ILLINOIS DAIRYMEN'S ASSOCIATION. 315 



9. There is but one way to determine the value of a cow — 

 test her. 



10. Two serious mistakes made by Illinois dairymen in feed- 

 ing their herds is their failure to provide silage, and to make a 

 liberal use in their rations of leguminous roughness such as cow- 

 pea, clover, and alfalfa hay. Silage should be fed in condensory 

 districts where objected to, but the leguminous hays should be 

 used freeely as they are easily grown and since they replace ex- 

 pensive concentrates to a large extent, they reduce the cost of 

 milk production. 



FEEDING DAIRY COWS. 



By Wilber J. Fraser, Chief in Dairy Husbandry, University of Illinois, 

 Agricultural Experiment Station. 



1. Secure the rough fodders in the best possible condition 

 and use them liberally, as they are much cheaper than concen- 

 trates. 



2. Feed concentrates in proportion to the milk flow. 



3. Study and supply the individual needs of each cow. 



Before man had control over animals and they became do- 

 mesticated, there were no highly specialized forms, and when they 

 roved wild on the prairies or in the forests, the problem of the par- 

 ticular kind and character of their food supply was not an im- 

 portant one for they were not expected to draw loads of several 

 tons weight, or to produce the abnormal yields of milk that are 

 given by the highly developed dairy cows of today. However, 

 after man domesticated animals and began to develop breeds 

 suited to special purposes, as draft, speed, beef, or milk, the ques- 

 tion of their food supply became an all important one, for in order 

 to secure the best results their food must be adapted to 

 their special needs. 



One fact of great importance, and which must not be lost 

 sight of in economical feeding, is, that the amount, kind, and 

 character of the food an animal requires depends entirely upon 



