AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENT STATION. 45 



with the large hay ration the animal fails to digest her food properly 

 and so wastes it. Others disagree with this practice and profess 

 not to be able to keep their cows up to a generous flow of milk and 

 a thrifty condition with so small an amount of hay, unless they give 

 an increased grain ration. 



In the winter and spring of 1894 the Station undertook to test 

 this matter by an experiment. Briefly stated, the plan of the 

 experiment was this : Three cows were fed during three periods of 

 four weeks each. In the first and last periods the animals received 

 five pounds of hay as a noon feed, but in the second period this 

 was taken away. 



A record of the food consumed, the weight of the cows and the 

 yield and composition of the milk was made. The data obtained 

 do not furnish so decisive testimony either way as could be desired, 

 although the figures here presented, accompanied by the observa- 

 tions that were made concerning the general appearance and condi- 

 tion of the animal, give to the experimenter a good basis for an 

 opinion. 



The daily rations for the several periods were as follows :* 



Tables XXII and XXIII which appear, by mistake, on page 48 

 should follow Table XXI on page 44. 



only that she ate fifteen pounds hay throughout. 



f C 8 pounds bay. 



I First hilf > '^^ pounds silage. 



Second Period ' ) ? Pounds cottonseed meal. 



"S dars -c '- ■'' Pounds corn meal. 



Cows land 2. ' f S pounds bay. 



Second balf < "^ Pounds silage. 



I .-seconci uair <j .-, pounds cottonseed meal. 



i (.5 pounds corn and cob meal. 



The cow Agnes received the same ration during the second period 

 only that she ate ten pounds hay throughout. 



Third Period ) All cows received in tbis period tbe same rations as during the 

 28 days. i first. 



The corn meal and corn and cob meal were from the same lot of 

 Maine grown corn. 



A sample of the milk of each milking was taken during the last 

 five days of each half period, and the following is the composition 

 for each five days' test. 



* For composition of foods see report of L. H. Merrill. 



