682 



EXPERIMENT STATION RECORD. 



;i corresponding milk flow. Notwithstanding the heavy protein ration fed, the aver- 

 age milk flow for the 9 cows in the second test was 1.3 lbs. per day greater than in 

 the first 1<st. while the cost of the second ration was 0.6 ct. more per day. This 

 fanner was producing milk for the Boston market, and at the average price (3 cts. 

 per quart) the increase in milk How in the case of the second ration more than 

 covered the additional cost. For most of the cows, however, the increase was very 

 slight, and we are inclined to doubt if the feeding of as Large quantities of pro- 

 tein as were here used would be economical, except in the case of very heavy 

 milkers. . . . 



"The ration fed [to herd M] in the first test was as heavy and as large in protein 

 as is commonly recommended for cows of this weight. The protein was purposely 

 increased by a large amount (1 lb. per day) in the second test, and the nutritive 

 ratio was thus made quite narrow. Both rations seem to have been well eaten by 

 the cows, although the milk How in the second test for some reason dropped off to an 

 unusual degree. The general tendency of rations high in protein in nearly all of 

 our experiments has been to keep up the milk now and lessen the natural shrinkage. 

 The average percentage of butter fat in the second test was increased by 0.4 per cent. 

 This made the total yields of butter fat about equal in the two tests. The total 

 cost of the second ration was slightly less than that of the first ration. For the 

 production of milk this second ration, however, proved unprofitable." 



During the live seasons' work 45 rations have been studied. These 

 included "32 which were found in actual use by some of the more 

 intelligent and successful dairymen in the State, and 13 rations which 

 were proposed by the station to test the effect of larger amounts of 

 protein than those used by the feeders. These 13 tests with the nar- 

 rower rations were made after the studies of the actual feeding prac- 

 tice in the same number of cases." The result of these studies are 

 variously summarized in tables. 



Averages of rations fed by Connecticut dairymen, with daily yields of milk and butter and 



percentages of fat. 



1 ; ;; t ions. 



Average of all the rations (45) 



Average of 32 rations found in actual 



practice 



Average <>(' rations containing 2 pounds 

 or less of digestible protein per day, 

 as fed 16 herds (226 cows) in actual 

 practice 



Average of rations containing more 

 than 2 pounds of digestible protein 

 per day, as fed 16 herds (227 cows) in 

 actual practice 



Average of 11 wide rations (tirst test) 

 as found in use 



Average of 1 1 narrower rations (second 

 test) proposed by the Station 



Digestible nutrients and fuel values. 



Pro- 

 tein. 



1,6s. 



2.08 



1.97 



2.32 

 1.76 



2.40 



Lb. 



0.72 



.81 

 .04 

 .07 



Carbo- 

 hy- 

 drates. 



Lbs. 

 11.21 



11.77 

 11.86 

 10.37 



Fuel 

 value. 



Gal. 



27, 750 



28, 250 

 20, 900 



29, 600 



28, 100 

 26, 000 



Nutri- 

 tive 

 ratio. 



1 : 6, 5 



1 : 7. 



1 : 5. 9 

 1:7.7 

 1 : 5. 1 



Daily 

 milk 



yield. 



Lbs. 

 17.6 



18.7 

 18.0 

 18.2 



Aver- 

 age fat 

 content 

 of 

 milk. 



Perot. 



4.S 



4.9 

 4.7 

 4.9 



Daily 

 butter 

 yield. a 



Lbs. 

 0.97 



1.05 

 l.OO 

 1.04 



a Calculated. 



"The 45 rations as fed contained from 1.15 to 3.26 lbs. of digestible protein, aver- 

 aging 2.1 lbs. ; and the fuel values vanned from 21,150 to 35,150 calories, averaging 

 27,750 calories. The nutritive ratios ranged from 1 : 3.3 to 1 : 11.3, with an average of 

 1:6.5. . . . 



