To Increase the Fat in Milk. 



85 



Table II. — Weights of the Cows at the Close of the First Period and 

 THE Beginning of the Second Period. 



It should be said in regard to the cow Tilda that she was heavy in 

 calf on November 8. She dropped a calf on November 29 and was 

 milked all winter. This accounts for the apparent loss in weight. 

 As a matter of fact, to the eye she was in better condition on May 1 

 than on November 8. 



With the exception of Tilda mentioned above and Chloe, who 

 dropped a calf on January 12, the cows dropped calves between 

 March 3 and April 11, 1901. It was during this lactation period, 

 the second of the experiment and the first at the imiversity, that the 

 main object of the experiment was sought to be accomplished: 

 namely, to increase the percentage of fat in the milk by means of 

 abundant food. To this end the cows were fed with the single idea 

 of giving them all they would readily eat of nutritious easily digestible 

 food, containing an abundance of protein. Economy of production 

 was not sought nor even borne in mind. While in the stable the 

 coarse fodder was mixed clover and timothy hay and silage. During 

 the summer the pasture was as abimdant as was possible to provide 

 and was supplemented with soiling crops whenever necessary. The 

 concentrated part of the ration was that used for the general univer- 

 sity herd and was varied somewhat in amount from time to time. 

 As nearly as possible it was all that the animal would eat regularly 

 without going "off feed." It was continued with pasture and till the 

 milk flow became very small near the close of the lactation period. 



During the third lactation period the cows were given similar foods, 

 but they were fed with the idea of economy of production, that is, to 

 furnish all the coarse fodder the animal would eat readily and as 

 much concentrated food in addition as returns would be made for at 

 the pail. 



