694 EXPERIMENT STATION RECORD. 



Cowpea hay and cowpea silagi as feed for cows. — Comparative tests were made of 

 cowpea hay, cowpea silage, coin silage, and a mixture of equal parts of cowpea and 

 corn. silage as roughage for rows. In each instance a nutritive ratio of 1:5.5 was 

 approximated by means of varying proportions of hominy chop, wheat bran, and 

 gluten meal. Bach ration was fed to ti or 7 cows for 30 days, the data obtained 

 during the last •_'."> days of this period being compared with the data secured during 

 8 days preceding the feeding period. 



Cows receiving cowpea hay alone showed on an average a decrease in yield of 

 milk of 1.1 lbs. per day, while cows fed corn silage showed an increase of 0.7 1b., 

 cows fed the mixture of corn and cowpea silage an increase of 1.7 lbsT, and cows fed 

 cowpea silage alone an increase of 1.9 H>s.. indicating, on the whole, that cowpea 

 silage is more valuable for milk production than corn silage. 



' tmparison of cowpea silagi with corn silage. — A further comparison of these two 

 kinds of silage was made the following winter when a better quality of the cowpea 

 silage was available. The herd wasdivided into two lots and fed each kind of silage 

 in alternating periods, the supplementary grain ration used being uniform. The 

 results are considered as furnishing satisfactory proof of the superiority of cowpea 

 silage over corn silage. 



Alfalfa and cowpeas in addition to enriching the soil may. therefore, be grown for 

 the purpose of supplying to a large extent if not entirely the protein in rations for 



COWS. 



Comparison of rye soiling with silage. — Rye was cut and fed to the herd for one week, 

 the results showing a decided decrease in the yield of milk as compared with the 

 previous week when silage was fed. The grain ration was the same. It is believed 

 that the value of green rye has been much overestimated. 



Comparison of rye and wheat for soiling crops. — Green rye and green wheat were fed 

 to 21 cows in successive periods of 15 days each, and notwithstanding the tendency 

 to decrease in yield due to advancing lactation, the results showed an average daily 

 gain of 1 lb. of milk per cow during the latter period. Wheat is. therefore, believed 

 to be more valuable than rye as a soiling crop. 



Comparison "f soiling and pastun . — Ten cows were fed green corn for one week, fol- 

 lowing which period 5 of the cows were continued on green corn and 5 turned 

 on a luxuriant grass and clover pasture for 35 days. The cows changed to pasture 

 increased in their average daily yield of milk from 15.8 to 17.2 lbs., and the cows fed 

 corn continuously decreased from 15.3 to 14.9 lbs., making a difference, therefore, 

 of l.s 11 >s. of milk per day in favor of the pasture. Some advantages of soiling over 

 pasturing, such as the greater quantity of feeds obtained per acre, and consequently 

 the greater number of cows that can be kept on a given area. are. however, pointed 

 out in connection with this and the following experiment. 



Comparison of dry feed and pasture. — An average daily gain of 4.7 lbs. of milk per 

 cow was obtained from 7 cows by pasturing during Mayas compared with supplying 

 dry feed during April. This gain, moreover, was accompanied by a decrease in the 

 amount of grain consumed. 



Replacing grain with alfalfa in a ration for dairy cows, A. M. Soule and 

 S. E. Barnes I T> nnei ssa Sta. !>»/., Vol. XVII, No. 4. pp. 69-92, figs. 8). — In previous 

 experiments ( E. S. R., 14, p. 605) it was found that cowpea hay could be substituted 

 with profit for a part of the cotton-seed meal or wheat bran commonly fed to cows. 

 In the present bulletin similar investigations with alfalfa hay are reported. 



Twelve cows were divided into 3 groups, one of which was fed corn silage, wheat 

 bran, and cotton-seed meal: one, corn silage, alfalfa hay. and cotton-seed meal; and 

 one. corn silage, alfalfa hay, and wheat bran. The feeding period was 4 months. 



Lot 1 consumed 21,376 lbs. of silage, 3,624 lbs. of wheat bran, and 1,207 lbs. of 

 cotton-seed meal, and produced 7,521 lbs. of milk and 439.05 lbs. of butter fat. Lot 

 2 consumed 20,558 lbs. of silage, 3,638 lbs. of alfalfa hay, and 1,871 lbs. of cotton-seed 



