ON FEEDING EXPERIMENTS. 363 



The qiialit}'- of milk was not perceptibly changed, as far as 

 the density and tJie amount of fat was concerned ^ vtith. the 

 exception, when a liberal amount of shorts were fed. None 

 of the mean results obtained after feeding ensilage have been 

 below the lowest results before its introduction in the daily 

 diet. 



In stating the composition of milk, only, with reference to 

 water, solid matter and fat, it has been by no means as- 

 sumed, — in following thereby the common usage, — that the 

 information regarding these points suffices, under all circum- 

 stances, to establish the normal character of a sample of 

 milk. The total amount and the relative proportions of the 

 various nitrogenous constituents of the milk, — commonly 

 stated by the collective name, casein, — are known to affect, 

 at times, seriously its character. 



Observations in that direction quite naturally suggest 

 themselves in the course of our investisration. The results 

 thus far obtained are, however, for various reasons beyond 

 our control, not decisive enough to question, at the present 

 stage of our work, seriously, the good quality of the milk 

 obtained in connection with the feeding of a moderate amount 

 of corn ensilao:e. The total amount of nitroo^enous matter 

 (crude casein) noticed in case of cow No. II. (May 11 and 

 26) differed but slightly in different samples as far as its 

 absolute quantity and the relative proportions of casein, 

 albumen and lactoprotein are concerned. The milk of cow 

 No. I., the largest consumer of ensilage, showed a somewhat 

 larger amount of total nitrogenous matter, as compared with 

 that from cow No. II. ; and the albumen and lactoprotein 

 showed a marked increase. Whether these results will 

 prove hereafter to be merely of an incidental character, or 

 will have to be ascribed to an excessive consumption of en- 

 silage, farther studies at the earliest suitable occasion are 

 designed to show. 



The financial side of the ensilage feeding is not discussed 

 in this connection on account of the absence of exact fiiz-ures 

 reo-ardino: the cost of our ensila<]:e. 



DO o 



The analyses of the various articles of fodder used in 

 above stated feeding experiments, — corn ensilage, timothy 

 hay, wheat shorts, and corn meal, — are as follows : — 



