FEEDS FOR THE DAIRY COW 275 



in a trial at the New Jersey Station ® cows fed 16.4 lbs. of crimson 

 clover hay and 30 lbs. of com silage per head daily with no con- 

 centrates gave 15 per ct. less milk than when fed 6 lbs. of wheat bran, 

 5 lbs. dried brewers' grains, 30 lbs. corn silage and 5 lbs. mixed hay. 

 Replacing the concentrates by crimson clover hay, however, effected 

 a saving of over 18 cents in the feed cost of producing 100 lbs. of 

 milk. 



Hay from other legumes. — In the South, the cowpea, which thrives 

 on all types of soil, is of great importance to the dairy industry, as 

 it furnishes palatable hay rich in protein. This may be used just like 

 alfalfa or clover hay in replacing protein-rich concentrates. In a 

 trial at the New Jersey Station " a ration of 17 lbs. cowpea hay and 

 36 lbs. corn silage produced but 2 lbs. less milk and 0.13 lb. less fat 

 per cow daily than a ration of 9 lbs. of protein-rich concentrates, 

 36 lbs. com silage, and 5 lbs. corn stover. ]\lilk was produced cheap- 

 est on the home-grown ration. Where they thrive soybeans, vetch, 

 and field peas all furnish excellent protein-rich hay for dairy cows. 



IV. Carbonaceous Roughages 



Corn fodder. — Tho inferior to com silage, good corn fodder, espe- 

 ciall}^ that from thickly planted corn, is relished by cows and is a 

 satisfactory substitute for hay from the grasses. In a trial at the 

 Pennsylvania Station ^^ corn fodder proved practically equal to 

 timothy hay, and twice as much can ordinarily be produced on a given 

 area. Rather than being fed as the sole rougliiage, it should prefer- 

 ably be used with legume hay. 



Corn stover. — In trials at the AViseonsin Station ^- 1 ton of mixed 

 clover and timothy hay proved equal to 3 tons of uncut corn stover, 

 and clear clover hay was somewhat more valuable. Thirty-four per 

 ct. of the coarse, uncut stover was left uneaten. Had the material 

 been cut, the cows would have wasted somewhat less and the stover 

 would then have had a higher value. These trials show the heavy 

 losses in feeding dry corn forage, while if the forage were ensiled, 

 practically all would be consumed. 



Timothy hay. — While timothy hay is a standard roughage for the 

 horse, it is unsatisfactory for the dairy cow. It lacks protein, is not 

 very palatable to cows, and has a constipating effect quite opposite to 

 the beneficial action of legume hay. The value of mixed clover and 

 timothy hay for cows will depend on the proportion of clover present. 

 To show the poor results secured when timothy hay is fed with 



9 Lane, N. J. Bui. 161. ii Hunt and Caldwell, Penn. Rpt. 1892. 



10 Lane, N. J., Bui. 174. 12 The senior author, Wis. Rpt. 1884. 



