ILLINOIS STATE DAIRYMEN'S ASSOCIATION. 



73 



with the poorest cows, although the best ones increased from 11 per cent 

 to 24 per cent. This table shows very clearly that it is- possible, by proper 

 feed and care, to materially increase the productive capacity of the cow, 

 even after maturity has been reached. This improvement not only 

 shows in the record, but in the appearance of the animals also. We have 

 pictures of some of these cows shortly aftei* arrival on the college grounds 

 and again after one year of college education. A glance at these pictures 

 will reveal some remarkable improvements. 



But the improvement of the dairy cowsi does not stop here. This is 

 only a beginning. A trip to the college barn will give you an opportunity 

 to inspect a small herd of dairy calves, from which we expect great re- 

 sults in the future. These calves are grade Guernseys, their grand dam 

 Having produced as high as 6W pounds of butter in ,a year. They are 

 being feed and handled with a view of developing dairy cows^. This.' pro- 

 cess' of grading up, coupled with weeding out the poor cows, will result 

 in a few years in securing a herd that will far exceed the original stock. 



The results obtained in the above tables are largely dtie to feed and 

 if improvements! are to be made in the future the feed problem will have 

 to continue to receive serious consideration. I take it that we are all 

 familiar with the "balanced ration" and that we all agree that the cow 

 cannot make milk without raw material to work with, and that in order 

 to do her best she must have this raw material in certain relative pro- 

 portions. But even after the ration is "balanced" there is still consider- 

 able latitude for choice. One ration may be much more expensive than 

 another. 



RATION NO. 1 



FEED 



Protein 



Oarbo- 

 Hydrates 



Fat 



Corn Fodder, 25 lbs 



10 " 



.50 



.78 



8.30 

 6 67 



.15 

 .43 



Total 



1.28 



14.97 



.58 



ReQuired 



2.50 



12.50 



40 







