I909-] Summary of Agricultural Experiments. 953 



Less cake was used in the winter of 1905-6 than in 1904-5, r.nd 

 a table is given comparing the yield of thirteen cows during the two 

 periods. On the whole, there was a decrease, the value of which was 

 much more than the saving in food-stuffs. It is observed that after 

 a two years' trial the practice of giving concentrated foods to dairy 

 cows has justified the extra expenditure, as on all occasions when the 

 supply was stopped the yield of milk fell to an extent quite out of 

 proportion to the cost of the food saved. 



Milk Records (Journ. Brit. Dairy Farmers' Assoc., Vol. XXIII., 

 1908). — The milk supplied to the British Dairy Institute, Reading, was 

 tested for fat daily (except Sundays) in 1907, and the records are 

 given in the report, with particulars of the feeding of the cows. In 

 one herd the times of milking were 5 a.m. and 3 p.m., and in the 

 other 5.30 a.m. and 3 p.m. In only three of the 564 tests of morning 

 milk was the percentage of fat found to be less than 3, in one case 2*8, 

 and in two cases 2*9. The evening milk was always above 3 per cent. 



The results of the milking trials and of the butter tests at the 

 Dairy Show of 1907 are given in the same report. 



Milk Records (Edin. and East of Scotland Coll. of Agric, Bull. 14). — 

 The records of the dairy herd at Rosslynlee in 1905-6 were summarised 

 in the Journal, July, 1907, p. 205, and the above report contains the 

 results obtained during 1906-7. The milk of each cow is weighed 

 at every milking, and samples of the morning and evening milk of 

 each cow are analysed one day a week. Tables are given showing 

 the weekly yield of each cow, and percentages of fat during the year. 



The mixed milk of the herd never contained less than 3 per cent, 

 of fat, but many of the cows, whose average percentage of fat is 

 well above 3 per cent., gave from time to time milk containing less, 

 especially in the morning. 



In 1906-7 the average percentage of fat in the morning milk was 

 3*49, and in the evening 3*98, whereas in the previous year the figures 

 were 3*34 and 3'99- Since May, 1907, the milking has been done at 

 intervals of eleven and thirteen hours, whereas previously the intervals 

 were 9! and fourteen hours, and although the alteration had only been 

 in operation for four months out of the twelve under review, it was 

 considered that the more equal percentage of fat was largely due to 

 the change. 



The records of yield show the great difference in the value of the 

 produce of different cows. Of eleven cows that were in the herd for 

 the whole year, the heaviest milker gave 1,170 gallons, which at 6%d. 

 per gallon would be worth ^31 135., while the worst cow gave 606 

 gallons, worth £16 8s., a difference of ^14 55. 



The records obtained are being used as a means of improving the 

 herd by breeding and selection. The heifer calves of cows that are 

 heavy milkers and give milk of good quality are being kept with the 

 view of gradually eliminating the poorer animals from the herd. 



Milk Records (West of Scotland Agric. Coll., Bull. 44). — The 

 milk of every cow in the herd at the Kilmarnock Dairy School was 

 weighed and sampled twice daily for twenty-six weeks, beginning on 

 2nd April, 1906. The records are given, and are compared with similar 

 records obtained for the same number of weeks and over the same 

 period of the year by the Highland and Agricultural Society with a herd 

 in Dumfriesshire and another in Ayrshire. 



