BULLETIN 501, U. S. DEPAETMENT OP AGEICULTUKE. 



THE WISCONSIN FARM. 



Table III gives a summary of the quantity and cost of feed con- 

 sumed per cow by the Wisconsin herd for the years 1909 to 1912. 

 The actual cost of feed and bedding varied but little from year to 

 year. However, there was a gradual and distinct change in the feed- 

 ing methods. The concentrates were usually fed in the form of a 

 mixture. The principal feeds in the mixture were in the proportions 

 of six parts corn, three parts bran, one part each of oil meal, cotton- 

 seed meal, and gluten feed. In 1909 each cow averaged nearly 1 

 ton of concentrates. This was decreased during each succeeding 



Fig. 1.— Outfit for weighing silage on Wisconsin farm. Silage, as well as the grain ration, is weighed out 

 to each cow. The owner finds that a definite feeding system results in increased production. 



year, and in 1912 the average quantity per cow was 1,300 pounds, or 

 a little over 7 pounds per day for the period fed in the barn. 



The dry roughage consisted of clover, alfalfa, mixed hay, corn 

 stover, and straw for bedding. The quantity varied with the pro- 

 portion of each kind of roughage used .and its quality. The decrease 

 in the quantity of concentrates and dry roughage per cow was par- 

 tially offset by a gradual increase in the quantity of silage. (See 

 Fig. 1.) The pasture period varied with the season. The increase 

 in cost the last year is due to an increase in pasture value. In spite 

 of variations in quantities the total feed cost was nearly constant 

 throughout the four years. 



