CONCENTRATED FEEDS, 39 



Third, it should not contain anything detrimental to the health 

 of the animal. In making up a grain ration, the dairyman will 

 need some dliuter to lighten up the more concentrated feeds. 

 Wheat bran is generally used for this purpose, but is usually 

 very expensive feed. 



The Massachusetts Experiment Station recently carried out 

 an experiment to see if it were not possible to feed a concen- 

 trated grain ration without the use of bran as a diluter. The 

 grain ration used, consisted of 2^ lbs. corn meal, 2 lbs. of flour 

 middlings and i^ lbs. of cottonseed meal. This ration was 

 mixed with the silage before feeding. The experiment proved 

 successful and the cows went through the winter without trouble 

 of any kind and did fully as well as when bran was used in the 

 ration. 



While it is perhaps well to understand and use the nutritive 

 ratio in planning grain rations, it is not necessary. The coarse 

 fodders fed will contain on the average, about i lb. of digestible 

 protein. If the feeder figures on from 2 to 2^ lbs. of total 

 protein in the grain ration, he will obtain the maximum protein 

 requirement for milch cows. A grain mixture so prepared that 

 6 to 8 quarts would contain 2 to 2^ lbs. of protein would be 

 excellent. The carbohydrates and fat will almost without 

 exception, be present in sufficient amount. Occasionally starch 

 is lacking. A possible case would be where cottonseed meal 

 was used mixed with silage. The starch can be supplied by 

 adding a little corn meal, hominy meal or flour middlings to the 

 ration. 



Never compare the feeding value of two diflFerent feeds 

 measure for measure. The nutritive value is always determined 

 by weight and not by bulk. It is manifestly unfair to compare 

 a quart of wheat bran with a quart of cottonseed meal which 

 weighs three times as much. 



What a farmer can raise is of first importance, as what is 

 bought depends upon what can be grown. The farm is the 

 "carbohydrate factory" and in most cases will produce enough 

 of the carbohydrates. Exceptions may sometimes occur when 

 it may be necessary to purchase some starch in form of corn or 

 hominy meal or flour middlings, as well as necessary coarse fod- 

 ders. In regard to the so-called mixed feed, adulterated with corn 

 cobs, the various oat ofifals containing large quantities of hulls 



