172 STATE BOARD OF AGRICULTURE 



line is progressing very nicely, but has not gone far enough to draw 

 any conclusions. 



Another project is "The Minimum Crude Fiber in Eation of Rumi- 

 nants." This experiment is well under way and promises to give us 

 new information along this line. 



Studies are also being made as to tlie effect of acid ash rations as 

 coin[)ared to basic ash rations on the growth and development of calves. 

 Two lots of calves are .being used in this work. 



Field experiments in which data are being gathered from a number 

 of lierds in the vicinity of Lansing, are being carried on to determine the 

 lujrmal alkaline reserve of the blood of dairy cattle under ordinary farm 

 conditions. Any infornuition gathered from this source will be extremely 

 valuable in studying the results of the alkaline reserve of the animals 

 used in the experiments listed above. 



The effect of low calcium in the ration of dairy heifers on growth, 

 health, and reproduction is being studied. 



Experiments are. being carried on to determine the relative vitamine 

 content of silage made from green corn stover and that made from 

 dry stover. 



Studies have been made to determine the effect of calving, exercise, 

 lactation, dry period, and the eft'ect of feeding colostrum milk, calcium 

 cai-bonate, bone meal, silage, and straw on the alkaline reserve of the 

 blood of dairy cattle. 



An experiment has been conducted during the past winter season 

 which is the first of a series of trials in feeding cull ibeans to dairy cows 

 and comparing them with cottonseed meal. There are a great many 

 cull beans available for feed in the State and there has been considerable 

 demand for information along this line. In this study the amount of 

 cull ibeans that can be substituted for cottonseed meal will be deter- 

 mined and the effect of them upon the animaFs appetite and general 

 behavior. The first of these series has been completed and will be read}'^ 

 to publish before the winter season begins. 



Pasture experiments with sweet clover and other grasses are being 

 carried on as outlined last year. 



Studies are being made relative to the normal temperature of cattle. 

 The temperature of each animal in the herd is taken daily. Weights 

 and measurements are also being taken of all animals in the herd every 

 six months and all animals under freshening age every month. 



Investigation has been started to determine the relative efficiency of 

 clarification of milk as compared with filtering milk in distributing 

 plants. 



Reports have been made on two experiments conducted by Professor 

 P. S. Lucas and the results have been published in the trade papers. 

 The first one has to do with the use of aniline dye for coloring glymol 

 to be used in reading cream tests made by the Babcock method. Fol- 

 lowing is a statement of how this dye is used : 



Alkanet root, which has for a considerable time been used for color- 

 ing the glymol used for reading cream tests, has three objections : the 

 time required for it to dissolve, the sediment that occurs after the solu- 

 tion and the fact that it is easily decolorized by exposure to light. An 

 aniline dye, oil soluble, which this Station has found suitable for color- 

 ing glymol, is Newport Oil Red 3 BiS. This is a very inexpensive dye. 



