340 MISSOURI AGRICULTURAL REPORT. 



was very immature and carried a very lugii percentage of water. The 

 corn was cut into lengths of three to four inches. In addition to green 

 feed, alfalfa hay and grain were used, i he grains fed consisted of Union 

 Distiller's grams, corn meal, hominy feed, corn hearts, bran, oil meal, 

 cotton seed meal and gluten feed so mixed as to form a nutritive ration 

 of 1 :4.5 or i :5. 



The cows were given their first feed at 4 a. m., which consisted of 

 grain followed by green feed. Then they were led out for exercise, after 

 which they were given all the hay they would eat up clean until nine 

 o'clock. Nothing further was fed until 11:30 a. m., when they were 

 given grain followed by another green feed. Nothing more was fed 

 until 6 p. m., when they received their third feed of grain followed by 

 green feed. Then they were given what hay they would clean up during 

 the night. Water was kept before them at all times. Salt was given 

 in the grain feed to the amount of two to three ounces per day. The 

 grain was mixed thoroughly with cut alfalfa hay before feeding so as 

 to give it more bulk and to force the cows to masticate it properly. One 

 cow was withdrawn from the test for seven days on account of sickness. 

 With this one exception no medicine, stimulants or condiments whatever 

 were given. 



The average ration was about as follows: 19 pounds of grain, 50 

 pounds of green feed and ten pounds of dry hay per head per day. This 

 ration varied from day to day, governed by the appetite and condition 

 of the cow. 



Cows No. 6, 7, 8, 9 and 10 were entered in the dual purpose test, 

 hence were fed more heavily than they would have been for an economical 

 production of milk. In the dual purpose test cows were given credit for 

 the increase in live weight. Cows No. 7, 8, 10, 14 and 19 were tested in 

 May for entry in the advanced register. The extremely heavy feeding, 

 from 25 to 30 pounds of grain per day, no doubt acted as a handicap on 

 them during tlie long test. 



Selection of the Cows — These cows were selected, as nearly all 

 cows are when bought for practical dairy work, that is, by outward ap- 

 pearances. The larger part of them bad never been tested, hence the 

 outcome was uncertain. It is a notable fact that the best two cows came 

 from a herd which has been bred up and improved by the use of the 

 scales and the Rabcock test. In addition to this they have also been on 

 the show circuit for many years, always winning a goodly portion of 

 I he ribbons. 



