176 EXPERIMENT STATION RECORD. 



health of the animal or the yield of the milk. Foreign observations on the 

 feeding of potatoes to steers, oxen, milch cows, dry cows, sheep, and horses 

 are referred to. 



The use of molasses and molasses feeds for farm stocks is also discussed. 



The food value of plain and molasses beet pulp, J. B. Lindsey (Massachu- 

 setts 8ta. Rpt. 1912, i)ts. 1, j)p. 129-140; 2, pp. 64-66).— ^ix cows were fed by 

 the reversal method in periods lasting 5 weeks on a basal ration of hay, bran, 

 and cotton-seed ]ueal to which was added 4.3 lbs. of either corn meal or of beet 

 pulp daily. 



The herd lost in live weight 33 lbs. on the corn meal ration and gained 37 lbs. 

 on the beet pulp ration. There was no substantial variation in the yield or 

 average composition of the milk. It required for the corn meal ration 112 lbs. 

 dry matter to produce 100 lbs. of milk, and 20.51 lbs. to produce 1 I'b. of milk 

 fat ; for the beet pulp ration 110.72 lbs. and 20.54 lbs., respectively. 



In a similar experiment to the above molasses beet pulp and com meal were 

 compared. The amounts of digestible nutrients in each ration were approxi- 

 mately the same. The herd gains were similar. There was no wide variation 

 in milk yields and only a slight advantage in the production of milk fat with 

 the corn meal ration. It required for the corn meal ration 104.4 lbs. dry 

 matter to produce 100 lbs. of milk and 18.72 lbs. to produce 1 lb. of fat; for 

 the molasses beet pulp ration 108.1 and 19.87 lbs., resi>ectively. 



The value of oats for milk production, J. B. Lindsey (Massachusetts Sta. 

 Rpt. 1912, pt^. 1, pp. 141-153; 2, pp. 52-55). — Three experiments were con- 

 ducted in which 2 lots of 2 cows each were fed for alternate periods of 4 weeks 

 each, with 1 week between periods, on like amounts of a basal ration of hay 

 and bran to which w^as added a like amount of either corn meal or ground 

 oats. 



The average gain made in live weight with both systems was practically the 

 same, and the yields of milk and of milk ingredients were nearly identical. 

 However, it is believed that the allowance of the basal ration was too large, 

 thus furnishing an excess of nourishment and tending to invalidate the results 

 of the exxieriment. 



The feed cost of milk and of milk fat was for the com meal ration $1.40 

 per 100 lbs. of milk and 24.5 cts. per pound of fat ; and the oat ration $1.46 per 

 100 lbs. of milk and 25.6 cts. per pound of fat. " While oats are a valuable food, 

 it is not believed they can usually be fed economically to dairy animals in 

 Massachusetts." 



Feeding experiments with milch cows, A. Carlier (Min. Agr. ct Trav. Pub. 

 [Belgium^, Off. Rural Raps, et Comniuns., 1913, Xo. 5, pp. 39-50). — This gives 

 detailed data concerning 2 experiments conducted in 1912 and a summary of 

 4 years' experiments in which comparisons were made of the feeding value of 

 cotton-seed meal and coconut meal. On the whole, it was found that cotton- 

 seed meal was more advantageous from the standpoint of milk production but 

 that coconut meal apparently produced a slightly richer milk and more butter. 



Niger cake for milch cows, E. Warsage (Min. Agr. et Trav. Pud. [Belgium'], 

 Off. Rural Raps, et Communs., 1913, No. 5, pp. 51-54). — On a ration of hay, 

 straw, mangels, bran, and wheat 2 cows for 5 days before and 10 days after an 

 experimental period of 30 days gave a daily average per cow of 8.17 liters 

 (about 8.6 qt.) of milk testing 2.59 per cent of fat. During the 30-day period 

 in which the above ration was supplemented with from 1 to 2 kg. of niger cake 

 the average milk production was 8.5 liters testing 3.08 per cent fat. The cows 

 gained 13 kg. and 36 kg., respectively, in weight during the 30 days. An analy- 

 sis of the niger cake is given. 



I 



