84 Report or DEPARTMENT OF ANIMAL HUSBANDRY OF THE 
bran ration. It was necessary, therefore, that in the first period 
of this second phytin experiment there should be fed a ration con- 
taining unwashed bran. | 
Ration 1.—At noon on February 16 the cow was suddenly 
changed to the ration containing the unwashed bran. She con- 
sumed the entire ration on the 16th and two portions of it on 
the 17th and refused the third portion. It was thought that possibly 
the quality of the bran was the cause of this refusal to eat, and, 
consequently, a bran of superior quality procured from a nearby 
mill, was tried but with no avail. The cow continued to refuse the 
ration during the 18th and 19th. On the 20th she was offered small 
portions of washed bran which were eaten with a keen appetite. It 
was clearly indicated that the sudden introduction into the ration of 
certain bran constituents was responsible for the change in the 
animal’s appetite. Her health did not seem to be impaired. She 
was not feverish and while her feces had become somewhat softened 
in consistency, there was nothing in her outward appearance that 
indicated an abnormal condition of health. During this time of im- 
paired nutrition the flow of milk was considerably lessened, as was 
the excretion of feces and urine. 
Ration 2.—Fed from noon February 20 to the morning of Feb- 
ruary 25th. The change back to the washed bran ration was sudden, 
the entire daily portion being wholly consumed. A normal milk 
flow was soon re-established. , 
Transition period.—This was begun at noon February 25 and 
was completed on the morning of March 9. An attempt was made 
to transfer the animal from ration 2 to ration 1 by the daily sub- 
stitution of two pounds of unwashed bran for an equivalent weight 
of washed bran, with an accompanying daily decrease of one-half 
pound of wheat gluten. This method appeared to be successful up 
to the point where the cow was receiving 6 pounds of unwashed 
bran. The first day that 8 pounds of unwashed bran was fed the 
ration was not wholly consumed. The next day the cow again re- 
fused to eat and it became necessary to place her back on a ration 
containing 4 pounds of unwashed bran and 6 pounds of the washed. 
This mixture was heartily eaten and from this point the food was 
slowly changed to the high phytin ration by the daily addition of 1 
pound of unwashed bran and some days only one-half pound, with 
