499 

 New Jersey Stations, Bulletin No. 77, December 11, 1890 (pp. 36), 



Experiments with different breeds of dairy cows. — In May, 

 1S89, a series of expciiiiiiMits was coinmcneed with Ayrshire, Guernsey, 

 HolsteiiiFriesiaii, Jersey, and Sliorthoin cows, the object of wliich was 

 " to determine by carefully planned and executed experiments the cost 

 and value of the products from each of the different breeds." Three 

 representative animals of each breed were selected by committees from 

 associations interested in the several breeds. " It was clearly recog- 

 nized from the beginning that the management of the animals was 

 of the greatest importance. The feeding and care were tlierefore so 

 conducted as to giv^e full credit to the special chnracterisrics of the 

 diljferent breeds." IJeports of the progress of the experiments have 

 been made from time to time (See Bulletins Nos. 57, Gl, 65, and GS of the 

 station ; also Experiment Station Record, Vol. T, pp. 258 and 260, and 

 Vol. II, pp. 162 and 211), including data relative to the quantity and 

 quality of the milk of each cow, and the food consumed. The exjjeri- 

 ment was prematurely terminated by a fire November 2, 1890, which 

 l)urned the barns of the Agricultural College and the entire herd of 

 cows. I'he station had not contemi)lated an end of the exi)eriments 

 for a considerable period, and the records so far secured, while pre- 

 senting many points of interest and of value, are too limited to warrant 

 detailed conclusions in regard to the main question, to which all the 

 lines of work were <lirected, viz., a comparison of the dilfeient dairy 

 breeds. 



This bulletin completes the record of food eaten, milk jiroduced, and 

 chemical analyses of milk of each cow up to November 1, 1800, and con- 

 tains in addition "a summarized statement of the whole work, with 

 such conclusions from chemical data as shall be fair to all concerned." 

 The data given include for each breed the analyses of the milk for 8 

 months (iNIarch to No\ember, ISOO ) ; the average composition of the 

 total solids in the milk; the amount ami cost of food consuuH'd and milk 

 jiroduced from May 1, 188!), to October .'51, 1800; the average composi- 

 tion of the milk for 11 months (l)e(;ember, bSSO, to November, 1800) 

 and the average cost of food per (piart of milk, per i)Ound of total solids, 

 and per pound of fat during the same period. 



The ainount, nu<\ iJioportion of the food compounds furnished tlie herds in tlie 

 duily rations since December, 1889, remained jiractieally constant. The j,freen food 

 and pasture during the sumuu'r nu)nths were fed in such quantities as to substitute 

 Ihe coarse materials fed durintr Ihe remainder of the year. 



As noted previously, complete chemical analysis of the milk was made every other 

 day. The chanj^es in tlio composition ot the milk for short ])erio(ls were not notice- 

 able when e(jual conditions were maintained. 



The total solids in the milk of all the breeds was lowest dnrinjr the summer 

 months; a j^radual decrease in quality was noticed from April to .Tune and .an increase 

 from September, though t-be actual food compounds eaten were as uniform as ]>ossible 

 and the period of grf^atcst milk How did iu)t occur for all the animals during the 

 mouths from .June to September, iuclusivo. It would seem, therefore, that summer 



