67 

 The effects of tJir rations on the live weights of the cows. 



Ou votcli luiy tile cows renin ined practicall}' statiouary 

 in weiiiiit, while under the same conditions the average 

 gain i>er cow per period was 13 ^njunds when wlieat 

 bran was fed. 



The next winter the cows on cowpea hay gained only 

 1 ponnd per head \wv period, \\hile those getting wheat 

 Urau gTew heavier by 10^ pounds per he;ul. 



This suggests a slightly greater tendency of wheat 

 bran than of hay of vi^tch or cowjieas to increase the live 

 weight, a doulitful advantage in the case of the milch 

 cow. 



MINOR TESTS. 



At the conclusion of the experiments just described the 

 feeding season was too nearly past and the cows too far 

 advancwl in lactation t(» permit any further experiments 

 requiring long periods. Uoiice in the two exi)eriments 

 described below it was r.ecessary to adopt the short 

 period sometimes enjployed, dividing each experiment 

 into three periods and using the data only for the last 

 ten daj's of each period, the earier part of the jx'riod be- 

 ing considered as preparatory. The natural shrinkage 

 in the flow of milk was counterbalanced by averaging the 

 results of the first and third periods, during which the 

 same food was fed, and comparing this average with the 

 yield of milk and butter obtained during the second or 

 intermediate period. 



The ration fed during the first and third period of 

 this experiment was the same as that fed to the corres- 

 ponding lot of cows during the second period of the ex- 

 periment previousy described. The same six cows were 

 employed. The basal ration was the same as in the ex- 

 periment comparing cowpeas with wheat bran. 



