1893.J PUBLIC DOCUMENT — No. 33. 33 



2. Summer Feeding Experiments with Milch Cows. 



May, 1892, to September, 1892. ' 



[Green feed : rye, Canada peas and oats, summer vetch and oats, fodder corn and 

 serradella; grain feed: wLeat bran, Buffalo gluten feed and cotton-seed meal.] 



The experiment was instituted for the same purpose as our 

 summer feeding experiments with milch cows in preceding 

 years (since 1887). The main object of tliese experiments 

 was to ascertain the fitness of a series of more or less reputed 

 annual fodder crops to serve as the main coarse fodder sup- 

 ply for dairy cows during the growing season (June to Octo- 

 ber) » Their selection as w^ell as their mode of cultivation 

 was largely governed by their special adaptation to the soil 

 and to the period of season when needed to serve as green 

 fodder. 



The results obtained in previous }'ears with vetch and 

 oats, soja bean, Southern cow-pea and serradella have been 

 already published. A larger number of dift'erent kinds of 

 annual fodder crops have been cultivated during the past 

 season than in preceding ones. 



The whole season was divided into four feeding periods, 

 as far as the green coarse fodder articles are concerned, 

 namely, rye, peas and oats, vetch and oats, and fodder corn 

 and serradella. The feeding of the rye and of the oats began 

 Avhen heading out ; that of the peas, vetch and serradella 

 when fairly in bloom ; while that of the fodder corn began 

 when the kernels commenced glazing. 



One-fourth of a daily ration of rowen (second cut of 

 upland meadows), five pounds, was fed in every instance, 

 in common with the temporary green fodder ration. 



The amount of rowen and of grain feed fed per day re- 

 mained the same throughout the entire season. The daily 

 consumption of the green fodder was governed by the indi- 

 vidual appetite of the animal, and usually decreased with the 

 advancing growth of the fodder plant. 



The feeding of the green crops ceased as soon as they 

 neared maturing. The part of the fodder crops which was 



