THIRTY-FIFTH ANNUAL CONVENTION. 137 



FEEDING DAIRY COWS. 



The feeding problem is a little more difficult to solve this 

 year than it has been for several years. All grains and by pro- 

 ducts are higher than last year, which will increase the cost of 

 production. On the other hand, the hay crop was good and 

 roughage is at present cheaper, but will probably go up in price 

 rapidly. Choice hay is quoted from $1.50 to $5 per ton cheaper 

 than last year. This will help reduce the cost of the ration 

 and properly calls for a heavy feeding of roughage and a lighter 

 feeding of grain. At the station we are often asked what to 

 buy. This is a difficult question to answer without knowing 

 all of the local market conditions and what roughage is available. 

 The following table may be of some assistance in this matter 

 if carefully studied. It is based on total digestible nutrients, 

 according to Henry's tables, and includes only standard dairy 

 feeds. It shows the value of the different feeds compared with 

 corn at different prices. When corn is worth $24 per ton, 

 brewers' grains are worth $20.50, etc. 



Corn per bu., $ .60 $ .63 $ .65 $ .68 $ .70 



Corn per ton, 21.00 22.00 23.00 24.00 25.00 



Oats per bu., .30 .31 .33 .34 .35 



Oats per ton, 18.60 19.50 20.38 21.30 22.16 



Bran 



Gluten feed 



Oil meal 



Cotton seed meal 

 Brewers' grains . 



Clover hay 



Alfalfa hay 



Cow pea hay . . . 



16.21 17.02 17.77 18.57 19.32 



24.99 26.23 27.38 28.62 29.77 



21.92 23.01 24.02 25.11 26.12 



23.50 24.66 25.74 26.91 27.99 



17.90 18.79 19.61 20.50 21.32 



13.65 14.33 14.95 15.63 16.26 



15.03 15.78 16.47 17.21 17.91 



11.81 12.39 12.94 13.52 14.07 



The table shows that at present prices, corn meal furnishes 

 the cheapest nutrients. It will not do to follow this table blindly, 

 because it does not take into account the fact that most of us 

 buy concentrates to get the proper amount of protein to balance 

 our rations. Looking at it from this standpoint, it becomes a 

 question of which feed will furnish protein the cheapest. This 

 I have attempted to figure out, in a very limited way, and it is 



