192 Journal of Agricultural Research voi.x.No.4 



While failure in reproduction resulted when the ration consisted of 

 com starch, com stover, and wheat embryo, it was possible to secure 

 normal offspring when the starch was reduced in quantity and com meal 

 substituted. On a ration consisting of four parts of com meal, one part 

 of com starch, two parts of wheat embryo, and seven parts of com 

 stover the ofifspring were apparently normal for the first gestation period. 

 This shows the remarkable supplementary or "antidotal" effect of the 

 com meal. The mass of embryo in 8 pounds of wheat meal, if we are 

 to attribute all of the deleterious effects on reproduction to the embryo it 

 contains, is about 0.4 pound, and this was the amount that developed 

 disaster in reproduction where wheat was used as the only grain. But 

 in the presence of com meal at least five times that amount could be 

 used without noticeable disturbance in reproduction, at least in a single 

 gestation. Plate 32, E, illustrates this result. 



GENERAL DISCUSSION OF RESULTS 



We should first like to emphasize the fact that all individuals whose 

 records are involved in this discussion were free from contagious abortion. 

 The herd had been under the observation of Dr. F. B. Hadley, professor 

 of veterinary science in the Experiment Station, during the entire period 

 of experimentation. 



In our attempts to locate the trouble in the all-wheat ration (wheat 

 grain plus wheat straw) we have fed rations made up of com grain and 

 wheat straw. Here the offspring were weak and were often bom dead. 

 When to that same ration, however, a suitable salt mixture was added, 

 so that the ash content of the ration was like that of the all-corn ration, 

 perfect offspring resulted. This would clearly indicate that one of the 

 deficiencies of an all-wheat-plant ration was a proper salt mixture. 

 When, however, the com grain in the above ration was displaced by the 

 wheat grain and the ration consisted of wheat grain plus wheat straw 

 and salts, disaster again resulted, which showed the presence of another 

 disturbing factor in the wheat grain. Calves bom by mothers upon 

 this ration showed peculiar deflections of the head, inability to get up 

 and suckle the mother, and in most cases have died within a few hours 

 after birth. 



These experiments indicate that in the all-wheat-plant ration there 

 were two factors operative against normal nutrition — namely, a poor 

 salt mixture and inherent toxicity of the wheat grain. When the wheat 

 grain was coupled with com stover, we have sometimes met with success 

 and sometimes with failure in the character of the offspring. With 

 strong mothers it appears that the com stover may become an " antidote " 

 and thereby furnish sufficient of all the normal factors of nutrition so as 

 to enable the animal to reproduce normally. 



