FEEDS FOK THE DAIRY COW 273 



a well-balanced ration was provided which produced substantially as 

 good results as that fed Lot II, in which wheat bran and cottonseed 

 meal furnished most of the protein. While Lot II was fed 9.3 lbs. 

 of rich concentrates, Lot I received only 5.9 lbs. of corn meal. 



Similar results have been secured in other trials where alfalfa hay 

 has replaced half or even somewhat more of the concentrates usually 

 fed. 



Substituting alfalfa hay for all the concentrates. — In a still more 

 drastic trial of the value of alfalfa hay for milk production at the 

 New Jersey Station ^ all the concentrates for one lot of cows were 

 replaced by alfalfa hay, as shown in the table : 



Replacing all the concentrate allowance with alfalfa hay 



Average ration 



Ration I 



Corn stover, 6.8 lbs. Distillers' grains, 4.6 lbs. 



Corn silage, 40.0 lbs. Wheat bran, 4.2 lbs. 



Cottonseed meal, 0.5 lb. 24.6 1.07 83.7 



Ration II 



Alfalfa hay, 17.5 lbs. 



Corn silage, 35.0 lbs. No concentrates 20.4 0.88 94.4 



* Cost of feeds per ton: alfalfa hay, $16; corn silage, $3; corn stover, $4; distillers' grains, 

 $30; wheat bran, $24; and cottonseed meal, $34. 



In this trial when the cows were fed Ration II, containing a heavy 

 allowance of alfalfa hay with no concentrates, the yield of milk was 

 17 per ct. and of fat 18 per ct. less than when Ration I, containing 

 over 9 lbs. of purchased protein-rich concentrates, was fed. With 

 feeds at the prices stated, milk was produced more cheaply on Ration 

 I. The relative economy of such rations obviously depends on the 

 price of alfalfa hay compared with concentrates. 



The preceding trials show that alfalfa hay can be substituted for 

 a large part of the concentrates in the ration of the dairy cow with- 

 out materially reducing the yield of milk or fat. However, when all 

 the concentrates are so replaced the yield of cows of good productive 

 capacity is markedly decreased. This is reasonable, for, tho stand- 

 ing at the head of all roughages, alfalfa haj^ is nevertheless a rough- 

 age and not a concentrate. It contains about 3 times as much fiber as 

 wheat bran and furnishes but 70 per ct. as much net energy. Bearing 

 in mind the productive capacity of his cows and the price of legume 

 hay compared with concentrates, each dairyman must decide for him- 

 self to what extent it is economical to substitute legume hay for 

 concentrates. 



8 Billings, N. J, Bui. 204, 



