Dec. 1,1925 
The Maintenance Requirement of Dry Cows 
1057 
PLAN OF THE INVESTIGATION 
The general routine of these experiments with cows was the same 
as in the previous work with steers. The experimental ration was 
fed during a definite period of not less than three weeks. This com¬ 
prised a preliminary feeding period of about 11 days, and an experi¬ 
mental or “digestion” period of 10 days during which the visible 
excreta were collected. During the ninth and tenth days of the 
digestion period the animal was kept in the respiration calorimeter 
to permit of measurement of the water vapor, carbon dioxide, 
methane, and heat emission. 
PROGRAM OF EXPERIMENTS 
Attention is called to the details of Table I. Four different animals 
were used, the experiments extending over an interval of three years. 
The four cows used were Nos. 874, 885, 886, and 887. 
Table I. — Periods and rations 
Daily rations 
Feed 
refused 
Experiment 
. No. 
Cow 
No. 
Pe¬ 
riod 
Preliminary 
feeding 
Calorimeter 
days 
Excreta collected 
Grain 
Al¬ 
falfa 
hay 
(aver¬ 
age 
per 
day) 
221D-1919-20. 
885 
I 
Dec. 
2-Dec. 
30 
Jan. 7-Jan. 8 
Dec. 
30-Jan. 9 
Kg. 
2.668 
Kg. 
1.779 
Kg. 
0.252 
885 
II 
Jan. 
15-Jan. 
27 
Feb. 4-Feb. 5 
Jan. 
27-Feb. 6 
4.200 
2.800 
0.728 
885 
III 
Feb. 
8-Mar. 
2 
Mar. 10-Mar. 11 
Mar. 
2-Mar. 12 
2.668 
1.779 
0.009 
886 
I 
Dec. 
2-Dec. 
9 
Dec. 16-Dec. 17 
Dec. 
9-Dec. 19 
2.614 
1.745 
None. 
886 
II 
Dec. 
25-Jan. 
13 
Jan. 21-Jan. 22 
Jan. 
13-Jan. 23 
4.200 
2.800 
0.020 
886 
III 
Jan. 
25-Feb. 
17 
Feb. 25-Feb. 26 
Feb. 
17-Feb. 27 
2.614 
1.745 
None. 
221E-1921_ 
885 
I 
Jan. 
22-Feb. 
1 
Feb. 9-Feb. 10 
Feb. 
2-Feb. 11 
3.760 
2.540 
0.946 
885 
II 
Feb. 
12-Feb. 
22 
Mar. 2-Mar. 3 
Feb. 
23-Mar. 4 
2.360 
1.580 
0.009 
221F-1921-22. 
874 
I 
Dec. 
3-Dec. 
13 
Dec. 21-Dec. 22 
Dec. 
14-Dec. 23 
4.100 
2.733 
None. 
874 
II 
Jan. 
7-Jan. 
17 
Jan. 25-Jan. 26 
Jan. 
18-Jan. 27 
2.744 
1.830 
None. 
887 
I 
Feb. 
4-Feb. 
14 
Feb. 22-Feb. 23 
Feb. 
15-Feb. 24 
3.696 
2.464 
None. 
887 
II 
Feb. 
25-Mar. 
7 
Mar. 15-Mar. 16 
Mar. 
8-Mar. 17 
2.474 
1.650 
None. 
Cow 885 was dry during two successive years, having failed to get 
with calf during the second year, and was used twice m connection 
with the maintenance experiments. Cows 874, 886, and 887 were 
used during only one year in this study of maintenance requirements. 
All these animals were used in experiments on milk production, the 
results of which will be reported in a separate paper. 
ANIMALS 
The subjects used were either purebred or grade Jerseys of average 
size and quiet disposition. 
Cow 885 was a purebred Jersey, registry No. 333236, dropped 
March 27, 1914. She gave birth to her first calf September 15, 1917, 
and was not bred again prior to the beginning of this study. 
Cow 886 was a purebred Jersey, registry No. 333886, dropped July 
13, 1914. She gave birth to her first calf October 10, 1917, and was 
bred again just prior to the beginning of this study* 
Cow 874, of unknown breeding, was dropped May 5, 1916. She 
was typically Jersey in conformation and color, was fresh twice, the 
