49 



grain ration consist of over one-third bran, and many feeders will 

 endeavor to get along without it by using corn silage or distillers' 

 grains as a diluter. If starchy feeds are needed purchase corn, 

 hominy or barley meals. In regard to the so-called " mixed feed " 

 adulterated with corn cobs, the various oat offals containing large 

 quantities of oat hulls, and other inferior feeds, the only advice that 

 can be given is, do fiot be tempted to purchase them. 



G. A TALK ABOUT GRAIN MIXTURES. 



Many farmers are prone to estimate the value of the 



Quarts vs. different grains in quarts rather than in pounds. 



pounds. Thus a quart of bran, weighing a trifle more than 



one-half pound, is compared in feeding value with a 



quart of cottonseed meal weighing 1.4 pounds and the feeding effect 



noted on this basis. That this is an unfair method of comparison is 



self-evident. Feed stuffs should always be compared pound for 



pound, and in making up a grain mixture, a definite number of 



pounds of one feed should be mixed with a definite weight of 



another. The weight of a quart of the mixture can be ascertained, 



and for practical purposes a certain number of quarts — equivalent 



to a definite number of pounds — may then be fed daily. 



There is a wide difference of opinion among feeders 

 Amount of as to the amount of grain that it is profitable to 

 grain daily, feed daily, and in fact no exact rule can be laid 

 down. Generally speaking, cows weighing 800 to 

 1000 pounds, that are producing 12 or more quarts of milk a day, 

 can profitably utilize 6 to 8 pounds of grain in 24 hours in addition 

 to the ordinary roughage ration. When milk or cream brings a low 

 price, it might be better management to increase the roughage and 

 decrease the grain to 4 or 5 pounds daily, and on the other hand, 

 where the demand for milk is good and the feeding and productive 

 capacity of the cow is known, 10 and even in some instances 12 

 pounds can be fed to advantage. Heavy milking Holsteins will 

 often use double these amounts when fresh.' As the period of lac- 

 tation advances and the animal fails to respond to the maximum 

 ration, the quantity of concentrates can be somewhat reduced in 

 accordance with the judgment of the feeder. 



I. It is believed that the amount of grain needed by the Holstein for the production of a 

 given weight of milk has not been studied as accurately as it should l)e and that excessive 

 quantities are often fed. 



