IQO Journal of Agricultural Research voi. x, no. 4 



condition of the cow. It is apparent that the mature mother may 

 maintain splendid condition, at least for a long time, ou a ration which 

 will exhibit its limitations only with the offspring. 



CORRECTIVES FOR WHOLE -WHEAT FEEDING WITH THIS CLASS OF ANIMALS 



We have made it clear that additions of salt alone will not overcome 

 the toxicity of the wheat-grain and wheat-strav/ ration. The introduc- 

 tion of com stover in place of the straw was successful with certain indi- 

 viduals, but often failed with others. By its substitution for the wheat 

 straw the salt mixture was improved, probably a little different pro- 

 tein mixture introduced, and possibly more of fat-soluble A, although it 

 is certain that this change from wheat straw to com stover did not 

 introduce sufficient of the factors necessary for continued normal nutri- 

 tion. Our tentative assumption is that the toxicity can be overcome 

 only when either its mass is reduced or there is introduced with a wheat 

 and wheat-straw ration a better protein mixture, a better salt mixture, 

 and an abundance of fat-soluble A. This hypothesis is bome out by 

 the following facts: By substituting casein for the wheat gluten in the 

 ration, thereby shifting the nature of the protein intake and improving 

 its character, both cows, 594 and 654 produced in 1915 strong, vigorous 

 calves weighing 80 and 73 pounds, respectively. The ration consisted 

 of 6.7 pounds of wheat grain, 0.3 pound of casein, and 7 pounds of com 

 stover. The average daily milk secretion of these animals was 24.6 

 and 26 pounds, respectively. Plate 30, E, shows the condition of No. 

 654 and her calf of 73 pounds. 



When, however, improvement was attempted by additions of only 

 salt and casein, with the straw left in the ration, disaster followed and 

 the calves were either bom dead or were weak and died later. This 

 ration consisted of 8.0 pounds of wheat grain, 0.3 pound of casein, 5.7 

 pounds of wheat straw, and the organic-salt mixture. 



In this ration there was a slightly greater amount of toxicity introduced 

 by using a larger proportion of wheat grain, and presumably the straw 

 was contributing but small amounts of fat-soluble A. On this ration 

 cow 655 produced a hiifer calf weighing but 49 pounds at birth, 49 days 

 ahead of time and dead, and No. 658 had a male calf of 74 pounds' weight, 

 also dead at birth. 



We have, however, had successful results when a part of the wheat 

 straw was displaced by alfalfa hay. Such an addition would theoreti- 

 cally improve the ration through the introduction of a better salt mixture, 

 a different and more efficient protein aggregate, and more of fat-soluble 

 A. These records with alfalfa are shown in Table IX. In addition to 

 the records with wheat grain plus wheat straw plus alfalfa, there are 

 also included records with corn grain plus wheat straw plus alfalfa. 

 The wheat-alfalfa ration consisted of 8 pounds of wheat grain, 0.3 pound 

 of wheat gluten, 2.9 pounds of wheat straw, and 2.9 pounds of alfalfa hay. 



