438 



Feeds and Feeding. 



lustrated by an experiment at the Ontario Agricultural College 1 

 by Dean, in which six cows were divided into three lots of two 

 each. One ration consisted exclusively of coarse feed, supplying 

 more carbohydrates and less protein than the cow required. It 

 contained a large quantity of inert matter. ( 136 ) The next ration 

 contained an ample supply of carbohydrates and an over-supply 

 of protein, the latter being contained in rich, heavy oil meals. 

 The third ration was a normal one. By alternating the rations 

 for the three groups of cows, the influence of a decreasing milk 

 flow was eliminated from the results, which were as follows: 



Feeding an improperly compounded and a well balanced ration to dairy 

 cows Ontario Agricultural College. 



Under A is given the preliminary ration fed to all the cows; 

 with this there was an average daily milk yield of 29.7 pounds. 

 When ration I was fed the cows dropped to 21.8 pounds of milk. 

 In this ration we find a liberal allowance of carbohydrates with 

 too little protein and too much inert matter. Though the cows 

 were filled with feed they were poorly nurtured. Under II there 

 was abundant nutrition, but the oil meals given were heavy in 

 character and too liberal in quantity for the best results though 

 the milk flow was increased to nearly the normal. With III we 

 have a better balanced ration; the cows were over-fed, but the 

 better character of the ration secured larger returns than were 

 possible under previous feeding, the amount of milk now reach- 



i Rept. 1891. 



