EXPERIMENT STATION BULLETINS. 263 



that the per cent of protein in the latter is twice as great as in the 

 former. Protein is the element in which the home grown feeds are 

 most apt to be lacking and the one that has to be purchased usually 

 in the form of bran or some other by-product to complete an efficient 

 ration. It is evident, therefore, at the outset of our study of this 

 problem, that we can hardly afford to feed timothy hay if we have 

 abundant supply of clover. In fact, if clover hay can be purchased, 

 at the prices named, it would be better to sell the timothy and buy 

 clover if the supply is short. 



Corn stalks and millet hay furnish digestible nutrients at small cost, 

 but these digestible nutrients so furnished are very low in protein, 

 and call for the purchase of relatively large amounts of by-products 

 to supply this element. Comparing silage and mangolds, both of which 

 are succulent fodders, we find that the former is much the more 

 economical. Since both are produced on the farm, and neither is a 

 readily marketable commodity, both will be fed, and such a course 

 is advisable, since it affords variety to the ration. When, in the spring, 

 plans are being devised for growing food for the herd the ensuing 

 winter, the relative cost of digestible nutrients in silage and mangolds 

 will be borne in mind and the silage will be relied upon as the chief 

 succulent feed, and only enough of the mangolds raised to furnish the 

 desirable variety. 



Among the grains and by-products, corn meal furnishes the essential 

 food elements more cheaply than does any other. Next in the list 

 comes wheat bran at .8 of a cent per pound, for digestible nutrients. 

 It so happens that a combination of corn meal and bran fits into the 

 most common mixtures of coarse fodders most perfectly and furnishes 

 the desired grain ration at relatively low cost. In chemical compo- 

 sition oats and bran are similar, the latter being somewhat richer 

 in protein and the former in fat. At the prices assumed, one pound 

 of digestible nutrients in whole oats is worth $.0119 and in bran but 

 $.008, or 32 per cent less. When, therefore, bran is worth $9.50 per 

 ton it furnishes digestible nutrients of approximately the same quality 

 at the same price per pound that oats would furnish them if worth 

 but fifteen cents per bushel. In other words, as far as chemical com- 

 position goes, oats at fifteen cents per bushel are of equal feeding 

 value with bran at $9.50 per ton. 



Both gluten meal and pea meal are rich in protein, and are there- 

 fore feeding stuffs which the farmers will buy to mix with corn stalks, 

 millet hay and other coarse feeds which are poor in protein; but gluten 

 meal contains per hundred pounds, 28.8 pounds of protein, while pea 

 meal has per hundred pounds but 18. Both furnish digestible nutri- 

 ents, at the prices assumed, at one cent per pound. As far, therefore, 

 as total digestible nutrients are concerned, if bran is worth $9.50 per 

 ton, both gluten meal and pea meal should be worth $12.66 to furnish 

 digestible nutrients at the same price per pound. In the same way, 

 counting the cost per pound of total digestible nutrients and regard- 

 ing in this view of the case a pound of protein, a pound of carbohy- 

 drates and a pound of fat of equal value, we could estimate the prices 

 at which other grains and by-products must be sold to furnish digestible 

 nutrients as cheaply as bran at $9.50 per ton. In such a table, buck- 



