428 Report op the First Assistant of the 



In table VII are recorded the data obtained in a feeding trial ex- 

 ending from November 1st to January 31st. The iigures show the 

 average from six cows 5.1 years old, and 5.7 months in milk on the 

 average, November 1st. The beets of the first month's feeding 

 were replaced by corn silage in the second month, and for the third 

 month less silage was fed and a change in the grain made. 



For the first month, November, mixed hay was fed at night and 

 beets morning and noon. The mixed grain (No. 44) consisted of 

 five parts wheat bran, two parts corn meal, two parts gluten meal 

 and one part each of ground oats, wheat middlings, linseed meal 

 O. P. and cottonseed meal. The grain represented 39.7 per cent, 

 of the cost of the ration and the beets 38.9 per cent. The grain 

 supplied 34.2 per cent, of the total nutritive substance and the beets 

 41.5 per cent. 



For Def^ember the same hay and mixed grain were fed and corn 

 silage took the place of beets. Of the cost of the ration the grain 

 represented 40.2 per cent, and the silage 42.0 per cent. Of the 

 total nutritive substance 30.9 per cent, came from the grain and 51.0 

 per cent, from the silage. 



In January corn silage was fed at noon, mixed hay morning and 

 night, and a mixed grain composed of four parts of wheat bran, two 

 parts each of linseed meal O. P., cottonseed meal and gluten meal, 

 and one part each of corn meal and wheat middlings. The grain 

 represented 43.7 per cent, and the silage 22.5 per cent, of the cost 

 of the ration. Of the nutritive substance the grain supplied 34.2 

 per cent, and the silage 28.9 per cent. 



There was little change in live weight during the first period, the 

 average loss in weight per cow being one pound. During the second 

 period there was an average gain of 66 pounds, and during the 

 last period an average gain of 40 pounds. 



In changing from the first ration to the second there was an 

 increase of the total food and of every digestible constituent. The 

 nutritive ratio was made wider and the fuel value increased. Less 

 hay was eaten and but very little more grain, the change was mostly 

 due to a larger amount of silage being eaten than had been of beets. 

 The cost of the ration was slightly increased. There followed 

 a noticeable increase in the milk flow and in the per cent, of fat in 

 the milk. The cost of milk was somewhat lessened and also the 

 cost of fat. 



