1895.] PUBLIC DOCUMENT — No. 33. 47 



W. H. Jordan* gives the results of several trials. In the 

 first experiment three cows were used. The animals were 

 fed in the second period of 14 days on hay and corn meal, 

 and in the first and third periods 2 pounds of cotton-seed 

 meal were substituted for 2 pounds of corn meal. Other- 

 wise the food was alike in all three periods. The corn meal 

 ration contained .87 pound of digestible protein and 12.45 

 pounds total digestible organic nutrients for cows weighing 

 925 to 950 pounds, — clearly an insufiicient amount, as the 

 experimenter states. The cotton-seed ration contained 1.47 

 pounds of digestible protein and 12.41 pounds of total diges- 

 tible organic nutrients, also insufficient in quantity, but still 

 somewhat improved. Two of three cows showed a slight 

 increase in the solid matter of the milk on the cotton-seed 

 ration, and one a decrease. The percentage of fat in the 

 milk of the same two cows, on a basis of 13 per cent, total 

 solid matter, was quite uniform for all three periods. The 

 milk of the cow that showed a decrease in per cent, of solid 

 matter on the cotton-seed ration showed at the same time a 

 slight decrease in the fat percentage, on the basis of 13 per 

 cent, total solids. 



We have here another example of how different cows are 

 differently affected by similar foods. This experiment was 

 repeated the next year with four cows, but as far as the 

 components of the milk were concerned very little change 

 was noted. 



In 1893 the same investigator published the results of 

 experiments with three cows. The total digestible nutrients 

 fed were sufficient, and each period lasted 35 days. The 

 milk was analyzed the last five days of each period. 



The writer thinks it would have been better to have had 

 the results of the composition of the milk for five days of 

 each week for every period. 



Only the very briefest resume is here given : — 



* Maine Experiment Station, reports for 1885-86, 1886-87, 1893. 



