SUDAN GRASS AND RELATED PLANTS. 



45 



The third test, which was designed to ascertain the value of Sudan 

 grass hay as a feed for dairy cows, was made at Manhattan, Kans. 

 Six cows were separated into two lots of three each, as nearly alike as 

 possible in regard to the period of lactation. The ration consisted of 

 corn silage, a grain mixture of 4 parts of ground corn, 2 parts of bran, 

 and 1 part of oil meal, in addition to chopped Sudan grass hay in 

 one case and chopped alfalfa hay in the other. 



In lot 1 the cows were fed alfalfa hay with the above supplemen- 

 tary ration for a 15-day preliminary period and a 30-day actual test. 

 At the end of this time Sudan grass hay was substituted for the 

 alfalfa hay in the ration, and during a 10-day change period and a 

 30-day test period they were fed upon Sudan grass hay and the same 

 supplementary ration as in the first period. 



In lot 2 the cows were fed upon Sudan grass hay, with the supple- 

 mentary ration during the first period and alfalfa hay during the 

 second period, under the same conditions as in lot 1. 



The results are given in detail in Table XIV. 



Table XIV. — Comparison of alfalfa and Sudan grass hay for milk production. 





Hay ration. 



, Production. 



Body 

 weight. 



Lot. 



Milk. 



Butter 

 fat. 





'Cow No. 1: 

 ' Alfalfa 



Pounds. 

 597.0 

 527.4 



Pounds. 

 31.01 

 26.14 



Pounds. 

 884 







877 











69.6 



4.87 



7 





Cow No. 2: 



Alfalfa 





Lot 1 



633.3 

 597.0 



29.76 

 29.01 







929 







921 











36.3 



.75 



8 





Cow No. 3: 



Alfalfa 







1,291.6 

 1,082.6 



55.91 

 46.41 



942 







887 











209.0 



9.5 



55 





Cow No. 4: 







603.2 

 576.3 



22.33 

 21.36 



1,032 





Alfalfa 



1,024 











26.9 



.97 



8 





Cow No. 5: 





Lot 2 



663.5 

 530.2 



22.98 

 20.38 







1,203 





, Alfalfa 



1,248 











133.3 



2.6 



—45 





Cow No. 6: 









547.8 

 483.5 



21.44 

 19.88 



1,402 





Alfalfa 



1,429 











64.3 



1.56 



-27 





(Total (conrDarison) : 



Alfalfar 







4,111.9 

 4, 021. 5 



178. 30 

 168. 30 



6,461 







6,319 











90.4 1 10.00 



142 













