122 



THE VALUE OF FISH MEAL 



but for the production of milk alone I have always found an 

 albuminous food most profitable. 



The second week, the seven cows set aside for the change of 

 food had their ordinary meals at once totally withdra^vn, the 

 mash being made up of draff and herring meal. This was 

 given to each cow to any extent she cared to take it, which the 

 first day would not exceed 2 lbs. each. Every following day the 

 quantity was increased, till about the last day of the week their 

 ration would be about 7 lbs. At this trial all the cows took to 

 the herring meal better than Avould have been expected, there 

 being no more trouble with them than wdth any other abrupt 

 change of food. They, of course, fell off considerably in milk, 

 Avhich, if thought necessary, might have been in great part 

 kept up by gradually w^ithdraAAing the ordinary food, and 

 replacing it by herring meal. This week was, of course, no test 

 of the capabilities of either food. 



The third week the lot of seven cows took their full ration of 

 7 lbs. all the time, although never with any apparent relish, as 

 few of them ever licked out their troughs as clean as they had 

 been in the habit of doing, or as the other lot did. From this 

 I concluded they were having a trifle too much, and lessened it 

 accordingly the week following. 



The increase this week is very noticeable, as will be seen 

 from the table of weekly returna This is the only week 

 during which an equal weight of herring meal was used against 

 a similar weight of mixed meals; and seeing that this lot of 

 cows were so far down the week previous, it certainly compares 

 very favourably for the herring meal. I feel certain, however, 

 that, had I continued to use 7 lbs. of it daily to each animal, I 

 would sooner or later have had several of the animals laid aside 



Table slimoing the Weight and Coviposition of the Food of the Seven 

 Coivs getting 7 lbs. of Herring Meal daily during the Third Week. 



As one part of oil is equal to 2\ parts of starch, the 1-67 here found are equal 

 to 4-15, which, added to the 776 of starch already found, equal a total of ll'91, 

 Avhich, divided by 4*4, gives an albuminoid ratio of 1 to 2 '7. 



