14 



Bulletin 183. 



Average Number of Pounds of Dry Matter Required to 

 Produce 100 Pounds of Milk and One Pound of Fat. 



The fact has ah*eadj been noted that during the iirst experiment 

 when the amount of beet pulp fed to eacli cow was about equal in 

 weight to the quantity of silage which she would normally eat, she 

 consumed more hay than when fed silage. The records of the 

 second experiment sliow that, when the cows were restricted as to 

 quantity of hay and given all the beet pulp they desired, each one 

 consumed daily more than twice the amount of pulp that she would 

 normally require of silage. If, then the amounts of dry matter 

 required to produce milk and fat do not differ materially whether 

 the cows receive silage or beet pulp what is the relative feeding 

 value of pulp as compared to silage? This may be determined by 

 comparing the number of pounds of silage and beet pulp which 

 were respectively required for equal amounts of milk or fat. The 

 ratio of the one to the other will determine how much more one 

 may be worth than the other to feed dairy cows. In finding this 

 ratio the amounts of hay and grain need not be considered so long 

 as equal quantities were consumed whether silage or beet pulp were 

 fed as was the case in the second experiment with all the cows 

 except Bertha 2d. In the first experiment the same quantities of 

 grain Avere fed throughout, but since varying amounts of hay were 

 fed this must be considered and has been so taken into account in 

 making up tlie figures tal)ulated below. The ratios given were 

 calculated from the individual records for the same periods as were 

 used in determining the average amounts of dry matter required to 

 produce milk and fat. 



