^2 Illinois State Dairymen's Association. 



dairyman : four ears of corn and corn stover. Large quantities 

 of timothy hay are still fed though some of our best investigators 

 tell us that it has little or no value as a food for cattle. 



With such thoughts as these in mind the follow^ing demon- 

 stration was planned. The object in this case was to show the 

 greater value of alfalfa hay compared with timothy hay. We 

 have advocated the raising of legume crops for roughage and a 

 supply of protein, but it is difficult to get farmers to take this 

 advice seriously. They are feeding cows to raise crops rather 

 than raising crops to feed cows. 



For this demonstration a herd situated in the dairy district 

 was thosen. It consisted of 20 cows, eighteen of which were in 

 milk during the demonstration. They were kept on the farm and 

 cared for by the owner, (Charles Gilkerson, Marengo, 111.) 



These cows were divided into two lots of nine each, one lot 

 standing on either side of the barn. No attempt was made to 

 divide them equally regarding milk flow or period of lactation. 

 The majority of those in lot I had calved recently or calved dur- 

 ing the early part of the test. The majority of those in lot II 

 had been in milk longer (See page 84). Lot I gave more milk 

 than lot II. The object was not to compare the two lots directly, 

 but to compare the two feeding periods in the sam.e lot, using one 

 lot as a check against the other. 



It will be noted, as stated above, that some cows did not 

 calve until after the feeding began. It will also be noted that 

 the columns in the table showing their production have been 

 filled in back to the beginning. It does not give a correct average 

 for the period, but gives an average much more comparable with 

 the following period, than if only the figures from those in milk 

 had been taken. We think that you will agree with us that the 

 differences have been decreased rather than increased by this 

 method. 



Method of Feeding 



Throughout the entire demonstration the grain consisted of 

 corn meal and bran equal parts by bulk, or about 2 7-9 parts of 

 corn meal to 1 part bran by weight. 



During the first period lot I was fed 10 pounds of timothy 

 hay, 13 pounds of grain and 10 pounds of corn stover. During 

 this same period lot II was fed 10 pounds of alfalfa hay, 13 

 pounds of grain and 10 pounds of corn stover. During the last 



