272 EXPEKIMENT STATION KECOED. 



to decrease the fat content of the milk. The results, therefore, nidicate that 

 when wheat bran is valued at $18 a ton, dried-beet pulp is not worth over $12 

 iind molasses-beet pulp over $13 a ton. 



Bibby's dairy cake, J. B. Lindsey {Massachusetts Sta. Rpt. 1905, pp. 19- 

 So). — Digestion exi)eriments with sheep and feeding experiments with cows 

 were made to determine the value of this proprietary feeding stuff which is 

 said to be composed of cotton seed, carob beans, corn, wheat, fenugreek, salt, etc. 

 The material was found to resemble in composition and digestibility standard 

 wheat middlings. At prevailing marliet prices it is not regafded as an 

 economical feeding stuff. 



It is believed that farmers will do well to produce their hay, silage, and corn 

 meal and purchase only those feeding stuffs that are rich in protein, such as 

 cotton-seed meal, gluten feed, distillers' grains, brewers' grains, wheat mid- 

 dlings, and bran. 



Concerning wheat bran, J. B. LiNDSEy {Massachusetts Sta. Rpt. 1905, pp. 

 9'i-ll'i). — Notes are given on the composition, digestibility, and fertilizing in- 

 gredients of wheat bran as compared with other concentrated feeding stuffs, 

 and 2 feeding experiments with cows are reported. The roughage in the 2 

 rations compared consisted of liay and silage and the grain feed of cotton-seed 

 meal and flour middlings. To this was added either bran or silage with corn 

 meal or corn-and-cob meal. In one of the experiments tlie results were 

 slightly in favor of the bran ration, while in the other the so-called silage 

 ration gave the best results. 



The author concludes that for small herds the quantity of purchased grain 

 may be reduced to 3 to 4 lbs. daily by substituting home-grown corn in place 

 of wheat bran. It is suggested that the grain mixture may consist of li lbs. 

 cotton-seed meal, 2 lbs. flour middlings, and 2i to 3 lbs. corn meal or corn-and- 

 cob meal. Malt sprouts may be substituted for the wheat, oats, or rye mid- 

 dlings. Where the feeding can not be closely supervised and where it is desired 

 to feed more than 5 to 7 lbs. of grain daily, it is considered advisable that the 

 grain mixtures should consist of one-third to one-half of wheat bran. 



The addition of salt to the ration of dairy cows, S. M. Babcock ( Wisconsin 

 Sta. Rpt. 19(15. pp. 129-15G, pis. 2). — This article contains a review of the litera- 

 ture of this subject and the results of experiments conducted in 1889, and again 

 in 1899 and 1900. 



The purpose of the experiments was to determine the amount of salt in addi- 

 tion to that obtained in feed and water necessary to maintain the health of cows 

 and the normal flow of milk. In each of the 3 trials conducted the cows showed 

 an abnormal appetite for salt after having been deprived of it for 2 or 3 weeks, 

 but did not appear to be affected in health until a much longer period, varying 

 in individual cases from less than 1 month to more than 1 year. In all cases 

 cows deprived of salt Anally reached a condition of low vitality from which 

 recovery was rapid w'hen salt was supplied. 



The results, however, indicated that when cows are not giving milk they may 

 be nniintained in good health for an indefinite period with no salt other than that 

 contained in normal rations. It is estimated that the daily ration fed contained 

 the equivalent of 0.75 oz. of salt, which is assumed as the mininuim amount re- 

 quired per 1,000 lbs. live weight for an animal not producing milk. 



Cows giving milk should therefore receive in addition enough, salt to compen- 

 sate for the chlorin in the milk, which is estimated as equivalent to O.G oz. of salt 

 for each 20 lbs. of milk. As a slight excess wall do no harm it is recommended 

 that cows be given at least 1 oz. of salt per day. It is considered evident, how- 

 ever, that the amount of additional salt required will vary greatly in different 

 localities. 



