74 KXPEEIMENT STATION BECOBD. [Vol.37 



these supplements. The only difference noted was an Increase of 1.6° in 

 melting point when the basal ration was changed to 6 lbs. of meal. Some 

 effects on the butter due to the feeding of cottonseed meal were noted in this 

 test, but these were not sufficient to detract from its market value. The basal 

 ration butter lo.st its shape usually between 29 and 30°, while this was in- 

 creased to 33° during the feeding of 4 lbs. of cottonseed meal and to 34.5° dur- 

 ing the feeding of 6 lbs. of meal. Butter made during the feeding of cottonseed 

 meal was decidedly superior in keeping quality as compared with the basal 

 ration butter, and the larger the amount of cottonseed meal fed the better the 

 keeping qmality of the butter. 



In order to investigate further the relation of roughage to the effects of 

 cottonseed meal feeding, two lots of three cows each were fed for six consecu- 

 tive periods, the first and sixth being basal periods and the others experi- 

 mental. One lot received 0.6 lb. of crude cottonseed oil per cow in addition 

 to the usual grain mixture in each of the experimental periods. The roughage 

 was the same for each lot in the same period, but varied for the different 

 periods. The results of this experiment confirmed those of the previous experi- 

 ments, that silage feeding has a marked inlluence on the effects of adding cot- 

 tonseed oil to the ration. It was al.so found that this inlluence was prac- 

 tically as great when from 20 to 25 lbs. of silage was fed as when from 30 

 to 40 lbs. was fed. Data from lot 2, which received no cottonseed oil, indicate 

 that this result is due to the effect which silage itself exerts upon the milk fat 

 constants. ISIoreover. the effect of silage on the fat constants is In the opposite 

 direction to that resulting from cottonseed meal or cottonseed oil feeding. 

 From this the authors conclude that corn silage contains a specific substance 

 which counteracts the effects of feeding cottonst^ed products. Tbe nature of 

 this counteracting material is being iiivt>stigateil. There was practically no 

 difference in the composition of the milk fat due to the feeding of different dry 

 feed rations In this experiment. 



Several preliminary experiments were carried on In which cotton.seed meal 

 was fed with pasture, but omitted since the milk fat was clearly affected by 

 underfeeding in the pcriuils when no cotton.seed meal was fed. In order to 

 prevent underfeeding when animals were turned to pasture, an experiment 

 was conducted with four lots of two cows each in which an ample grain 

 ration supplemented mature pasture. Three of the lots receiveil cottonseed 

 products during their pasture period as a part of the grain mixture. The 

 fourth lot received no cottonseed products. A fifth lot of two cows was fed 

 110 lbs. of green alfalfa per head daily during this experiment. Tlie cotton- 

 seed products consisted of from 1 to 3 lbs. of cottonseed meal per head for 

 the different lots plus an amount of crude cottonseed oil equal to the amount 

 of oil in the cottonseed meal fed. The milk fat produced by the lot fed the 

 usual grain mixture on blue grass pasture and by the lot fed green alfalfa was 

 of similar composition. The principal change in the milk fat of these two 

 lots due to the change from dry feed to pa.sture or grecii alfalfa was a decrease 

 in the saponification value and melting point. The milk fat of the lots fed 

 cottonseed products showe<l a marked decrease in the volatile fatty acids which 

 resulted in a higher melting point. This was more or less proportional to the 

 quantity of cottonseed products fed. With reference to the standing-up qiuility 

 of the butter, it was found that when the cows were changed from the basal 

 ration to pasture or green alfalfa there was a softening effect on the butter. 

 However, when cottonseed products were fed on pasture there was a marked 

 improvement in the staiidintr-up quality of the butter as compared with butter 

 from pasture rntions continuing no cottonseed products. 'Wlien 0.0 lb. of cot- 

 tonseed oil was fed the butter had a stiinding-up tempiMatnre of oS". Tiie 



