26 FORAGE CROPS IN DENMARK 



roots tended to hinder a slight increase in the percentage of fat, 

 which appeared when the cows were afterwards put on the 

 same feeding for all groups. The addition of mangels clearly 

 increased the yield of milk, from 205 to 227 Ibs. per cow in ten 

 days, and also caused a larger increase in the weight of the cows, 

 and effected a saving in the amount of straw consumed. In 

 the after- time group C -f-R lost in weight. Probably there is 

 some connection between this loss of weight and the increase 

 in the proportion of fat in the milk during the same time. 



The effect of adding mangels to the food, calculated per 

 100 Ibs. of mangels, taking the average of all six farms during 

 all three years, was per cow per day : 



to increase the yield of milk by ... 6'3 Ibs. 

 to increase the weight per cow by . . I'l ,, 

 to reduce the straw consumed by . . 7*0 ., 



Similarly, it was found that the effect of adding 125 Ibs. of 

 turnips was per cow per day : 



to increase the yield of milk by . . . 3*0 Ibs. 

 to increase the weight per cow by . . 0*7 

 to reduce the straw consumed by . . 1*0 



The smaller effect of adding turnips, even 125 Ibs. against 

 100 Ibs. of mangels, agrees very well with the average analyses 

 of the two kinds of roots used : 



Sugar. Total solids. 



per cent. per cent. 



Mangels 7 '54 12-90 



Turnips 3-28 8-88 



The feeding trials conducted by N. J. Fjord, at the repeated 

 request of leading Danish farmers and with their active co- 

 operation, had then, in the course of a few years, given definite 

 answers to the questions as to the feeding value of roots. They 

 had shown that roots had a very considerable value ; that 

 roots could replace corn and oil- cake in the food of both cows 

 and pigs without changing their growth or the production of 

 milk ; that the addition of roots to the food increased the milk 

 yield of cows and made them lay on flesh at the same time ; 

 and that the larger yield of milk produced by giving roots was 

 not caused by a greater proportion of water in the milk, but 



