192 Report oF THE First ASsisTANT OF THE 

Table IT gives the results obtained in feeding eight cows from 
August 1 to September 15, 1891. On August 1 the average 
age of these cows was 2.9 years, and they had been in milk at 
that date on the average 5.8 months. From August 1 to August 
15, inclusive, alfalfa forage was fed in the morning, corn silage at 
noon and night, and a mixed grain (No. 19) consisting of five 
parts wheat bran, five parts corn meal, two parts wheat mid- 
dlings and three parts linseed meal, N. P. The grain cost 53.4 
per cent. of the cost of the ration and supplied 37.7 per cent. of 
the digestible nutrients. The silage and forage represented the 
smaller part of the total cost of the ration and supplied ae 
larger part of the digestible nutrients. 
From August 15 to August 31, inclusive, corn silage was fed 
morning and night, timothy ee at noon, and the same mixed 
grain (No. 19) that was fed during the Rai, period. The 
grain cost 53.8 per cent. of the total cost of ration and supplied 
86.1 per cent. of the total digestible nutrients, the silage and 
forage representing 46.2 per cent. of the cost and supplying 63.9 
per cent. of the digestible nutrients. 
From September 1 to September 15, inclusive, barley-and-pea 
forage was fed morning and night, hay at noon, and the same. 
grain (No. 19). The grain cost 51.2 per cent. of the total cost of the 
ration and supplied 33.2 per cent. of the digestible nutrients. 
The forage represented 24.7 per cent. of the cost-of the ration 
and supplied 45.6 per cent of the digestible nutrients. 
During each of the first two periods the cows gained in weight 
on the average about 27 pounds and during the last period the 
gain in weight was less, being about four pounds on the average 
per cow for the whole of September. In the change from the 
first period to the second, when timothy forage was substituted 
for alfalfa forage, there was considerably more than the normal _ 
decrease of milk yield although the total food consumed was about — 
the same; the total organic matter, the total digestible nutrients 
and the fuel value being about the same—slightly increased. 
There was the same amount of digestible fat but considerably less 
digestible protein in the second ration ; the nutritive ratio being _ 
changed from 1:6.3 to1:7.7. The cost ofthe second ration was _ 
somewhat less but the cost of production of milk, and its constitu. 
ents, was somewhat more than for the first period. By achangeto a 
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