84 



KXP'-'.RIMENT STATION RECORD. 



1 kg. of fat or 5 kg. of solids-not-fat to 1 milk unit. The results of these 

 calculations are given in the following table: 



Relation between food consumed and milk produced by different cows. 



To the above is added the values of the milk units and food units, 

 and the cows are arranged according to production and profit. The 

 author concludes that the merits of a cow can best be judged of by 

 testing the amounts of food consumed and the production of milk, etc., 

 six months after calving. With a view to finding a practicable means 

 by which the profitable utilization of food by a cow (futterdankbarJceit) 

 could be determined, studies were made in which at four different 

 stages of lactation the grain of the eight cows was increased and the 

 effect observed on the production. The periods were each seven days 

 long, the last four days being considered. There was a wide difference 

 among the cows with respect to their response to the increased grain. 

 Some gave no increase, while others in every case gave a noticeable 

 increase in production. 1 



The author considers that the results warrant the making of such 

 tests in practice in studying the value of cows. 



Feeding twice and three times a day. — The results are given of three 

 experiments on this subject with different lots of cows. The conclusion 

 is that for milk production alone it is sufficient to feed twice daily, as 

 feeding three times gave no increase in the yield of milk. Physiologi- 

 cally feeding only twice a day is believed to be preferable, as the cows 

 are more quiet under this system. Where the production of beef is 

 considered, feeding three times a day is considered advisable, as there 

 was a greater increase in live weight under that system. 



The watering of coirs. — The author reports an experiment previously 

 noticed (E. S. R., 4, p. 773). In addition, an experiment is given with 

 eight cows, lasting from September 5 to October 9, 1897. Every other 

 week the cows were supplied with water in the stalls by means of auto- 

 matic troughs, and on alternate weeks they were watered with pails. 

 The average milk yield was 14.79 kg. when water was supplied automatic- 



1 It would appear that all of the animals were fed the same amount of basal ration 

 and of grain without regard to live weight. 



