78 EXPERIMEKT STATION RECORD. 



"On the averafre for all records when tlie protein was increased, those including 

 also an increase of total nutrients show no falling off in milk pro(hiction, those with 

 but little change in nutrients show a normal <Uminution or less, those with a reduc- 

 tion of nutrients show a shrinkage greater than usual. On the average for all rec- 

 ords when the protein was reduced those with an increase of total nutrients show- 

 less than the usual decrease in milk jiroduction, those with but little change of nutri- 

 ents show about the normal shrinkage, those with a reduction of nutrients show a 

 falling off at twice the normal rate. 



"The average of those records where there was an increase of protein without 

 change in amount of total nutrients shows an increased cost of production. There 

 was no increase in the cost of production, on the average, when the protein was 

 reduced without change in amount of nutrients. . . . 



"Nutritive ratio. — Changes in the nutritive ratio within the ordinary limits had 

 considerably less influence on the niilk flow than did changes in the amount of total 

 nutrients. In general, however, a narrowing of the ratio had a favorable effect on 

 milk production, while a widening of the ratio tended toward the reverse. 



"AVhen but little change in the amount of total nutrients occurred, a narrowing 

 of the ratio was followed by less than the usual decrease in milk yield and a widening 

 of the ratio by more than the usual decrease. 



' ' With an increase in the amount of total nutrients, a narrowing of the ratio was 

 followed by an increase in milk yield. A widening of the ratio was followed by a 

 decrease (to less than the usual extent), although the average 'increase of total 

 nutrients was nearly a pound greater than when the ratio was narrowed." 



How changes in feed affect the yield of milk, F. H. Hall and W. P. Wheeler 

 {New York State Sta. Bui. ..'10, popular ed., ])j>. S). — A popular summary of the above 

 bulletin. 



Feeding trials with cows, J. L. Hills ( Vermont Sta. lipt. 1901, pyp. 314-369, 

 I-XLV). — In continuation of similar work (E. S. R., 13, p. 584) carried on at the 

 station for 4 years, numerous feeding experiments, including 51 cows and lasting 28 

 weeks, are reported in detail and summarized. A full account is given of the manner 

 in which the experiments were conducted and tabulated data are presented in an 

 appendix. 



A comparison of 4, 8, and 12 lbs. of grain was made with 16 cows with results 

 essentially the same as those obtained last year. An increase in the grain ration 

 increased the yield of milk and butter, but not in proportion to the amount of grain 

 fed. The slight variations observed in the quality of the milk were in favor of the 

 medium grain ration. More milk and butter per pound of dry matter was produced 

 on the low grain ration. From a financial standpoint the results were unfavorable 

 to the high grain ration. " It is felt on the whole that neither the low or the high 

 ration ranks with a medium grain ration for practical continuous dairy feeding." 



The effect of adding protein and fat to standard rations was studied with 14 cows 

 with results essentially the same as those previously reported. An excessive amount 

 of protein did not materially increase the yield of milk, and its quality was not 

 improved. The addition of palm oil to the ration seemed to give a permanent 

 increase in the fat content of the milk. 



The feeding value of germ-oil meal, a by-product of the glucose industry, was com. 

 pared with that of mixtures of ( 1 ) cotton-seed meal, new process linseed meal, and 

 wheat bran, and (2) wheat ])ran and ground oats. The germ-oil meal ration 

 increased the yield of milk and butter 3 and 6 per cent, resi)ectively, over the other 

 2 rations. 



A hay and grain ration was fed with and without silage in alternating periods to 6 

 cows. When one-third of the hay was replaced by silage the yield of milk and butter 

 was increased 7 per cent. The silage ration was much more profitable. 



