562 



Journal of Agricultural Research 



Vol. V, No. 13 



ciently narrow nutritive ratio to serve excellently for milk production. 

 Goat 2, weighing 81 pounds, was fed from 1.5 to 2 pounds of oats, 0.5 

 to 0.75 pound of June-grass hay, and i gm. of common salt daily, 

 though the latter was often refused. Great care was taken that any 

 variations in salt intake were not of sufficient moment to influence the 

 character of the results obtained. Data obtained during periods of low 

 consumption or of unusual restlessness of the animal were discarded, as 

 such conditions obviously disturb the milk secretion. Everything possi- 

 ble was done to contribute to the comfort of the experimental animal, 

 in accordance witTi good dairy practice. 



First, it was desired to ascertain if specific diuretics were able at all to 

 influence the volume of milk secreted. At the same time in some 

 instances determinations of the total solids and nitrogen in the milk were 

 made. As it was suggested in the publication referred to that the salts 

 of the alfalfa ration might have been responsible for the diuresis, sodium 

 acetate was the diuretic selected for the first trials. It was given per 

 OS to goat I , at first with her drinking water, but later, as larger amounts 

 were given, as a drench immediately after each milking. During a 

 4-day period, when there were administered, respectively, 20, 20, 50, 

 and 50 gm. of sodium acetate daily, no diuresis resulted and no change 

 in the milk volume occurred. It was not until the dose was increased 

 to 80 gm. that the milk flow was materially affected, but even here, as 

 seen in Table I, the diuresis was not pronounced. 



Table I. — Effect of sodium acetate on milk flow of goat i 



"■ Small amount of the casein beet mixture not consumed. 

 6 No casein or beets consumed. 



c No casein or beets given; 12 oimces oats left imconsumed. 

 ^ No casein given. 



An increase in percentage of the solids in milk with the decrease in 

 volume is pronounced, while the nitrogen content is unaffected. (See 

 p. 566.) "While the indications from the data on the administration of 

 sodium acetate are that the volume of milk flow is decreased wdth diu- 

 resis, yet with the administration of such large amounts of the salt 

 as was found necessary, too severe disturbances of the appetite resulted 



