388 Feeds and Feeding. 



on protein-poor rations. Collier of the New York (Geneva) Sta- 

 tion^ found that cows obtained 4.6 lbs. of water in feed and drink 

 for every pound of milk they yielded, and that dry cows drank but 

 65 per ct. as much as those giving milk. In general the water pro- 

 vision for dairy cows should be about 100 lbs., or 12.5 gallons, per 

 head per day. 



Hayward of the Pennsylvania Station- and Hills of the Vermont 

 Station^ found no advantage in keeping water continuously before 

 cows instead of allowing them to drink once daily. Hills of the Ver- 

 mont Station^ found no benefit from warming the water when the 

 cows were comfortably housed. (87, 452) 



613. Effects of dehorning and tuberculin testing. — Woll and 

 Humphrey of the Wisconsin Station," studying the results at 11 ex- 

 periment stations, conclude that dehorning dairy cows causes a tem- 

 porary loss of about 8 per ct. in yield of milk and an insignificant 

 loss in yield of butter fat. Beach of the Connecticut (Storrs) Sta- 

 tion,*^ after dehorning the Station herd, writes : ' ' The worry, pain, 

 and cruelty of animals to their mates is eliminated when these in- 

 struments of torture are removed, and the lack of fear and the 

 quiet contentment of the individuals of the herd are at once notice- 

 able. The benefits from dehorning dairy cattle cannot be accurately 

 measured, but there is an almost unanimous opinion in its favor 

 among those who have practiced it in their herds." 



Studies at the Wisconsin Station^ show that subjecting cows to the 

 tuberculin test has practically no effect on the yield of milk and 

 butter fat. 



614. Spaying. — Nicolas,^ after continued experiments with spayed 

 and unspayed cows, concludes that such practice is not warranted 

 by the results. The quality of the milk from spayed cows is better 

 than that of the cow not pregnant, but poorer than that of the preg- 

 nant cows. Spaying results in richer milk, tho the quantity is not 

 increased. Others have held not only that the milk of spayed cows 

 was richer, but that by spaying the lactation period was lengthened 

 by from 12 to 15 months. 



615. Minor points. — Lane of the New Jersey Station" found that 

 cows getting 3 feeds daily consumed more roughage and gave slightly 

 more milk than those getting 2 daily, but the increase barely paid for 



' Proc. of ' ' New York Farmers, ' ' 1892-3. " Ept. 1902. 



= Bui. 56. ' Ept. 1905. 



^ Ept. 1907. * Soc. de L 'Aliment. Eationelle du 



'Loc. cit. Betail, 1898. 



° Ept. 1905. » Ept. 1900. 



