446 Report op the First Assistant of the 



The data for two periods of a feeding trial wliicli show the results 

 accompanying an increase in the amount of silage in the ration, two 

 feeds of silage a day and one of hay taking the place of two feeds 

 of hay and one of silage, are given in table X. Seven cows were 

 nsed in the trial of tlie average age of 4.6 years and they had been 

 in milk on the average 4.2 months. 



From February 16th to' 28th, inclusive, corn silage was fed at 

 noon, mixed clover hay morning and night and a mixed grain (No. 

 37) consisting of six parts wheat bran, five parts gluten feed, two 

 parts cottonseed meal and one part linseed meal O. P. Of the cost 

 of the ration the grain represented 43.8 per cent, and the silage 24.1 

 per cent. Of the nutritive substance the grain supplied 36.7 per 

 cent, and the silage 40. *J per cent. 



During March corn silage was fed morning and noon and mixed 

 clover hay at night. The grain mixture was the same as during 

 February. Of the cost of the ration the grain represented 44.4 per 

 cent, and the silage 34.7 per cent. Of the nutritive substance the 

 grain supplied 36.7 per cent, and the silage 40.9 per cent. 



By the change in the ration the nutritive ratio was made a trifle 

 wider, the fuel value slightly less, the dry matter in the food 

 consumed and the amount of digestible nutruients somewhat less. 

 The cost of the ration was reduced. There followed a slight falling 

 off in the milk yield, considerably less, however, than might nor- 

 mally be expected without change of food,. The percentage of fat 

 was a trifle lower. Little change occurred in the food cost of milk 

 or fat. 



For the month of February there was an average gain in weight 

 of about 36 pounds and during March an average gain of about 4 

 pounds. From February 16th to 28th the greatest daily average 

 milk yield was 43.0 pounds and the smallest 13.7 pounds. The 

 highest average percentage of fat was 6.00 and the lowest 2.65. 

 During March the extremes in daily average milk yield were 44.0 

 pounds and 12.1 pounds and in average percentage of fat 6.25 

 and 2.90. 



The data for three periods preceding these two which have just 

 been considered, in which the same cows were nsed, are included in 

 the same table for convenience. The results will be referred to in 

 some of the following pages. 



