Dairy Farming

  It should be understood that it is natural for a cow to fatten considerably toward the end of her milking period and when dry. This surplus fat is usually lost during the first three or four weeks after calving. It is impossible to fatten a high-class dairy cow with any ration during the best part of her milking period, or even to keep the fat that is on her body at Oalving time from being removed during the first few weeks she is in milk.
  The cow that shows these characteristics to a marked degree is said to have a good dairy temperament. This means she is endowed by nature with a strong stimulation to produce milk, and uses practically all the nutrients she can digest for milk production. This accounts for the spare form and absence of any surplus fat, even when the animal evidently has abundant food. As a result of the above, a high-producing cow when in milk is usually thin and sharp over the withers, her backbone strong and prominent, and her hips and pelvic region stand out almost free from flesh.
  When the cow is dry, or nearly so, she should carry more flesh than when in full flow of milk, and she should not be criticized on this account. The breed type should be taken into account as well, and the mistake avoided of judging all by the same arbitrary standard.thin a month or less.