508 



NUTRITION OF FARM ANIMALS 



of the dairy herd of the Minnesota Station, leading to the con- 

 clusion that the Wolff-Lehmann standard calls for unnecessarily 

 large amou'nts of protein. 



During nine years, yields which were regarded as normal and 

 satisfactory, either on the basis of total amounts produced or 

 of feed consumed per unit of milk, were secured on rations con- 

 taining, with the exception of the year 1895-1896, about 2 

 pounds of digestible protein per 1000 pounds live weight. 1 



During three of these years, comparisons were also made 

 between a group of cows receiving about 2 pounds of digestible 

 protein per day and 1000 pounds live weight and one receiving 

 about 1.5 pounds. In the earlier years the low protein rations 

 appeared as efficient as the higher ones, but toward the end of 

 the three years the low protein group showed deficient vitality, 

 apparently indicating a lack of protein. 



In all nine years, the (estimated) digestible protein in the 

 high protein rations supplied a considerable surplus over the 

 protein of milk plus maintenance. Estimating the mainte- 

 nance requirement of protein at 0.7 per 1000, Haecker makes 

 the following comparisons : 2 



TABLE 142. PROTEIN SUPPLY OF DAIRY HERD 



1 Bui. 140, p. 43. 



2 Ibid., p. 54. 



