48 AGEICULTURAL EXPERIMENT STATION. [Jan. 



II. Feeding Experiments with Milch Cows ; Green 

 Crops vs. English Hay. June 19 to Oct. 22, 1889. 



The first experiment in this direction was instituted in 

 1887, for the purpose of comparing the feeding efiects of 

 good English hay with that of some reputed green fodders. 

 The green crops selected for our observation consisted of a 

 mixed crop of oats and vetch, of Southern cow-pea and of 

 serradella. 



1887. — Five cows were eno:ao;ed in the trial. Two cows 

 were fed with a daily fodder ration consisting of corn meal, 

 3^ pounds (2 quarts) ; wheat bran, 3| pounds (4 quarts) ; 

 English hay, 20 to 24 pounds. The excess of hay left over 

 was weighed back and subsequently deducted from the orig- 

 inal quantity (about ^ to ^ pound per day). 



Three cows received periodically the above-stated daily 

 rations, and alternately the following ; corn meal, o-| pounds ; 

 wheat bran, 31 pounds; English hay, 5 pounds; and as 

 much of either green vetch and oats, green Southern cow- 

 pea or green serradella, as the individual animal would con- 

 sume. They consumed per day, on an average, from 64 to 

 65 pounds of green vetch and oats ; of green Southern cow- 

 pea, 96 to 97 pounds ; and in case of green serradella, from 

 97 to 98 pounds. The feeding of the green crop commenced 

 in every instance with the beginning of the blooming period. 

 The rate of consumption of green crops decreased gradually 

 with the progress of their growth. 



The feeding of the diflerent green fodders, in place of 

 three-fourths of the customary daily rations of English hay, 

 gave, on the whole, very satisfactory results. For details, 

 we have to refer to the fifth annual report of the station, 



1888. — The experiment was repeated with some modifi- 

 cations. A mixed crop of vetch and oats, of Southern cow- 

 pea and of serradella, was raised for that purpose. The 

 latter crop suffered seriously from blight, and^was not fit for 

 feeding. 



The quantity of green fodder fed at stated times w'as 

 somewhat less in pounds than in the trial during the 

 preceding year, on account of the addition of gluten meal 

 to the fodder ration of that year. The daily diet (1888) 



