116 



THE VALUE OF FISH MEAL 



Table of Weekly Averages of lbs. of Milk of both Lots of Cows. 



If both totals are divided by ten, the number of weeks the 

 experiment was carried on, it gives a mean of 29 lbs. per day for 

 those on ordinary food, and 30f lbs. per day for those getting 

 fish meal. At the end of the experiment only one of those 

 cows on the ordinary food had gained anything, viz., 28 lbs., the 

 other two remaining stationary ; while of those on fish meal two 

 gained 28 lbs. each, while another lost 28 lbs. ; so that, taking 

 the figures as they stand, both lots are on an equality as far as 

 weight is concerned. It is, however, worthy of note, that of 

 those on fish meal the cow which lost weight was the one which 

 was the best milker. Owing to this she might have lost weight 

 at any rate, but I am inclined to believe that the loss was prin- 

 cipally caused by the sore foot, which, as every dairj^man knows, 

 brings down a cow very quick in both milk and body. Had 

 this cow kept well all the time, the fish meal lot would have 

 shown a much better return. It must also be pointed out that 

 although the two recently calved cows 5 and 6 started each 

 with the same quantity of milk, the one fell off very rapidly, 

 while the other continued to increase until its foot became sore, 

 at which time it was giving one-third more than the other, 

 although a much smaller cow. On the other hand, the ordinary 

 food lot, although kept back by number 5, were very -much 

 assisted by number 1, which at the termination of the trial was 

 giving a daily average of 34 lbs. of milk, although then nearly 

 nine months calved ; "while her neighbour of the fish-meal lot, 

 which was about the same length of time calved, was giving a 

 daily average of 4 lbs. less than the half of number 1. 



It may hero be remarked, that if every breeder was to keep a 

 milk record of his cows, one and all would get their eyes opened, 

 and such cows as number 5 would all soon be swept from the 



