482 



EXPERIMENT STATION RECORD. 



winter 9 head of young cattle were fed a ration averaging 25 lbs. of 

 pea-vine silage and 6 lbs. of hay. at an average daily cost of 3.5 cts. 

 per head. The animals improved rapidly, showing that the ration was 

 suitable for growing stock. 



Three cows were fed during the winter a ration containing 50 lbs. of 

 pea- vine silage and a grain mixture of corn meal and cotton-seed nleal. 

 The nutritive ratio was 1:4.75. There were no striking variations in 

 the results. During one week in May green rye was substituted for the 

 silage. The cows were then turned out to pasture, the grain ration 

 remaining the same. "The change from silage to pasture indicated a 

 possible gain of one-half pound of butter per cow per week." Owing, 

 however, to the higher price of butter earlier in the season there was 

 a net gain of 32 cts. per week from the 3 cows in favor of silage. The 

 relative cost of silage and pasturage is considered, showing an excess 

 against silage of $2.91 per acre. 



On the influence of heredity on the quality of co-ws' milk, G. 

 Cederiiolm {Landtmanneii^ 11 {1900)^ y<>. 10^ pjj. 157-161). — The 

 author has accumulated evidence bearing on the question of the influ- 

 ence of heredity on the quality of a cow's milk, during systematic tests 

 of the large dairy station herd of cows at Aalberga, Sweden, for a 

 period of 5 years. Appreciating that the system of feeding, time of 

 calving and of lactation, age of cows, and other factors may render 

 uncertain comparisons of the average quality of the milk of different 

 generations, the variations in fat content possibl}^ due to these factors 

 were first ascertained in studying the results of these tests. The sys- 

 tem of feeding practiced and the method of handling the cows were as 

 uniform as possible throughout the year, but marked differences were 

 nevertheless found in the milk produced by the whole herd during the 

 different months of the year. The following table shows the average 

 qualit}^ of the herd milk during each month, and also the average 

 percentage of fat in the milk of cows that calved in the different months: 



Average fat content of milk of cows calving in different months. 



