FORTY-SECOND ANNUAL CONVENTION 271 



YEAR ROUND FEEDING OF DAIRY COWS. 



By C. H. Eckles, Professor of Dairy Husbandry, University of IVlissouri. 

 Written for the DeLaval Separator Co.'s Dairy Hand Book. 



No amount of feed or skill in handling will make a profit- 

 able cow out of one that does not inherit a strong tendency to 

 give milk. This is why success with dairy cows depends so 

 largely upon selection of the individual animal by keeping rec- 

 ords of milk and fat production. On the other hand no matter 

 how good a producer a dairy cow may be by inheritance she can- 

 not give results without the proper feed and management. 



Every owner of a cow welcomes the time when the animal 

 can be turned out to pasture because each cow is expected to give 

 the best results of the year on grass. Immature grass, such as 

 we have in early spring, contains a large amount of water and 

 a small amount of dry matter. It is almost impossible for a 

 heavy milking cow to eat enough of such feed to supply the 

 necessary amount of nutrients. 



Grain Feeding While on Pastvire. — A cow will produce 

 more milk if fed grain while on pasture. If a large yield is of 

 more importance than economy of production, grain should cer- 

 tainly be fed. The cow that gives a small quantity of milk will 

 produce but little more, if fed grain while on pasture. How- 

 ever, with the heavy producing cow the case is quite different 

 and it is necessary that she be fed grain or she will not continue 

 on the high level of production long. A Jersey cow that is giv- 

 ing as much as 20 pounds or 10 quarts a day, or a Holstein or 

 Shorthorn giving 25 pounds or more daily should be given some 

 grain. Our practice in regard to feeding on pasture is about as 

 follows : 



