A STUDY OF RATIONS FED TO MILCH COWS. 97 



had calved within six months previous to the first test, and 

 none were due to calve until four months or more after the 

 close of the second test. The herd was well stabled and was 

 watered in a protected yard, where the animals were allowed 

 to exercise in mild weather. The coarse fodder used was pro- 

 duced on the farm, and consisted of hay of good quality and 

 corn stover. The grain mixture fed in the first test consisted 

 largely of corn which was grown on the farm. 



The first test on this herd began December 26 and continued 

 eleven days. In this test all the cows were supposed to have 

 essentially a uniform ration, but the amount of grain fed to 

 each varied somewhat, causing the ration to differ slightly for 

 the different cows. In this test the average daily coarse fodders 

 consisted of about 7 pounds of hay of mixed grasses, 6 pounds 

 of timothy hay and 5.5 pounds of corn stover. The average 

 daily grain feed consisted of 5 pounds of corn and cob meal, 

 about one pound of wheat bran and a little less than 2 pounds 

 of cotton seed meal. This ration was estimated to contain 1.77 

 pounds of digestible protein, and to have a nutritive ratio of 

 1:8.0. 



There was an interval of sixteen days between tests. The 

 second began January 21 and continued twelve days. Owing 

 to a lack of the cheaper coarse fodders, especially corn stover, 

 more hay was fed in the second test than was thought to be 

 desirable. The coarse fodders consisted of about 10 pounds of 

 hay of mixed grasses and 5.5 pounds of corn stover. The basal 

 grain ration consisted of about 9 pounds daily of a mixture of 

 300 pounds of corn and cob meal, 400 pounds of wheat bran 

 and 200 pounds of cotton seed meal, and furnished about 2 

 pounds of digestible protein daily. The protein grain mixture 

 was made up of 100 pounds of cotton seed meal, 125 pounds of 

 Chicago gluten meal and 75 pounds of wheat bran. It was 

 estimated to furnish .27 of a pound of digestible protein for 

 each pound of the mixture. In this test four groups of cows 

 were fed the protein grain mixture. In group B there were 

 five cows which were fed one pound each; in group C there 

 were four cows which received two pounds each, and one cow 

 in each of groups D and E received three and four pounds of 

 the protein mixture respectively. 



