74 



MAESTE STATE COLLEGE 



early-ciit Timothy, taken from the same field during the same sea- 

 son, the composition and digestibility of which are previously 

 given. 



The hay is assumed to have had 12.5 per cent, moisture and 

 4.5 per cent, of ash, or 83 per cent, of organic matter, and the 

 ensilage had on the average 16 per cent, of organic matter. The 

 organic matter of the hay and of the ensilage had a digestibility 

 of 61 per cent, and 71* per cent, respectively. 



These data furnish the following average quantities of digestible 

 matter consumed, excepting that of the grain, which was the same 

 throughout. 





Digestible matter eaten daily in Hay and 

 in Hay and Ensilage. 





Jansje. 



Queen 

 Linda. 



Agnes. 



Ida. 



Feb. 17 to March 9. — Hay. 

 f Hay .... 



March 10 to May 11 \ -^"*^*'^«6'« 



_ Total . . . 

 May 12 to May 25. — Hay. . . 



13.67 

 8.45 

 4.73 



12.44 

 7.54 

 4.54 



11.79 

 7.64 

 4.54 



11.49 

 6.83 

 3.78 



13 18 

 14.17 



12.08 

 13.21 



12.18 

 .12.95 



10.61 

 12.95 



* Average for Field corn and Sweet corn. 



The change from hay alone to hay and ensilage seems not to 

 have increased, but rather slightly diminished the amount of diges- 

 tible matter eaten. The outcome of the experiment seems to war- 

 rant the following remarks : 



(1.) In this experiment the addition of ensilage to the 

 ration resulted in a somewhat increased production of milk 

 solids, which was not caused by an increase in the digestible 

 food material eaten, but which must have been due either to 

 the superior value of the nutrients of the ensilage over those 

 of the hay, cr to the general physiological effect* of feeding a 

 greater variety of foods. In other words 8.8 pounds of ensi- 

 lage proved to be somewhat superior to 1.98 pounds of hay 

 (mostly Timothy,) the quantity of digestible material being 

 the same in the two cases. 



(2.) Nevertheless, the testimony of such results as this 

 experiment furnishes, sustains rather than destroys the 

 general practical utility of the rule in making rations, that two 

 fodders have a relative value that is proportionate to their 

 digestible material. 



* That such an effect is possible is somewhat problematical. 



