T8 EXPERIMENT STATION RECORD. tVoi. 41 



20 months, the Holsteins from 7 to 21 months, and the Ayrshires from 9 to 

 15 months. The feeding periods were mostly 5 months. The data on normal 

 growth are taken from those accumulated at the Missouri Station ; they are 

 still incomplete for animals appi'oaching maturity and have been published 

 only in part (E. S. R., 40, p. 877). Difficulties arising from differences in age 

 and condition were largely overcome by using these normal figures as the basis 

 of comparison. 



The combinations of feeding stuffs compared include (1) alfalfa hay alone, 

 (2) alfalfa and silage, (3) alfalfa and corn, (4) clover hay and corn, (5) 

 silage, alfalfa, and corn, (6) silage, timothy hay, and corn, (7) silage, corn, and 

 cotonseed meal, and (8) silage, timothy, corn, and cottonseed meal. A variety 

 of different proportions of grain and roughage were tested. It was found that 

 animals fed a ration which resulted in heavy gain during the winter made only 

 small gains the following summer on pasture. When the winter ration was so 

 meager that the animals were low in vitality in the spring fairly large gains 

 were produced on summer pasture, but in most cases they were not large 

 enough to compensate for the small winter gain. Neither extreme in winter 

 feeding is considered economical. The best results, it is held, follow a winter 

 ration that keeps the animal in moderate flesh and produces growth as nearly 

 normal as possible. It was found that normal growth may be obtained from 

 rations furnishing considerably less protein than that prescribed by the Wolff- 

 Lehmann standard. 



Of the 17 heifers wintered on alfalfa alone, only 2, both rather mature, made 

 a gain in weight equal to normal. " Although alfalfa is probably the most 

 palatable roughage used for cattle in this country and the quality fed was of 

 the highest, still animals did not consume enough to supply sufficient energy to 

 allow for a greater growth." 



The 15 heifers fed both silage and alfalfa made better gains than those fed 

 alfalfa alone. The best gains occurred when both roughages were fed at will. 

 On this ration animals more than 9 months old made practically normal 

 gains. They consumed the silage and alfalfa in the proportion of 2 : 1. Younger 

 calves needed grain in addition in order to grow normally. 



" The most satisfactory ration of all those tried was silage at will, legume 

 hay limited to about 6 lbs. daily, and 2 lbs. of corn daily. On this ration heifers 

 of all ages thrived and made gains somewhat above the normal. 



" Fair results may be obtained from silage alone for roughage, if legume hay 

 Is not available. In this case about 2 lbs. of concentrates should be supplied 

 daily, of which one-half should be a high protein feed such as linseed or cotton- 

 seed meal, the remainder corn, or other grains if the cost is less a pound than 

 for corn." The animals made better gains and seemed to be more contented if 

 about 2 lbs. of timothy hay per day was added to a ration of silage and grain. 



Alfalfa or clover hay fed at will with 2 or 3 lbs. of corn daily made a satis- 

 factory ration for heifers of any age from 6 months to within a few weeks of 

 freshening. 



It is considered best to continue feeding grain to all heifers for a few months 

 after the cessation of milk feeding. At a later age they can be fed exclusively on 

 roughage if necessary without greatly retarding their growth. It appears that 

 Holsteins are able to make more nearly normal gains on a ration composed 

 mostly of roughage than are Jerseys. 



Dairy cattle feeding experiments, P. V. Ewing, J. W. Ridgway, and W. A. 

 Doubt (Texas Sta. Bui. 238 (1918), pp. 5-lJt). — Results of two studies are 

 presented. 



1. Cottonseed meal v. peanut feed for milk production (pp. 5-9). — Two lots 

 of 6 cows each were fed alternately by the reversal method during four 3-week 



