156 Testing Milk and Its Products. 



feed, as well as the milk of the cows, was weighed each 

 day of the experiment. During the month of December 

 each cow was fed a daily ration consisting of 10 lbs. ol 

 timothy hay, 20 lbs. of corn silage and 2 lbs. of oil meal ; 

 the table on p. 145 shows that cow No. 3 produced on 

 this feed an average of 12.1 lbs. of milk, testing 3.8 per 

 cent, of fat. In January the grain feed was gradually 

 increased until the ration consisted of 12 lbs. of timothy 

 hay, 8 lbs. of corn and cob meal, 4 lbs. of wheat bran, 

 and 4 lbs. of oil meal. All the cows gained in milk on 

 this feed ; cow No. 3 thus gave an average of 4 lbs., more 

 milk per day in January than in December, but the 

 average test of her milk was 3.7 per cent., or one-tenth 

 of one per cent, lower than during the preceding month. 

 The heavy grain-feeding was continued through Febru- 

 ary and March, when it reached 12 lbs. of timothy hay, 

 12 lbs. of corn and cob meal, 6 lbs. of wheat bran and 

 6 lbs. of oil meal per day. The records show that the 

 flow of milk kept up to 16 lbs. per day in February in 

 case of this cow, but fell to 14 lbs. in March and April, 

 the average test of the milk being, in February 3.6, in 

 March 3.8, and in April 4.0 per cent. The milk was, 

 therefore, somewhat richer in April than in December, 

 but not more so than is found normally, owing to the 

 progress of the period of lactation. 



176. Influence of pasture on the quality of milk. 

 On May 1, the cows were given luxuriant pasture feed 

 and no grain ; a slight increase in the average amount of 

 milk produced per day followed, with a reduction in 

 the test, this being 3.8 per cent., the same as in De- 

 cember. 



