198 ReEporT OF THE First ASSISTANT OF THE 
In table III are compared the results obtained in three periods 
of feeding from September 1 to October 15, 1891, with eight 
cows. The same cows were used as during the preceding trial, 
the results of which were given in table II. The first period, 
from September 1 to 15, is the same as the last period in 
the preceding group, but the results are repeated for compari- 
son. The cows had been in milk on the average 7.3 months by 
October 1, and the average age was a little over three years. 
In the second period from September 16 to September 30 
alfalfa forage was substituted for the barley-and-pea forage of 
the preceding period —alfalfa forage being fed morning and 
night, and hay at noon and the same grain mixture (No. 19). 
The grain cost 53.6 per cent. of the cost of the ration and sup- 
plied 38.4 per cent. of the digestible nutrients. The forage 
represented 21.6 per cent. of the cost of the ration and supplied 
37.3 per cent. of the digestible nutrients. 
During the third period corn forage was fed morning and night 
and hay at noon. The mixed grain (No. 21) consisted of seven 
parts wheat bran, five parts ground oats, three parts corn meal 
and three parts linseed meal, O. P. The grain cost 55.3 per cent. 
of the cost of the ration and supplied 32.4 per cent. of the total 
digestible nutrients. The forage represented 20.6 per cent. of 
the cost of the ration and supplied 46.1 per cent. of the total 
digestible nutrients. 
The cows gained little in weight during the first two periods, 
but much more during the third.. In changing from the ration of 
the first period with barley-and-pea forage to that of the second 
with alfalfa forage, the nutritive ratio was made narrower —a 
change from 1:5.3 to 1:4.5; the total digestible protein remained 
about the same, and the digestible fat was reduced somewhat. 
The total organic matter and total digestible nutrients in the 
second ration were also considerably less, and the fuel value was 
lower. The cost of the ration was lower, and the cost of milk, 
milk-solids and fat somewhat less. There was no falling off in 
the milk yield, but, on the contrary, a slight increase. The com- 
position of the milk remained about the same, the slight change 
being toward improvement in quality. By substituting corn 
forage in the third period for alfalfa, and changing the grain, 
the nutritive ratio of the ration was made much wider and became 
1:8.0. In theration for the third period the total organic matter 
