362 T3ri{i-:Ar of Faiimkks' Institutes. 



grain to, because she would not respond in the pail. When you 

 have a cow that will, feed her all she will eat, digest and assimi- 

 late. If you are feeding timothy hay, cornstalks, ensilage, straw 

 or other fat-forming foods, she will not require so much corn meal. 

 If the hay is clover and you do not have well-eared ensilage, she 

 will require more meal. As a rule, from six to twelve pounds of 

 mixed grains will be enough for any ordinary-sized cow, say, 

 weighing 1,000 pounds. There is another point to be considered, 

 which is the price of grains, also the price of the cow's product. 

 We should keep an account of the prices of foods and products, 

 and aim so to feed as to obtain the desired production, at the same 

 time derive a profit at the market price of butter, cheese or milk. 

 With my dairy, if they give me 300 pounds of butter per cow, at 

 present prices for cow foods, I can clear a profit from butter at 

 18 cents per pound. 



Which has the most feeding value, oat or buckwheat straw? 



Mr. Cook. — I think the oat straw is a little more valuable, but 

 there is a great deal of feeding A^alue in buckwheat straw when 

 it has been well cared for. As a rule, buckwheat is put up in too 

 small shocks. It were better to set two or three of them together 

 and then put the straw under cover. 



What is the nutritive ratio of bran, compared with oats? 

 Mr. Litchard. — Bran has a nutritive ratio of 1 to 4. Oats 1 to 

 7 or 8. 



Rations for cows in millf, two feeds of hay per day — How many pounds 

 of cotton seed should be fed to balance the I'ation? 



Mr. Cook. — I would not feed the cotton seed. Would much 

 prefer gluten. It has a large per cent, of protein in it and is not 

 so concentrated as is cotton seed. ^Mieat bran and buckwheat 

 middlings should be mixed with the gluten, to furnish mineral 

 matter which the gluten does not contain. But gluten meal, in 

 comparison with other protein foods, cost a little too much. When 

 When buying these foods, always take into consideration the pro- 



