12 



lbs.) in 80 lbs. of alfalfa hay much higher than is usually fed (25 lbs.) It 

 should also be remarked that if this ration were unbalanced the other way, 

 that is, if it were low in protein and high in fuel, it would be a serious 

 fault, because the fuel materials can not be used for repairing the body or 

 for making casein and albumen of milk. On the other hand, the excess of 

 protein in the above ration is burned as fuel, and takes the place of the 

 shortage in carbohydrates and fat. 



" There is a very important reason, however, why the above ration is not 

 an ideal one. Any farm animal kept on a single feed tends to grow tired of 

 it, and if the feed is unbalanced, this tendency is greater. Hence it is not 

 probable that such a cow as that we are considering, would eat 30 lbs. a day 

 of alfalfa for any length of time. Farmers in Central Washington have 

 frequently told the writer that stock fed exclusively on alfalfa hay will eat 

 greedily almost any kind of coarse feed, such as straw, dried grass, etc. This 

 is because their ration has grown more or less distasteful to them. It is 

 very probable, therefore, that if such a cow were given somewhat less alfalfa 

 hay and some other feed richer in carbohydrates and fat, she would eat more, 

 and hence give more milk. In feeding milk cows, work horses, and young, 

 growing stock, it is very important to have them eat an abundance of food ; 

 hence, unless the carbonaceous feeds were too high-priced, it would probably 

 pay to feed something like corn, barley, or wheat with alfalfa hay in the case 

 we are considering. Let us see what effect such an admixture would have 

 on this ration. A pound of alfalfa hay contains .532 lbs. of digestible 

 nutrients, while a pound of wheat contains .832 lbs. ; hence a pound of wheat 

 will take the place of about 1% lbs. of the hay. 



" Let us therefore substitute 8 lbs. of wheat for 12 lbs. of hay. We then 

 have: 



1. 



Protein. Fuel, 



lbs. lbs. 



18 lbs. alfalfa hay 1.94 7.63 



8 lbs. wheat .82 5.84 



2.76 13.47 



" This is still a little rich in protein, but is not a bad ration. Whether it 

 would pay to feed the wheat (or barley or corn), would depend on the cost 

 of the grain, and upon the increase of appetite which it might give the cow. 



" We shall now arrange a number of rations with alfalfa hay as a basis 

 to show the effect of feeding various things with this substance; 



2. 



15 lbs. alfalfa hay 1.64 6.40 



10 lbs. wheat 1.02 7.30 



2.66 13.70 



3. 



13 lbs. alfalfa hay 1.40 5.54 



11 lbs. wheat 1.12 8.04 



2.62 13.58 



