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There is no " best " grain ration. Some feeds are 

 Is there a best better suited than others for milk production, and 

 grain ration ? some are decidedly more economical. It would, of 

 course, be out of place in a publication of this kind 

 to attempt to specify which is the most economical grain or grain 

 mixture for the reason that the market is subject to frequent and 

 sudden changes and what may be true to-day might be incorrect a 

 week or month hence. 



In selecting concentrates, the purpose for which 

 Character of they are needed as well as their cost, should be 

 nutrients kept steadily in mind. Experiments have clearly 

 needed. demonstrated that the dairy cow of 800 to 1000 

 pounds live weight, yielding 10 to 14 quarts of milk 

 daily, needs from 14 to 16 pounds of actual digestible matter a day, 

 and of this quantity, 2 to 2\ pounds should be protein, the balance 

 being carbohydrate or starchy material. Now the farm produces 

 principally one-sided or starchy feeds, such as hay, roots and corn. A 

 combination of hay, silage and corn meal will furnish all the digestible 

 matter that is needed in the daily ration, but the combination will be 

 lacking in protein. It is advisable and necessary therefore, in order 

 to produce milk to the best advantage, to purchase feeds rich in pro- 

 tein to make up the deficiency. A grain ration made up of protein 

 feeds will also produce manure 10 to 15 per cent more valuable 

 than one composed of hay, silage and corn meal. 



It is poor economy for the farmer to purchase ^^■ixxQhs 

 Poor economy feeds, since he can produce them more economi- 

 for farmers to cally. Milk producers, on the other hand, who buy 

 buy starch, ail of their grain will find it advisable to have one- 

 third of their ration consist of corn or hominy meals 

 in order to furnish the necessary digestible matter. 



Experience and experiments have taught the writer 

 Economic that the most economical and satisfactory concen- 

 COncentrates. trates to make up the protein deficiency are cot- 

 tonseed meal, gluteit meal and gluten feed, dried 

 distillers' grains, flour middlings, dried brewers' grains and malt 

 sprouts. Linseed is also satisfactory and at present economical. 

 Wheat bran, because of the relatively small amount of protein it con- 

 tains is an expensive protein feed. It is, however, valuable as a 

 diluter for the more concentrated articles, and has a satisfactory 

 effect on the bowels. It is hardly the part of economy to have the 



