New York Agricultural Experiment Station. 453 



eral otlier feeding periods. These average data are here given for 

 publication in permanent form, so that they may be available for 

 future reference in connection with the data of other feeding trials 

 found in this and the preceding annual report, when we wish to 

 consider the effect of the general composition of the ration on the 

 product from milch cows. 



Especial attention is called as in the preceding reports to the rela- 

 tive projjortions of the total digestible nutrients supplied by the 

 green fodders of the ration and by the mixed grains, and also to the 

 percentage of the cost of the ration represented At the prices of 

 foods consumed, there has always been a cheaper supply of nutri- 

 ment in the green fodder or in silage than in grain. The grain 

 usually supplies a larger proportion of protein and when the amount 

 of this important constituent is lacking in the coarse food, helps 

 adjust the ration to the supposedly proper balance. Alfalfa oi\oat- 

 and-pea fodder contains however as large a proportion of nitrogen- 

 ous matter as do ordinary grain mixtures. Equal nutriment is of 

 course always supplied in smaller bulk by grain than by tile coarse 

 foods. Owing to the much cheaper supply of nutriment in the 

 green fodders it is important to consider any information which 

 may help us to determine the relative amounts of grain and coarse 

 foods that can be fed to best advantage under different conditions. 

 It is expected that the results of future feeding experiments con- 

 sidered in connection with the data given in these reports will help 

 toward more definite knowledge in this respect. 



The data from a short feeding trial of three periods with young 

 cows are given in table XI. The cows were of the average age of 2.3 

 years and had been in milk a little over three months when the ti'ial 

 began. Hay and mixed grain were fed throughout, but sorghum 

 fodder was fed during the lirst period, corn fodder during the 

 second and beets during the third. 



From October 1st to 10th sorghum fodder was fed at noon, clover 

 hay morning and night and a mixed grain, No. 11, consisting of live 

 parts each of ground oats and corn meal and one part each of wheat 

 bran and linseed meal O. P. Of the cost of the ration the grain 

 represented 57.0 per cent, and the sorghum 13.9 per cent. Of the 

 total digestible nutrients the grain supplied 43.0 per cent, and the 

 sorghum 25.5 per cent. From October 11th to 20th corn fodder 

 took the place of sorghum in the first ration, otherwise there was no 

 change in the food except that somewhat larger quantities of hay 



