FEEDS FOR THE DAIRY COW 383 



Timothy hay vs. alfalfa hay when fed with protein-poor feeds 



Average daily yield 

 Average roughage allowance of milk 



/. Timothy hay, 10 Ibs. Corn stover, 10 Ibs 23 . 4 



//. Alfalfa hay, 10 Ibs. Corn stover, 10 Ibs 27 .5 



When fed the alfalfa-hay ration, which had a nutritive ratio of 1 : 6.6, 

 the cows produced 17.5 per ct. more milk than on the unbalanced 

 timothy-hay ration, the nutritive ratio of which was 1 : 10.2. The tim- 

 othy-fed cows lost in weight and were in poor condition generally, a 

 number being "off feed" at times. This trial shows clearly that when 

 timothy hay must be fed it should be supplemented by concentrates high 

 in protein. 



624. Prairie and marsh hay, The value of prairie hay and marsh hay 

 varies widely, depending on the varieties of grasses of which it is com- 

 posed. From two trials at the Minnesota Station 90 Haecker concluded 

 that good, upland prairie hay, like that of the Minnesota region, is 

 equal to timothy hay for dairy cows. Marsh hay ordinarily has a lower 

 value, and is not at all well suited for feeding dairy cattle. (325) 



Hay from the salt marshes near the New England Coast was found 

 10 to 18 per ct. less valuable than average mixed hay in trials by 

 Lindsey at the Massachusetts Station. 91 



625. Bermuda hay. Lloyd of the Mississippi Station, 92 studying the 

 returns from a herd of 30 to 60 cows during 3 years, concludes that 

 Bermuda hay equals timothy hay for milk and butter production. (320) 



626. Johnson-grass hay. Moore of the Mississippi Station 93 found 

 Johnson-grass hay nearly as valuable as cowpea hay when corn silage, 

 cottonseed meal, and wheat bran were the other feeds given. Had 

 less rich and palatable concentrates been fed, it would probably have 

 been worth but half to two-thirds as much as cowpea hay. (321) 



627. Straw; oat feed; hydrolized sawdust. Tho large amounts of straw 

 can not be fed to the hard-working dairy cow, some straw, especially 

 oat straw, may often be economically fed. When bright straw is used 

 for bedding it is a good plan to place the straw in the manger first and 

 allow the cows to pick it over and eat what they will, before throwing 

 it under them for bedding. Quite commonly they will consume con- 

 siderably more than many feeders would expect. Legume straw, when 

 well cured, is of higher value than straw from the cereals. (328-9) 



Oat feed is discussed under roughages instead of under concentrates, 

 due to the fact that the usual "mill run" oat feed is distinctly a 

 roughage, and not a concentrate. On the average, it consists of about 

 80 per ct. oat hulls and only 20 per ct. of the more valuable by-products 

 of the kernel (oat dust and middlings). Such feed falls a little below 

 hay in digestibility, but in experiments by Lindsey and Beals at the 



"Minn. Buls. 35, 67. "Miss. Bui. 70. 



"Massachusetts (Hatch) Bui. 50. "Miss. Rpt. 1895. 



