Live Stock Breeders' Association. 85 



In every case the animals ate the hay in the order of their 

 cutting. They did not always clean up the first cutting before they 

 would eat considerable out of the second and some out of the third, 

 but in every instance, and the experiment was duplicated several 

 times, they practically cleaned up the three first cuttings before 

 they began on the last two. In other words, while these animals 

 showed a preference for the first cutting over the second and third, 

 the discrimination against the fourth and fifth cuttings was very 

 marked indeed. As between the last two cuttings, there was a 

 sharp discrimination in favor of the seed in the dough, or the last 

 hay to be cut was the last to be eaten. Thus hay that was allowed 

 to stand until the seed were in the dough had lost much of palata- 

 bility, and if allowed to stand until the plants were mature, had 

 declined still further. 



The accompanying illustrations show very strikingly the 

 preferences of the animals. 



It is to be borne in mind that the experiments referred to 

 above were made with animals having nothing but timothy hay, 

 receiving no grain or other feed. When animals that were fed 

 more liberally were given the opportunity to choose between these 

 hays, they did not show so decided a preference for the earlier 

 cuttings as did the animals that were making their whole ration 

 of hay. 



For example, two registered Jersey cows in full flow of milk 

 that were being fed rather liberally on grain and having all the 

 silage they would eat at the barn, when turned to the rack filled 

 with these various cuttings, in the middle of the day when out for 

 fresh air, ate one of the first three cuttings with apparently as 

 much relish as the other. They did, however, discriminate sharply 

 against the last two cuttings in every instance. 



In the case of some fat wethers that were on full grain feed, 

 when turned to these five hays, ate one with as much apparent 

 relish as the other. 



The accompanying photograph of the sheep rack filled with 

 these hays shows that they did not seem to discriminate against the 

 late cuttings as did the animals that were not so heavily fed. 



Unfortunately the trial was not made with horses and mules, 



5, CONVENIENCE OF HARVESTING. 



So far all of the results have been in favor of the earlier 

 cuttings. The yields were larger, the hay was more completely 

 digested, and was more palatable to the stock. In matter of con- 



