^sd 



THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. 



of green food is derived from the analysis of rape-plant, cab- 

 bages, and kohl rabi. During February and March I have 

 been using wheat and barley-straw with mangel, and as these 

 materials contain less oil, I give in the steamed food three 

 ounces of liuseed oil per day to each animal. For the com- 

 position of milk I adopt that by Haidlen, whose method of 

 analysis is reputed to be the most accurate, the proportion of 

 butter in my milk being this season very similar to that given 

 by him. 



It will be observed that this is the gross return for 27J 

 weeks from the time of calviBg, from which will have to be de- 

 ducted expense of attendance, &c. 



£. 8. d. 

 The materials used as food are found to have cost 70 9 



The value of these materials as manure consists of 



888 lbs. nitrogen = 1,061 lbs. ammonin at 6d. 26 10 6 

 Fhosphoiic acid and potash 9 15 4 



Value of food if employed as manure , , 



5 10 



The 16,072 quarts of milk, at 2d. per quart for 

 new milk, at which price it eaters largely into 

 consumption aa food for man, amount to 133 18 8 



£. s. d. 

 The nitrogen in the milk 316 lbs. =• 



ammonia 378 lbs., at 6d. per lb.... 9 9 

 Phosphoric acid in ditto 45^ lbs. at 1^-d. 



perlb 5 8 



£9 14 8 



From these statements it will be seen that materials used as 

 food for cattle represent double the value they would do if 

 used for manure, whilst that portion converted into food fitted 

 for the use of man represents a value thirteen to fourteen times 

 greater than it would as manure. 



It then appears clear that it is for the feeder's profit to use 

 his prodace as much as possible as food for cattle, with the 

 view to convert it with the utmost economy into food for man, 

 and thus increase rather than enrich his manure-heap. 



The calculation of casein in milk is based upon the suppo- 

 sition that my milk is equal in its proportion of that element 

 to that analysed by Haidlen. Several analyses by other che- 

 mists show a less per-centage, 4 to 4.50. As my cows are 

 adequately supplied with albuminous matter, 1 have a right to 

 presume on their milk being rich in casein. 



The loss of nitrogen by perspiration, 150.65 lbs., is nearly 

 17 per cent. Boussingault found a loss of 13.50 of nitrogen 

 in a cow giving milk. 



The abstraction of nitrogen in the milk 

 is computed at 316 lbs., value £9 9 



The abstraction of phosphoric acid in the 



milk is computed at 4.8^ lbs 5 8 



Either the rape-cake or bran alone suflSces for the restoration 

 of the phosphoric acid. 



The amount of phosphoric acid in the manure is 393 lbs., 

 being about 16 per cent, of the whole ash or mineral matter. 

 The ash of meadow-hay contains about 14 per cent.; that of 

 rape-cake, 30 per cent. ; bran, 50 per cent. ; malt-combs, 25 

 per cent. ; turnips, &c., 10 per cent, of phosphoric acid. 



The amount of potash in the excrement is 616 lbs., being 

 about 25 per cent, of the whole ash or mineral matter. The 

 ash of meadow-hay contains about 20 per cent. ; rape-cake, 21 

 per cent. ; malt-combs, 37 per cent. ; turnips (various), 44 per 

 cent. ; from which it may be inferred that the sample of ex- 

 crement sent to Professor Way for analysis did not contain 

 more than a fair proportion of these ingredients. 



To ascertain the quantity of excrement, the contents of the 

 tanks into which the cows had dropped their solid and liquid 

 excrement during five weeks were weighed, and found to be 

 500 cwt. 2 qrs. lbs. from 18 cows, being 88 lbs. per cow per 

 day. The sample for analysis was taken from that which the 

 cows had deposited within the preceding 24 hours. This was 

 collected in the mud-cart, well blended, and sent off quite 

 fresh. 



It is sufiBciently proved, by the experience of this district, 

 that 20 lbs. of meadow-hay suffice for the maintenance of a 

 cow of fair size in store condition : a like result is stated to be 

 obtained from 120 lbs. of turnips per day. The six cows will 



have then reguired during the 27 J weeks for their maintenance 

 only — 



Per Day. 



lbs. 



120 of Hay, or 



for.... 

 720 of Turnips, 



or for. . 



Weeks. 



Total 

 Weight 



lbs. 



22960 



137760 



Albumi- 

 nous 

 Matter. 



Con- 

 tain- 

 ing 

 of— 



2127 

 2295 



Oil. 



Starch, 

 &c. 



616 



306 



9130 

 9100 



They will further have required adequate food — 



Albumi- I I 



j nous I Oil |Starch & 

 I Matter, : and , Sugar 

 JFibrin, &Butter.j of Milk. 

 Casein. 



For the production of ! 2116 



Add for Maintenance by Turnips . 



The food supplied is computed to 

 have contained 



2295 

 4411 



5459 



1235 : 1894 



306 

 1541 



1345 



9100 



10994 



15664 



I omit the minerals, which are observed to be in excess of the 

 requirements. 



For the maintenance of a fair-sized cow for one day, in a 

 normal state, the following elements seem adequate : — 



When cows are in milk, there occurs a much greater activity 

 of the functions ; they eat and drink more, evacuate more ex- 

 crement, and, in all probability, spend considerably more food 

 in respiration. Whilst the 17.60 lbs. per day dry matter in 

 20 lbs. of hay are found adequate for the maintenance of a cow 

 in a store state, the six cows in milk have eaten on the 

 average 21.37 lbs. solid matter per day during the 27^ weeks. 

 When I have fattened cattle together with a number of milk 

 cows of similar size, which gave on an average 8 quarts of milk 

 per day, the whole being fed with moist steamed food, and re- 

 ceiving the same allowance of green food, I have found the 

 fattening cattle refuse water, whilst the milk cows on the ave- 

 rage drank upwards of 40 lbs. per day of water given sepa- 

 rately : the 8 quarts of milk contain only about 17.58 lbs. of 

 water ; still in several analyses of excrement I have noticed 

 little difference in the per-centage of moisture in that from the 

 fattening animals as compared with that from cows giving 

 milk. 



These facts would seem to show that upwards of 20 lbs. 

 more water were given off from the lungs and pores of the skin 

 of a milking than of a fattening animal. 



The excrement of the six milk cows, 88 lbs. per day on the 

 average, is found to contain of nitrogen .36, equal to that in 

 2.25 lbs of albumen ; whilst 1.85 of albumen in the 20 lbs. of 

 hay is found adequate for maintenance. 



On comparing the supply of the food to the six milk cows 

 with their requirements and production, there seems an excess 

 in the albuminous matter, a deficiency in the oil for the fat and 

 butter, an excess in the starch, &c. Taking', however, the in- 

 creased activity of the animal functions and consequent con- 

 sumption of food by the milk cow, I am not encouraged to 

 lower my standard of food. That it has sufficed, is abundantly 

 proved, as each of the six cows under observation has gained 

 in condition during 27J weeks. 



My observations on nutrition tend to the conclusion, that if 

 you supply animals with starch, sugar, &c., to satisfy their re- 

 quiremeuts for respiration, you enable them to convert the oil 



