HOME-GROWN DAIRY FOODS FOR WINTER USE 147 



1 : 5 in the alfalfa hay ration and 1 : 6.1 in the feed 

 ration. The alfalfa ration was produced entirely on 

 the farm, while over two-thirds of the most expen- 

 sive nutrient protein in the feed ration was pur- 

 chased. While about 4 per cent, more milk was pro- 

 duced from the purchased feed ration, the in- 

 crease was not enough to offset the greater 

 cost of production, hence the alfalfa ration 

 proved the more profitable. The cost of food 

 used to produce 106 pounds of milk and one 

 pound of butter was 55.9 cents and n.i cents, re- 

 spectively, for the alfalfa ration, and 83.9 cents and 

 16.7 cents for the feed ration. The profit from feed- 

 ing the home-grown ration (where milk is worth 

 $i per hundred) exceeded that of the purchased feed 

 ration by about $2 per cow per month, or with 

 a herd of 25 cows the gain would amount to $50. 

 The cows on the home-grown ration also gained 10 

 pounds more in weight. On the basis of the experi- 

 ment when mixed hay (timothy and clover) sells for 

 $16 per ton and when wheat bran costs $26 per ton 

 and dried brewers' grains $20 per ton (as was the 

 case when the experiment was made), alfalfa hay is 

 worth $24.52 per ton as a substitute for mixed hay, 

 wheat bran and dried brewers' grains fed in the 

 proportion indicated in the ration. 



Experiments with crimson clover hay. This is 

 another valuable leguminous crop for the dairy 

 farmer and supplies a palatable food that can be 

 substituted for commercial feeds to good advantage. 

 Where it can be successfully grown it is one of the 

 most useful plants, from the standpoint of yield, 



