Tests with Feeding Stuffs. 



409 



658. Mixed silage v. heavy concentrates. At the Ohio Station 1 

 Williams fed 2 uniform lots of 4 cows each the rations reported in 

 the table during 4 months, to determine whether a large part of the 

 concentrates usually supplied could not be replaced by silage com- 

 posed of 2 parts soybeans, 1 part cowpeas, and 7.5 parts of rather 

 watery corn silage. The 2 rations contained practically the same 

 amount of dry matter and crude protein. 



Feeding mixed silage in place of part of the concentrates. 



It is seen that the cows fed 58.0 Ibs. of mixed silage with 4 Ibs. 

 of concentrates yielded more milk and fat than those receiving 13.5 

 Ibs. of rich, expensive concentrates and no silage. Less dry matter 

 was consumed by the silage-fed cows for 1 Ib. of fat than by those 

 getting no silage. During the trial the fat yield of the silage-fed 

 cows increased 1.9 per ct., while that of the others shrank 14.2 per ct. 

 These results forcibly illustrate how protein-rich silage may aid the 

 dairyman in reducing the expense of producing milk. (707, 711) 



659. Other silage studies. As a result of feeding trials Hills of 

 the Vermont Station 2 found that: Rye silage was dryer and less 

 readily eaten than corn silage, and made 10 per ct. less milk and 

 butter. Cows changed from corn to rye silage shrank 20 per ct. in 

 milk, while on changing back from rye to corn they gained 2 per ct. 

 Good corn silage gives better results than good Hungarian grass hay 

 or silage. Ensiled peas, vetch, and oats keep as well as corn silage, 

 and are as valuable for dairy cows. (360-1) 



660. Roots. The Copenhagen Station 3 studied the value of roots 

 for milk production with 636 cows for 3 years on various farms. The 

 addition of 40 Ibs. of mangels or 50 Ibs. of turnips to an ordinary 

 ration increased the milk flow by as much as 1.8 to 2.9 Ibs. daily, the 

 cows gaining somewhat in weight and the consumption of straw being 



Bui. 155. 



2 Ept. 1907. 



3 Rpt. 1890. 



