110 HATCH EXPERIMENT STATION. [Jan. 



upon the price of the concentrated feed stufi's. The markets, 

 however, at the present time contain such a great variety of 

 these products that the feeder can select those rich in pro- 

 tein at prices that will enable him to feed the narrow or 

 so-called well-balanced rations to advantage. 



In the closing remarks on this portion of the experiment, 

 it is well to inquire what are to be considered as economical 

 narrow rations. The German ration established so long ago 

 by the late ICmil von Wolif contained, for cows of 1,000 

 pounds weight, 2.5 pounds of digestible protein, .5 pounds of 

 digestible fat and 13 pounds of digestible carbohydrates, 

 with a proportion of protein to fat and carbohydrates of 1 

 to 5.4. 



The writer is convinced that 2.5 pounds of digestible 

 protein daily is amply sufficient, and seriously questions 

 whether it is not too much. More than this amount, or 

 even 2.5 pounds daily in the form of concentrated feed 

 stuffs, if fed from eight to nine mouths each year, will soon 

 tend to impair the milk-producing capacity of the cow. 

 Some cows might be able to withstand such feeding longer 

 than others. It might be advisable, for economic reasons, 

 to feed as high as 3 pounds of digestible protein daily to 

 average cows for two or three years, and then turn them 

 into beef; but cows possessing more than ordinary merit 

 should be differently handled. It should ever be kept in 

 mind that it is far better to breed and select cows that pos- 

 sess extra milk and butter qualities than to attempt to attain 

 those ends by extra amounts of concentrated feeds. 



The amount of protein, as well as the amount of total 

 digestible organic nutrients, that can be fed in the daily 

 ration in order to produce milk and butter at low prices, and 

 at the same time not impair the milk-producing organs l)y 

 overwork, is still an uncertain quantity ; and in order to 

 secure more accurate information, taking into consideration 

 American conditions, extended and carefully conducted in- 

 vestigations are necessary. Such experiments should be 

 carried out only by those who can control all the conditions, 

 who thoroughly understand the nature, handling and care 

 of animals, and who have the time to give the experiments 

 a close personal attention. 



