MADE BY THE FARM DEPARTMENT. Ill 



of real value, and so aid in advancing the agricultural interests of our State, 

 I respectfully submit this report. 



SAM'L. JOHNSON, 

 Professor of Practical Agriculture and Supt. of the Farm,. 

 Agkicultural College, June 1, 1882. 



The report of Prof. Geo. H. Cook, Director of tlie New Jersey Experimental 

 Station, referred to above, is as follows : 



On November 16th four cows of native breed were taken from the herd at 

 the college farm, placed side by side in the same barn, and for a term of 

 ninety-one days were fed, exercised, and milked at the same time. 



During the first period of twenty-eight days a ration was divided among 

 them, made up of twenty-two and one-half pounds of clover hay, forty-nine 

 pounds of wheat straw, seventy-five pounds of brewers' grains, seventy-five 

 pounds of turnips, and seven and one-half pounds of cotton seed meal. It was 

 calculated to furnish daily to each 1,000 pounds of live weight, 



2.5 lbs. digestible protein. 

 0.5 lbs. digestible fat. 

 12.0 lbs. digestible carbhydrates. 



This being, according to German investigators, the necessary amount of food. 

 For the second period of twenty-eight days no change was made in the ration 

 fed cows Nos. I andll, while in that fed III and IV, 100 pounds of ensilage 

 were substituted for 40 pounds of turnips; in other respects it remained the 

 same as that fed during during the first period; it furnished daily to each 1,000 

 pounds of live weight, 



2.50 jjounds digestible protein. 

 .90 pounds digestible fat. 

 14.90 pounds digestible carbhydrates. 



This was fed in order to determine whether an increased amount of the heat- 

 producing compounds, fat and starch, was rendered necessary by the severity 

 of the weather. The additional food caused no increase in the yield of milk; 

 cows I and II on the 2:»oorer ration gave during this period more milk than 

 during the preceding. 



Our intention thus far was to ascertain the quantity of food required to keep 

 these cows up to their full yield of milk. 



For the third period, of five weeks ending February 17, Nos. I and II were 

 fed the same as during the first and second periods; to III and IV an equal 

 amount of digestible food was given daily, in 120 pounds of ensilage and five 

 pounds of cotton seed meal per cow ; it was eaten without waste and with 

 apparent relish. 



We tabulate below the yield of milk for 13 weeks. It must be remembered 

 that during the first period all toxx cows received the same ration; that during 

 the second and third periods cows I and II received the same as during the 

 first; that cows III and IV were fed during the second period with an unusu- 

 ally rich ration, and during the third period with one made up of ensilage and 

 cotton seed meal alone, containing, however, an amount of food equal to that 

 fed during the first period. 



