MAINTENANCE RATIONS OF CATTLE. 



45 



the lnetabolizable energy does not vary greatly from 1.6 therms per pound (3.5 

 therms per kilogram) of total digestible organic matter, even in rations" differing 

 widely as to the kinds of feed used. From the data regarding the digestible 

 matter of the rations, therefore, the equivalent amounts of metabolizable energy 

 may be estimated on this basis. Computing the results per 1,000 pounds in pro- 

 portion to the two-thirds power of the live weight, instead of directly as does 

 Haecfcer, the results are as follows: 



Maintenance rations of dry cows — Haecker. 



Cow. 



Year. 



Average 



live 

 weight. 



Average 

 daily gain 

 in' live 

 weight. 



Kind of feed. 



Metabolizable energy. 



Per head. 



Per 1,000 

 pounds live 

 weight. 



Alice ■. 



1896-97 

 1896-97 



Pounds. 

 808 

 1,010 



Pound. 











Com fodder 



Therms. 

 7. 92 

 9. 26 



Therms. 

 9. 13 

 9. 19 



Belle 





Average 







9. 16 



Belle 



1897-98 



1897- 98 



1898- 99 



1,072 

 706 

 757 



0. 27 

 .27 

 . 16 



\ Com fodder, beets, 

 / and oil meal. 

 Not stated 





/ 10. 16 

 \ 7.01 

 8. 96 



9.71 



8.83 

 10. 75 



Lottie 



Lottie 



Average 







9. 76 

 9.51 



Average of all 

























In the first year's experiments the amount of digestible protein fed was small 

 and the condition and appearance of the animals were not satisfactory. In 

 the second and third years the rations were richer in protein, a slight gain 

 in live weight was made, and the condition of the animals was entirely satis- 

 factory at the close of the experiment. Since some gain was made in the 

 second and third years the amount consumed was naturally somewhat larger 

 than the first year. The proportion of grain to coarse fodder in the rations 

 is not stated, but the results of the digestion trials indicate that it must have 

 been small. If we assume 60 per cent availability, the computed available 

 energy of the rations per 1,000 pounds live weight is : 



Therms. 



Maximum 6. 45 



Minimum 5. 30 



Average of all 5. 71 



The results as thus computed run materially lower than those obtained at 

 Moeckern and at the Pennsylvania station, in spite of the fact of a gain in live 

 weight. 



Evvard 1 fed three yearling steers for 60 days and one for 362 days on rations 

 so adjusted and varied as to very exactly maintain their live weight, the average 

 daily gain or loss being practically negligible. The experiment in the case 

 of the first three animals followed a 30-day period in which a submaintenance 

 ration was fed and the animals were therefore only in medium condition. 2 



The rations fed differed from those of the experiments previously quoted in 

 containing a much larger proportion of grain, consisting of 4 parts by weight 

 of alfalfa hay and 10 parts of mixed grain. 3 Evvard computes the available 



1 Thesis for degree of M. S., University of Missouri, 1909. 



2 The animals graded in the maintenance period as follows : No. 500, common ; No. 598, 

 common ; No. 596, good to medium ; No. 595, medium. 



3 Eight-ninths corn chop and one-ninth old process linseed meal. 



