398 FEEDS AND FEEDING 



have a good effect on the general thrift of the cows, and above all be 

 economical, is not so easy a task. A method of working out a satis- 

 factory ration for one's local conditions has been fully explained in 

 Chapter VIII. As an additional guide, the concentrate mixtures in the 

 following table are given, which will make approximately balanced ra- 

 tions for cows of average size and producing about 1 Ib. of butter fat 

 a day, when combined with the roughages indicated. These should be 

 taken as suggestions, rather than as recipes to be followed exactly. Be- 

 cause of the limitations of space, only the feeds most commonly used thru- 

 out the United States are included in these mixtures, out of the many that 

 are suitable for feeding dairy cows. Using these mixtures as guides, 

 one should work out a mixture which will be most economical under his 

 local conditions. 



It will be found that these concentrate mixtures are palatable. 

 They contain sufficient bulky feed ; and when combined with the rough- 

 ages stated, they should be neither too laxative nor too costive for good 

 results. For cows on official test, dairymen will usually prefer to in- 

 clude a larger number of feeds in the concentrate mixture, but these 

 mixtures contain sufficient variety for general herd feeding. For cows 

 producing materially over 1 Ib. of butter fat, the proportion of protein- 

 rich feeds should be increased to meet the requirements as expressed in 

 the feeding standards. 



Before adopting any of these concentrate mixtures the requirements 

 for the average cows in the herd should be computed, and the ration 

 checked up to see whether it fully meets the requirements for this particu- 

 lar herd, as explained later. (651) It will be noted that the amounts of 

 feed in each mixture total 1,000 Ibs., and that for convenience in figuring 

 rations, there are given the amounts of digestible crude protein and total 

 digestible nutrients in 1 Ib. of each concentrate mixture. Where the 

 ordinary " thumb rules" for feeding roughage and concentrates are 

 followed, which are given earlier in this chapter (647), no particular 

 attention need be paid to the dry matter in computing rations for dairy 

 cows. 



Concentrate mixtures for cows producing about 1 Ib. fat daily 



A. To feed with 1 Ib. red clover hay and 3 Ibs. corn silage per 100 Ibs. 



live weight 



1. Ground corn 535 Ibs. 2. Ground corn 575 Ibs. 



Linseed meal 235 Ibs. Cottonseed meal, 



Wheat bran 230 Ibs. choice 175 Ibs. 



In 1 Ib. : Wheat bran 250 Ibs. 



Dig. cr. protein, 0.140 Ib. In 1 Ib. : 



Total dig. nutr., 0.782 Ib. Dig. cr. protein, 0.139 Ib. 



Total dig nutr., 0.782 Ib. 



