PRICKLY PEAR AS STOCK FEED. SMITH. 23 



COWS increased in weight during the trials, and were in satis- 

 factory condition at the conclusion. Cows 5 and 15 received 

 a ration of prickly pear and meal continuously for 140 days. 

 Cow 5 averaged 24^ lb. milk per day at the beginning, and 

 finally 9 lb. per day ; during the period she jielded 1,926| lb. 

 of milk, containing 77-26 lb. of butter-fat. Cow 15 gave 2,634^ 

 lb. of milk and 96-67 lb. of butter-fat ; at the beginning her 

 yield was 2Qh lb. of milk per day, and finally 17 lb. Both 

 increased in weight during the period. 



Three other cows wliich were advanced in calf dried off 

 early and were each given 2 to 3 lb. meal per day with 70 to 

 80 lb. of prickly pear. They remained in excellent condition 

 and subsequently g%ve birth to well-formed and vigorous 

 calves. 



The amount of succulent prickly pear eaten by cows 

 receiving a liberal allowance of meal was about 60 lb. per day. 

 The appetite of dairy cows for prickly pear is somewhat better 

 than that of steers, and is better maintained when other 

 feeds are liberally supplied. Nevertheless, as with steers, when 

 the amounts of supplementary feeds are increased the amount 

 of prickly pear consumed, even when the total feed given is still 

 below the capacity of the cow, is progressively diminished. 



This fact, evidence of at most medium palatabihty of 

 prickly pear, in conjunction with the inferior value of prickly 

 peat nutrients for milk production, would render prickly pear 

 rations, employing prickly pear in high or medium amounts, 

 inadequate to maintain the full milk supply of liigh-yielding 

 cows. When amounts of meal are given to provide for high 

 milk yield, the amount of prickly pear taken will be small, 

 and the total ration inadequate to the yield. It is thought 

 that prickly pear and meal rations, containing prickly pear 

 as the sole roughage or in such amounts as might be fed with 

 a part roughage of hay, \^'ill not generally, provide for yields of 

 more than 2J gallons of milk per day. The supplementation 

 of prickly pear with legume hay in lieu of meal will, on account 

 of greater restriction of appetite for prickly pear due to the 

 bulkier feed, provide only for a lower level of milk yield. 



0\nng to the greater reduction of butter-fat and depression 

 of milk yield produced by feeding in high amount and as the 

 sole roughage, it would be better to make the prickly pear 

 part of the roughage ration ^\ith hay. So fed, prickly pear 



