176 HOLSTEIN-FRIESIAN CATTLE. 



"Would like the best and cheapest grain rations of the three kinds above 

 named, with corn ensilage, and alfalfa hay. The fresh cows we want to feed 

 mostly ensilage, and others not so much ensilage, but more hay. Think the 

 100 head would be divided half and half. 



"As we test all our cows for butter, when first fresh, we want to feed them 

 the best and richest feed possible to get the best results, etc. After they have 

 been tested then all we care for is to have them kept in good shape, and give 

 what milk they can without forcing. C. F. H." 



C. F. H. does not properly consider the composition of cottonseed meal 

 when he asks if this cannot be made the principal grain food with ensilage and 

 alfalfa hay in a ration for large milk production. Cottonseed meal is a partial 

 and very much unbalanced food about as much so as oat straw, the straw 

 having a great excess of carbohydrates and the cottonseed meal a great excess 

 of albuminoids. The two balance each other. To balance corn ensilage alone 

 the largest amount of cottonseed meal might be used. But as H. has both 

 ensilage and the nitrogenous alfalfa hay, which are his cheapest foods, these 

 may be made to very nearly balance each other, and we must add other grain 

 food to make up the ration for large milk yield without much increasing the 

 bulk. Ensilage and alfalfa would have to be eaten in too large quantities to 

 get sufficient nutriment to produce a large yield of rich milk. 



The value of cottonseed meal is based upon its excess of albuminoids to 

 balance poor fodders, but in this case we require an additional food rich in car- 

 bohydrates, such as corn meal, and next to this is wheat bran. H. is also 

 rightly informed that cottonseed meal in any considerable quantity is danger- 

 ous to feed to cows more than four or five months in calf. He may feed to his 

 fresh milkers the largest quantity. If his fodder consisted of corn ensilage 

 and common hay, such as timothy or redtop, he might feed a much larger pro- 

 portion of cottonseed meal, say four to six pounds per head. But with his 

 excellent alfalfa and corn ensilage he cannot economically feed more than two 

 pounds of cottonseed meal, because when not needed as a balancing food it is 

 not as valuable as corn meal or bran. For his fresh milch cows we should 

 advise the following ration: Fifty pounds corn ensilage, ten pounds alfalfa, 

 four pounds corn meal, five pounds wheat bran and two pounds cottonseed 

 meal. Stated in analytical formula, this shows the following digestible nutri- 

 ents in pounds : 



Albuminoids. Carbohydrates. Fat. 



50 Ibs. corn ensilage, 

 10 " alfalfa hay, . 



4 " corn meal, 



5 " wheat bran, . 



2 " cottonseed meal, 



0.60 6.00 0.25 



0.94 3.00 0.10 



0.33 2.52 0.18 



0.58 2.30 0.13 



0.71 0.56 0.12 



Total, 3.16 14.38 0.78 



Nutritive ratio 1 to 5.1. It will be seen that this is a well balanced ration 

 for these large cows, and that it is also the cheapest ration from the foods given. 

 Suppose we were to feed one pound more cottonseed meal in place of two 

 pounds alfalfa, it would not cheapen the ration and would not improve it. 

 This may safely be fed to the cows until four or five months in calf. The only 

 way to improve this ration would be to add one pound more of corn meal. But 

 we think it will be satisfactory. The grain is supposed to be thoroughly mixed 

 with the ensilage and hay. 



2. For his cows long in milk, or dry, we would recommend the following 

 ration: Thirty pounds ensilage, fourteen pounds alfalfa hay, two pounds corn 

 meal, four pounds wheat bran. This has the following digestible nutrients 

 in pounds : 



Albuminoids. Carbohydrates. Fat. 



30 Ibs. ensilage 0.36 3.60 0.15 



14 " alfalfa hay 1.31 4.20 0.14 



2 " corn meal, . .0.17 1.26 0.09 



4 " wheat bran 0.47 1 84 0.10 



Total 2.31 10.90 0.48 



Nutritive ratio 1 to 5.2. This is quite a contrast to the other ration, but 

 the conditions are also very much changed. If they were giving no milk the 

 two pounds corn meal might be left off, but as he feeds his cows in two classes 

 only this ration will be appropriate for the second class. 



