52 



Feeding i rials with Dairy Cows. 



ing four weeks all the cows were kept on their old ration 

 described in the above table as the "preliminary ration," 

 in order to test the relative milking capacities of the three 

 lots. On February 2nd, the trial rations were commenced 

 and continued for eight weeks. Rations L, II. and III. 

 were fed to the corresponding lots of cows during the 

 second period. The whole of the rations were too liberal 

 and had been so arranged after taking into considera- 

 tion the amount of food the cows were receiving at the time 

 the trial began. All the cows put on a considerable amount 

 of flesh during the progress of the trials. 



The morning and evening milk of each cow was weighed 

 and the weight recorded throughout the trial, but as the cows 

 took more, than a week to become accustomed to some of the 

 foods in the new rations, the weights of milk yielded during 

 the first two weeks that these rations were fed have not been 

 included in the results. 



The average yield of milk of each lot (1) during the feeding 

 of the preliminary ration, and (2) during the period when the 

 trial rations were satisfactorily consumed was as follows : — 



Lot 1. - - - 81 1£ - - - 759 



„ II. - - - - 854 --- - 8 7 if 

 „ III. .... 791 .... 754 i 



During the feeding of the preliminary ration the milk 

 yield of Lot II. was greater by 5*3 per cent., while that of 

 Lot III. was less by 2*5 per cent., than that of Lot I. 

 While they were receiving the trial rations, Lots II. and III. 

 improved their yield in proportion to that of Lot L, Lot II. to 

 the extent of 9*6 per cent, and Lot III. by 1*9 per cent. 

 The average weekly yield of Lot II. was greater by 1 7 Jib. 

 during the feeding of the trial rations than it was in the 

 previous period, although the difference in the average dates 

 of the two periods is seven weeks ; a length of time during 

 which the milk yield might be expected to fall off con- 

 siderably. 



Average Weekly 

 Yield of Milk 



Average weekly 

 Yield of Milk during 

 Period when Trial 

 Rations were used. 



during Preliminary 

 Period, 

 lbs. 



lbs. 



