fion Grasses and Leguminous Crops in ^New York 



Rations for milch cows — growing or laboring animals — 

 should be combined in about the same manner, and should contain 

 about one part of digestible protein to five or six parts of the 

 digestible materials that furnish heat and energy, w'ith sufficient 

 mineral to meet the needs of the animal. 



clover high in mineral matter 



Many times the mineral in a ration is not considered, but this 

 should be done for several reasons, as follows : the bones are "built 

 and maintained largely from mineral matter; if milk is being 

 produced, young developed, or both, additional mineral is required ; 

 a full supply of digestible mineral in the food also aids digestion. 



The exact amount of mineral required by an animal for any 

 given work has never been determined, but we know that when 

 animals are fed timothy hay, straw, cornstalks, gluten feed, and 

 the like, all of which are deficient in mineral content, they soon 

 show a lack of mineral. Their desire to chew bones and to obtain 

 mineral in other ways, and in some cases premature dropping 

 of their offspring, are indications that their food is deficient in 

 this element. We also know wdien animals are being fed for any 

 length of time on clover hay, alfalfa, cottonseed meal, oil meal, 

 and other foods rich in ash these conditions do not prevail very 

 long. The wise feeder will therefore see that some of either or 

 both of these grasses or grains that he feeds contain a good supply 

 of mineral. 



COMPARATIVE VALUE OF CLOVER 



We naturally fix the value of one plant by the value of other 

 plants that can be growm iu the same locality and with the same 

 ease. Let us consider the composition and digestibility of a few 

 of the plants most commonly grown on ^ew York farms for 

 roughage. 



POUNDS OF DIGESTIBLE MATERIAL IN 1,000 POUNDS 



Ash Protein Total Ratio 



Clover hay 6G 71 510 1-5.9 



Timothy hay 44 28 481 1-16.2 



Oat straw 51 13 426 1-31.8 



Cornstalks 12 14 342 1-23 .4 



