station Tests with Feeds for Dairy Cows. 



417 



prices for cattle feeds, viz. : hay $6.50, straw $2, silage $1,75, per 

 ton; oats 24J cents, peas 57 cents, barley 38 cents and wheat 60 

 cents, per bushel. (166-8) 



640. Wheat bran compared with mixed grain. — During the years 

 1893-94 extensive feeding trials were conducted by the Copen- 

 hagen Experiment Station ^ on the estates of dairy farmers. In 

 these trials 447 cows were used. One lot of cows on each estate 

 was fed a mixture of barley and oats; a second was fed one-half 

 wheat bran and one-half grain mixture, while a third lot received 

 wheat bran only. The results briefly summarized were as follows: 



Feeding mixed grain and wheat bran to 447 dairy cows — Chpen- 

 hagen (Denmark) Station. 



Average milk yield per cow, pounds 



Average per cent, solids in milk 



Average per cent, fat in milk , 



Mixed 

 grain. 



21.9 

 11.06 

 3.04 



One-half 

 grain, one- 

 half bran. 



22.1 

 11.75 

 3.11 



Wheat 

 brau 

 only. 



22.1 



h'.n 



3.12 



These results agree closely, and from them we may assume that 

 wheat bran is of equal feeding value for milch cows with a 

 mixture of barley and oats. 



The findings of this test are of great value because of the large 

 number of cows used in it and from the further fact that the 

 animals were on various large farms under normal conditions, 

 while all the observations were taken and recorded by Station 

 officials. (175) 



641. Shorts compared with wheat bran. — The Copenhagen Sta- 

 tion also conducted trials with wheat shorts in comparison with 

 wheat bran, 240 cows on several estates being used in trials dur- 

 ing the years 1893-94. The shorts gave a slightly larger milk 

 yield on three of the estates, but the difference was small. 



Combining the results of this trial with those reported in the 

 preceding article, we learn that bran, shorts and mixed grain are 

 practically of equal value for feeding the dairy cow. (174) 



» 29th Kept. 1894. 

 27 



