ECONOMIC FEEDING OF DAIRY COWS. 77 



in cost. In feeding this ration we should consider it advisable to change 

 the proportion of grain to roughage, because with it cows would be apt 

 to convert feed into gain in body weight, if 14 pounds of grain were fed. 

 The gluten meal and gluten feed should always be fed with either barley, 

 oats or bran,, because the former are short in ash. The ration will answer 

 for a daily yield of 30 pounds of milk. The oats may be eliminated be- 

 cause it is about the most expensive feed, and the gluten feed increased 

 to 6 pounds. 



, Digestible , 



Food - Lbs. Pro. C.-H. Fat 



Wild hay 10 .35 4.98 14 



Corn Silage 30 .27 3.39 21 



Barley ., 4 .35 2.62 .06 



Gluten feed 6 1 . 40 3 . 04 .16 



2.37 14.03 .57 



By making the change we get a ration adapted to a daily yield of 33 

 pounds of milk and at a reduction in cost. Barley is also generally dearer 

 than bran, and most dairymen can get bran, so we will give a formula with 

 bran and gluten feed. 



, Digestible , 



Food. Lbs. Pro. C.-H. Fat 



Wild hay 10 .35 4.98 14 



Corn Silage 10 .27 3.39 .21 



Bran 5 .65 2.00 17 



Glutenfeed ..5 1.17 2.54 .14 



2.44 12.91 .66 



This is an ideal ration since it is composed of feed stuffs that can be 

 secured by nearly every dairyman in the land, is cheap, contains all the 

 nutrients in about the right proportion both for milk giving and growing 

 the foetus. Cows can be fed all winter and all their lifetime to their full 

 limit without danger of fattening, contracting garget, getting foundered 

 or shortening their time of usefulness. It is good for a daily yield of milk 

 from 25 to 50 pounds, according to quality of milk and size of cow. The 

 hay may be any kind of prairie, or marsh, timothy, red top, barley, oats, 

 millet or sorghum. The silage may be either corn, kaffir corn or sorghum. 

 Jn place of the wild hay, fodder corn may be used, by increasing it to 15 

 pounds. The different feed stuffs should, however, be given very nearly 

 in the proportions stated. When hay is fed give one part hay, one 

 part grain and three parts silage. One cow may need hay, 8 pounds, silage 

 24, grain 8. Another may require 16 pounds hay, 48 pounds of silage 

 and 16 pounds of grain. It is by such methodical feeding that cows re- 

 turn in dairy products from two to three times the cost of the feed. 



If it is desired to furnish a ration which will contain more farm grains 



