338 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



The first three points are all involved, more or less, in the general 

 question of the composition of the ration, while the last three have 

 to do with the method of preparing the food. 



EXPERIMKNTS IN FEEDING COTTON-SeED MeAI. AND CORN MeAL FOR 



Milk Production. 



This experiment is almost similar in its objects and methods to 

 one conducted b^^ the Station in 1885-6. The results are practically 

 the same also. 



The main question asked in the experiment is virtually this : Is 

 an ordinary ration of hay and corn meal as economical for milk 

 production as the same quantit}' of digestil)le food material would 

 be when more nitrogenous? Or expressed in plain terms, is it 

 profitable to substitute cotton-seed meal for a portion of the corn 

 meal in such a ration ? 



The answer made to this question by the two years' experiments is 

 the same, viz : 



Under the conditions involved in the experiments, the substitution 

 of cotton-seed meal for an equal quantity' of the corn meal unmis- 

 takably increased the production of milk and butter to a profitable 

 extent. 



Last winter's experiment was carried out with four cows, two Jer- 

 seys and two grade Ayrshires. 



Cow A, Grade Ayrshire, calved Oct. 5th, 1886. 

 '^ B, " "■ August (earl}' part). 



" C, Jersey " Sept. 10th, 1886. 



" D, '' " Sept. 15th, 1886. 



Unfortunately all of these animals were light milkers, which fact 

 makes the experiment less satisfactory than if the flow of milk had 

 been heav}^ because the test of the producing power of the rations 

 was less severe. 



The experiment was continued for twelve weeks, this time being 

 divided into three periods of four weeks each. 



[ r 18 lbs. Timothy, 



■p- X D -A 1 Cows A and C (each) < :U " corn meal, 



First Period, J ? if " cotton-seed meal. 



4 weeks, < , ,o ,, , , 



T oj * on^u 1 C 'y lbs. clover hay, 



January 3d to 30th. j ^^^^ ^ ^^^ ^ ^^^^^^ S 3^ .. ^^^^ ^^J^ 



^ V '^i " cotton-seed meal. 



c jo-j fn A jr./u\ S18 lbs. Timothy, 



Second Period, ! Cows A and C (each) J 6 " corn meal. 



T o/.^.^^'^ir^'u o-»v, ^n t> ^ r. / v,x S ^^ Ibs. clover hay, 



Jan. 31st to Feb. 2ith. j Cows B and D (each) 5 6" corn meal 



