270 FEEDS AND FEEDING, ABRIDGED 



considering the amount of crude protein it furnishes. Other by- 

 products, such as gluten feed, dried brewers' grains, and cottonseed 

 meal, wliich are richer in digestible crude protein, are therefore 

 usually more economical supplements for rations low in protein. 

 Hence, it is often best to feed bran only in limited amount for its 

 beneficial effect on the health of the animals, rather than attempt to 

 balance the ration with bran alone. This concentrate is especially 

 valuable for cows just before and after calving, for those on official 

 test, and for young, growing animals. 



Wheat middlings or shorts; wheat mixed feed. — Tho higher in 

 digestible crude protein than wheat bran, middlings or shorts are 

 less palatable and are heavy, rather than bulky feeds. They should 

 hence be fed to dairy cows only in limited amounts, mixed with other 

 concentrates. Due to its higher content of digestible crude protein 

 and carbohydrates, a good grade of wheat mixed feed is worth about 

 10 per ct. more than wheat bran. 



Corn gluten feed; gluten meal; germ oil meal. — Gluten feed, which 

 carries about twice as much digestible crude protein as wheat bran, 

 is a valuable concentrate for the dairy cow. In a trial at the Ver- 

 mont Station - when 4 lbs. of gluten feed replaced an equal weight 

 of a mixture of wheat bran and corn meal, the yield of milk was 

 increased 15 per ct. Gluten meal contains as much digestible crude 

 protein as linseed meal, and is also satisfactory for cows. Germ oil 

 meal and wheat bran, mixed in equal parts, proved superior to a 

 mixture of 1 part cottonseed meal, 1 part linseed meal, and 2 parts 

 wheat bran in a trial at the Vermont Station.^ 



Dried brewers' grains. — This bulky concentrate is widely fed to 

 dairy cows. It is somewhat superior to wheat bran, as we should 

 expect, for it contains over 70 per ct. more digestible crude protein 

 and slightly more total digestible nutrients. 



Malt sprouts. — Tho not especially palatable, malt sprouts may be 

 successfully fed to dairy cows when mixed with other feeds, and are 

 often a cheap source of protein. In a trial at the Massachusetts 

 Station * 1.5 lbs. of gluten feed proved equal to 2 lbs. of malt sprouts. 

 As malt sprouts swell greatly on absorbing water they should be 

 soaked before feeding to avoid digestive disturbances, when over 2 

 lbs. daily is fed. Feeding more than about 3.3 lbs. of malt sprouts 

 per head daily may give a bitter taste to the milk, and large allow- 

 ances may even cause abortion. 



Cottonseed meal. — Experience has shown that cottonseed meal may 

 be fed to dairy cows in properly balanced rations for years with no 



2 Cooke, Vt. Ept. 1892. 4 Lindsey, Mass. Bui. 94. 



3 Hills, Vt. Ept. 1901. 



