FOURTEENTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK— PART X 761 



Gluten Feed: This corn by-product is fed by a great many dairy- 

 men. In most seasons it is a fairly economical source of protein, 

 but varies greatly in price. Being a corn by-product, it should not 

 be the only concentrated feed used to balance the corn ration, as 

 it does not add sufficient variety. 



Oats: There is no better grain than oats for cows producing 

 milk, cows about to freshen, or young, growing cattle. It will be 

 noted from the preceding table that they are rich in the desired 

 nutrients. However, often oats are rather high in price compared 

 to many other feeds and consequently can be fed only in limited 

 amounts. There are oat by-products on the market, but they are 

 of little value for milk production. 



Barley: This is a common feed where corn is not successfully 

 grown, as in the west and north and in northern Europe. Rolled 

 barley, rather than ground, is usually fed. Barley by-products are 

 commonly used for dairy cows. The wet barley products must be 

 fed fresh and therefore are available only near breweries. Dried 

 malt sprouts and dried brewer's grains are shipped long distances 

 and fed with profit. The dried brewer's grain ranks with bran and 

 oil meal in palatability, has a good effect upon the system and is 

 fairly high in digestible protein. Dried brewer's grains are often- 

 times sold under many different brand names. Dried Distiller's 

 grains are a very valuable feed for dairy cows, being light and 

 bulky and containing a high percentage of valuable nutrients. 



Wheat: This is an excellent feed but, of course, is usually too 

 high in price to be fed except when damaged. 



Bran: Very wide use is given to bran for dairy cows, as well ai 

 young, growing animals. It is fairly rich in valuable constituents, 

 palatable, bulky, and has a laxative, cooling effect on the digestive 

 tract. However, bran is rather an expensive feed. In 100 pounds 

 of it there is less than 12 pounds of digestible protein, while there 

 are more than 2 pounds of digestible protein in gluten feed and 

 dried brewer's grains, over 3 pounds in oil meal, and over 37 

 pounds in cottonseed meal. Except in the case of cows just before 

 and after calving, cows on official test and young, growing animals, 

 other feeds return greater profits than bran. Wheat middlings 

 and shorts are comparatively high in protein, yet are not as palat- 

 able as many feeds for the dairy cow and should be fed in very 

 limited amounts, if at all. 



Cottonseed Meal: This is one of the richest and heaviest of 

 feeds. If of good quality, and fed in limited amounts with other 

 feeds, it is especially valuable for dairy cows, being one of the 

 cheapest sources of protein. When wet, mouldy, or if it has heated, 

 it should not be fed. Cottonseed meal is very constipating in its 

 effect upon the digestive tract and, as it contains a poisonous sub- 

 stance, it should not be fed to swine, young calves or cows soon 

 to freshen. When fed to cows producing milk some cooling laxa- 

 tive feed, such as silage or oil meal, should be fed also and it is 

 best not to feed more than 2 to 2 1-2 pounds per cow per day. 



Linseed Oil Meal: , One of the best dairy feeds, is linseed oil 

 meal, as it is high in desirable nutrients, and palatable, and has a 



