78 



Bulletin 152. 

 H. Economic Food Tksts. 



There is much variation in the amount of food eaten by differ- 

 ent animals during a test, and a close study of Tables I and II 

 will be of interest and value to every cattle feeder : Study Table 

 I to see what a particular cow produced in a week and Table II 

 to find what she ate during the same time. The cows tested 

 while at pasture were all given more or less grain, and the 

 amounts var}^ from 6i to lyf pounds per day for two-year olds ; 

 from 7^ to 21 pounds for three-j^ear olds; from 6|- to 25^ 

 pounds for four -year olds ; and from 9 to 25^ pounds for full 

 aged cows. The cows tested while on stall feed naturally ate 

 more grain and these amounts vary from 14 to 37/4^ pounds for 

 two-year olds ; from 18 to 42) /i pounds for three-5^ear olds ; 

 from 16^ to 35 pounds for four-year olds, and from 15 to 53^ 

 pounds for full aged cows. In amount of coarse fodder eaten 

 daih^, two-year olds vary from 42 to 71^ pounds; three-year 

 olds from 41 to 71^^ pounds, four-year olds from 33 to 92 

 pounds ; and full aged cows from 54}^ to 82 pounds. Ani- 

 mals under ' ' Economic Food Test ' ' are not included in the 

 above. 



Such large rations of grain and of coarse fodder are, no doubt, 

 surprising to the general dairyman, and he will gravely question 

 the economy of feeding so heavily. However, the question with 

 the men who have entered their cows in these tests is not one of 

 economy so much as it is of forcing the cow to produce as much 

 milk and butter as possible. In order to do this, a large amount 

 of food is necessary, and the more food she can consume and 



