1909.] 



PUBLIC DOCUMENT — No. 31. 



73 



condition of the herd, except in the instance previously noted. 

 The average daily consumption of hay decreased .7 of a pound 

 during this period. It may be stated that the amount of hay 

 and grain fed daily depended partly upon the calculated nu- 

 trients needed by the animal and partly upon the animal's 

 individuality. This latter condition can only be ascertained by 

 being in close touch with each cow and by careful observation. 

 If an animal appeared to be having more than she could consume 

 to advantage, or did not eat clean her daily allowance, the 

 ration was reduced in amount. 



Table V. — Average Dry flatter and Digestible Nutrients in Bortion of 



Each Cow {Pounds). 



First period: both herds, normal grain ration. 



Third period: Herd I., normal grain ration: Herd II., soy bean oil ration. 



Herd I., 

 Herd II., 



832 

 967 



22.63 

 23.41 



1.90 



1.87 



10.97 

 11.05 



.52 

 1.11 



1:6.4 

 1:7.2 



In the above table is given an estimate of the amount of 

 digestible nutrients contained in the average daily rations. The 

 average weight of the cows in Herd I. varied from 809 to 832 

 pounds in the several periods, and in Herd II. from 933 

 to 967 pounds. The method of calculating the digestible nu- 

 trients consisted in applying average digestion coefficients to 

 the actual analysis of the hay and soy beans, and to multiplying 

 the product by the average number of pounds fed daily. In 

 case of the normal ration, coefficients were employed that were 

 obtained from the normal or standard grain ration, so-called, 



