126 MASS. EXPERIMENT STATION BULLETIN 200. 



Table VII. — Chemical Analysis of Feeds used {Per Cent). 



The hay was of good to excellent quahty. It contained a considerable 

 proportion of the finer grasses, together with some timothy and clover, 

 and was usually cut before it was too ripe. Its fiber percentage w-as not 

 unduly high, and it contained a reasonable amount of protein. Attention 

 has already been called to the fact that the first sample of oat feed con- 

 tained too large a per cent of middlings to be representative, as is indi- 

 cated by its relatively low fiber and high protein and fat. 



The grain mixtures contained the desired amounts of the several in- 

 gredients, and were of satisfactory composition. 



A study of Table VIII shows that the average cow received the same 

 amount of grain daily during each experiment. In case of roughage, from 

 6 to 8 pounds of oat feed were substituted for a like amount of hay on a 

 dry matter basis. Because of the dryer condition of the oat feed, it took 

 .5 of a pound less of oat feed in its natural condition to replace a hke 

 amount of hay, e.g., 6.5 pounds of oat feed in place of 7 pounds of hay, 

 or 8 pounds of oat feed in place of 8.5 pounds of hay, or 7.6-4 pounds of 

 oat feed in place of 8.14 pounds of hay. If 8 pounds of hay in its natural 

 state had been fed in place of 8 pounds of oat feed in its natural state 

 the results should have been slightly more favorable to the oat feed. 



