30 Experiment Station Bulletin 363 



very high tolerance for cobaltous sulphate fed orally. Certain blood 

 constituents have been followed from deficiency through the return to 

 normal. Field and greenhouse studies have also been carried out dealing 

 with the plant response to the application of cobaltous sulphate to the 

 soil. 



H. A. Keener, G. P. Percival, K. S. AIorrow 



Improving the Solids-not-fat Content 

 Of Milk by Selective Breeding 



Three more sires were proven, during the past year, making a total 

 of 19; 11 Holstein, three Ayrshire, four Jersey, and one Guernsey. 



Twelve sires increased and seven sires lowered milk production; 1 3 

 increased and six lowered fat percentage; 12 increased and seven lowered 

 the percentage solids-not-fat. Nine sires increased both the fat and solids- 

 not-fat percentage; three lowered both the fat and the solids-not-fat per- 

 centage; four increased the fat percentage and lowered the percentage 

 solids-not-fat; three decreased the fat percentage and increased the solids- 

 not-fat percentage. 



Nine cow families, covering four or five generations, were also 

 analyzed. The same type of relationship between the factors, milk pro- 

 duction, fat percentage, and percentage solids-not-fat were observed with 

 the cows as with their sires. 



The results of the studies of sires and cow families emphasize the 

 point that milk production, percentage butterfat, and percentage solids- 

 not-fat are inherited separately. 



H. C. AlooRE, H. A. Keener 



Dry Rations for Raising Dairy Calves and Heifers 



During the past year, the final group of eight calves, from the total 

 of 20 calves started during the previous year, completed their experiment- 

 al feeding period. These eight animals were paired as to breed, age, and 

 sex for comparison between an all-vegetable-protein ration and a ration 

 containing 20 per cent of skim milk powder. The values of the two types 

 of rations were determined on the basis of growth and general appearance 

 and by relative carotene, vitamin A, nicotinic acid, ascorbic acid, choles- 

 trol, non-protein nitrogen, glucose, and phosphorus content of the blood. 



As with the other animals on the comparative rations that were re- 

 ported the previous year, the all-vegetable-protein dry calf ration pro- 

 duced results as good as those obtained with the standard type of ration 

 containing a protein of animal source. 



The major phases of this project as originally outlined have been 

 completed. The results indicate that dry calf rations containing soybean 

 oil meal as a major source of protein, and dried distillers' solubles, will 

 give results equal to those secured from feeding the older-type dry calf 

 ration containing cottonseed meal, linseed meal, and dried skim milk. 



Normal growth curves are being prepared from growth data on 250 

 dairy calves raised in the University dairy herd during the past 1 1 years. 



K. S. Morrow, H. A. Keener, A. E. Tferi 



