276 FEEDS AND FEEDING, ABRIDGED 



other feeds likewise low iu protein, the Illinois Station ^^ conducted 

 a trial on a dairy farm wdth 2 lots, each of 8 cows. They were fed 

 10 lbs. of either timothy or alfalfa hay per head daily with 10 lbs. 

 corn stover and 12.5 lbs. of a concentrate mixture of 2.5 parts of com 

 meal and 1 part of wheat bran. When fed the alfalfa hay ration, 

 which had a nutritive ratio of 1 : G.6, the cows produced over one- 

 sixth more milk than on the unbalanced timothj^ hay ration, the 

 nutritive ratio of which was 1 : 10.2. The timothy-fed cows lost in 

 weight and were in poor condition generally. The production would 

 have been even lower had not a small amount of bran been fed. This 

 trial shows clearly that when hay from any of the grasses must be 

 fed it should be supplemented by concentrates high in protein. 



Cottonseed hulls. — Cottonseed hulls contain a fair amount of di- 

 gestible carbohydrates, but are very low in crude protein and are 

 rather unpalatable to cows. Southern dairymen can supply roughage 

 for their herds more cheaply in the form of corn silage than by buy- 

 ing cottonseed hulls. Silage is also more palatable and stimulates a 

 larger flow of milk. Tho good corn stover is worth fully as much as 

 cottonseed hulls, southern dairymen often leave the corn stalks in the 

 field and purchase the hulls for roughage. 



Other carbonaceous roughages. — Brome hay and upland prairie 

 hay equal timothy in value. Hay from other grasses and from the 

 cereals is likewise used for feeding dairy cows. In the plains states 

 fodder and stover from the sorghums are common feeds, resembling 

 the forage from corn in feeding value. Straw is inferior to corn 

 stover and is usually not fed in any large amount to dairy cows in 

 this country. A limited amount of good bright oat straw, however, 

 often may be fed with economy even to dairy cows. The cows may be 

 allowed to pick over the straw and the remainder used for bedding. 



V. Succulent Feeds 



Corn silage. — The importance of succulent feeds for milk produc- 

 tion has been pointed out in the preceding chapter. Thruout the 

 chief dairy sections of the United States, corn silage furnishes the 

 cheapest form of succulence. Due largely to the fact that the silage 

 made during earlier years was frequently of poor qualit}^ and fed in 

 a careless manner, a widespread belief existed that silage injured 

 the flavor of the milk. For many years the largest milk condensing 

 company in the country prohibited the use of silage by its patrons. 

 Experience has now abundantly demonstrated that when good silage 

 is fed under proper conditions the quality of the milk is improved, 



isFraser and Hayden, 111. Bui. 146. 



