14 AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENT STATION. [Jan. 



represents in each case the daily average of the amount 

 actually consumed per head during the entire feeding period. 

 The variations in the daily consumption of the various 

 ingredients of the daily diet in case of different animals were 

 confined entirely to the fodder corn, the corn stover and the 

 corn ensilage, when serving as substitutes in part or in the 

 whole for hay ; and to hay, when fed alone as the coarse 

 or bulky part of the daily diet. The amount consumed in 

 that case was controlled by the appetite of the animal, as 

 somewhat larger quantities than the figures represent were 

 offered for their consumption. The daily consumption of 

 the grain feed was limited to the amount stated in each 

 case ; the same statement applies to the hay when fed in 

 connection with some other coarse fodder articles, as corn 

 ensilage, sugar beets, etc. 



The nutritive ratio of the different diets used varied from 

 1 : 5.13 to 1 : G.79. The adopted rates of digestibility of the 

 fodder ingredients are those which have been published of 

 late by E. Wolff. They are in most instances the average 

 values of a series of actual tests, and are for this reason 

 applicable for mere economical questions. As soon as our 

 home observations shall have furnished sufficient material 

 to enable us to establish reliable average values, they will 

 be substituted. 



The temporary changes in diet, whenever decided upon, 

 were carried out gradually, as is customary in all carefully 

 conducted feeding experiments. At least five days are 

 allowed in every instance to pass by, in case of a change in 

 the character of the feed, before the daily observations of 

 the results appear in our published records. The dates, 

 which accompany all detailed reports in our feeding experi- 

 ments, past and present, furnish exact figures in that direc- 

 tion. This is in particular the case whenever such statements 

 are of a special interest, for an intelligent appreciation of the 

 final conclusions presented. 



The weights of the animals were taken on the same day of 

 each week, before milking and feeding. 



The valuation of fodder ingredients is based, in this con- 

 nection, on the local market price per ton of each article for 

 the period of observation. 



