56 AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENT STATION. [Jan. 



This ration contains l)ut 1.3 jjounds of digestible protein. 

 Series 1. a shows a properly l)alanced ration, consisting of 

 the same coarse fodders as b and three pounds each of wheat 

 bran, Buffalo gluten feed and cotton-seed meal. The ap- 

 proximate total cost of b was 15 cents and the net cost 9.15 

 cents, while the total cost of ration a was 16 cents and the 

 net cost 7.5 cents. AVhilo the total cost of ration a was a 

 trifle more, the net cost was fully 1.5 cents less, due to the 

 fact that this ration furnished a much better manure. 



Ration a produced 837.5 quarts of milk, at a total cost of 

 1.6 cents per quart ; and ration b produced 756.5 quarts of 

 milk, at a total cost of 1.66 cents per quart. Note also that 

 the net cost of a quart of milk in ration a was .72 cent and 

 in ration b 1.02 cents. Thus not only were 81 quarts more 

 of milk produced during the ration a period, but both the 

 total and net cost of the milk were less. 



Again, ration a produced 82.17 pounds of butter fat, and 

 at a cost of 16.3 cents per pound ; while ration b produced 

 but 67.37 pounds, at a cost of 18.67 cents per pound. 

 AVhether or not the quality of the milk was afiected by the 

 different foods will l)e discussed further on. 



The six cows fed on ration b showed an average decrease 

 of eleven pounds in live weight. It is certain, however, 

 that more flesh and fat were lost than the scales specified, 

 for during Series I. b the animals looked thin and had every 

 appearance of being improperly nourished. In all prob- 

 ability flesh and fat were replaced by water. It is very 

 clear, then, that a ration containing 2.60 pounds of protein 

 was more economical to feed than one containing approxi- 

 mately one-half that amount. This experiment deserves the 

 serious attention of our farmers. 



Series II. a and b. 

 Tins series can hardly be compared with Scries I., as it 

 was later and the animals had naturally shrunk some in their 

 milk production. In ration a 2.55 pounds of protein were 

 fed and in ration & 2.24 pounds, the only difference in the 

 grain ration being that in ration b 3 pounds of corn meal 

 took the place of 3 pounds of Buffalo gluten feed. The live 

 weight of the animals remained constant during this series.. 



