of flour, the lean part of meat, and the casein of milk are 

 all good examples of protein. 



j The principal use of protein in the body is to build muscles, 



{replace their waste, and form casein in milk. There are two 

 reasons why special attention should be given to the amount of 





