209 



pound. As 0.01 pound equals 4.58G grains. 0.01 of a pound of protein 

 or carbohydrates Avould thus be assumed to yield (4.536X4-1=) 18.6, 

 and each 0.01 pound of fats 42.2 calories. 



The quantities of digestible protein in the daily food per cow vary 

 froin nine-tejiths of a pound to 3 j^ounds. the total digestible nutri- 

 ents fi-om 8f to 2H pounds, the fuel value from 18,000 to 43,000 

 calories, and the nutritive ratio from 1 : 5.4 to 1 : 15.6. Such a wide 

 range in the feeding practice of New York dairymen certainly shows 

 the need of thorough study of this subject. 



This method of estimating the fuel value of feeding stufts has 

 been adopted tentatively for some of the publications of this Office. 

 The subject will be referred to briefly in a monograph on the feeding 

 of swine and in a bulletin on the composition and nutritive A^alues of 

 American feeding stutl's, now being prepared for publication by this 

 Office. It Avill suffice to say here that the calculations are based upon 

 late German experiments with the respiration apparatus and the 

 calorimeter. The more important experimental data may be found 

 in articles by Stohmann, Lanciw. Jahrbiicher^ 13, 513, and Jour. f. 

 Prnc. Cliem.^ X. F.. Bde. 19—10 fo.ssmi^ and by Rubner, Zeitsch. f. 

 Biologie, Bde. 21-25 passim. The principal points are explained in 

 an article by the undersigned in the Century Magazine for July, 

 1887. Investigations with the calorimeter on the potential energy 

 (heats of combustion) of organic compounds, vegetable and animal, 

 are being conducted in connection with the Storrs Experiment Sta- 

 tion. — W. O. Atwater.] 



BrLLKTIX No. 18 (NEW SERIES), NOVEMBER, 1SS9. 

 TeSTIXC; !)r l)AIi;V I5REEDS, P. COLLIER, PiT. 1). (pp. 157-198). '' NeW 



York is the leading dairv State of the Union. The annual report of 

 the Department of Agriculture for 1888 gives the number of milch 

 coAvs in Xew ^'oi-lv. January 1, 1889. as 1,552,373, valued at $45,950,- 

 241. . loAva stands next in the list, with 1,293,095, A^alued at $28,861,- 

 S80. The dairy products of the State are estimated at $44,000,000, 

 and the aggregate capital in^'ested in dairying in this State, including 

 value of animals, land, dairy buildings, and implements, has been 

 estimated as high as ^400.000.000."' Tn A'iew of the great imi)ortance 

 of the dairy interest, this Station has undertaken a sories of feeding 

 ex])eriments in accordance Avitli a iilan outlined in a circular sent to 

 leading breeders of cattle throughout the country. Avho Avere asked to 

 aid the Station in securing most economically the animals used for the 

 experiments. The mnin features of the plan referred to are as fol- 

 loAvs: At least four representatiA'e animals. tAvo heifers and two steers, 

 of the eTersey. Holstein. Guernsey, Ayrshire. Shorthorn, Devon, and 

 one or tAvo of the polled breeds under one year old, should be selected. 

 The tAvo heifers of each breed would be the beginning of a herd for 

 the study of *' the breed characteristics in production of milk and but- 

 18493— No. o— 0.i M 3 



