FEEDS FOR THE DAIRY COW 365 



(213) Like corn, it must be supplemented by feeds rich in protein. 

 Since hominy feed is kiln-dried, it keeps better in storage than corn 

 meal. 



578. Wheat. Wheat, which is usually too high priced for feeding, ex- 

 cept when damaged or otherwise low in quality, was found by Bartlett 

 at the Maine Station 6 to have about the same value when ground as corn 

 meal for dairy cows. In Denmark ground wheat was fully equal to 

 mixed barley and oats. 7 Wheat should be ground or preferably rolled 

 for cattle. Like corn it is a heavy feed, and it is best to mix it with 

 some bulky concentrate. (215) 



579. Oats. This grain, which supplies somewhat more protein than 

 does corn or wheat, is an excellent feed for the dairy cow. (223) It is 

 shown in Appendix Table III that 100 Ibs. of oats furnishes but 70.4 

 Ibs. of total digestible nutrients, while the same weight of dent corn 

 supplies 85.7 Ibs., or 21 per ct. more. Therefore we might naturally 

 suppose that ground corn would be decidedly more valuable than ground 

 oats, pound for pound, in milk production, just as it is for fattening 

 cattle, sheep, and swine. But as a result of practical experience and 

 feeding trials, the Scandinavians rate oats as worth only 10 per ct. less 

 than corn in their feed-unit system. (178) In one trial by Lindsey at the 

 Massachusetts Station 8 4.5 Ibs. of oats even equalled the same weight of 

 corn, when fed with a basal ration of 3.2 Ibs. bran and 19.1 Ibs. mixed 

 hay. Doubtless the fact that oats is a bulky feed and is also richer than 

 corn in protein gives it a higher relative value for dairy cows than for 

 fattening stock. (649) Oats should be ground or crushed for cows. 



580. Barley. Barley is fed to dairy cows to a considerable extent in 

 Europe and has the reputation of producing milk and butter of excel- 

 lent quality. The Danes regard ground barley and oats as one of the 

 best concentrate mixtures for dairy cows. Judging from the composi- 

 tion of barley and the results with other animals (226), we might think 

 that barley would be worth slightly less than corn per pound for milk 

 production, but the Scandinavians consider these grains of practically 

 equal value, and in trials recently carried on at the Wisconsin Station 9 

 by Morrison, Humphrey and Hulce ground barley was equal to ground 

 corn when forming 60 per ct. of the concentrate mixture. Barley should 

 always be ground or crushed for cattle. 



581. Rye. Large allowances of rye produce a hard, dry butter, but 

 about 2.2 to 3.3 Ibs. per head daily mixed with other feed has given 

 good results. In a trial by Hayward at the Pennsylvania Station, 10 

 when 3.5 Ibs. of ground rye was fed in place of the same weight of ground 

 corn as part of a balanced ration, 4 per ct. less milk and 5 per 

 ct. less butter was produced, indicating that rye is less valuable than 

 corn for dairy cows. (232) 



6 Me. Rpt. 1895. "Wis. Bui. 319, p. 68. 



7 Friis, Copenhagen Sta., 34th Rpt., 1895. 10 Penn. Bui. 52. 

 8 Mass. Rpt. 1913, Part I, pp. 141-153. 



