Feeding Dairy Cattle A series of articles by Prof. E. S. Savage as published in the Holstein-Friesian World 1917 COPYRIGHT 1917 HOLSTEIN- FRIESIAN WORLD, INC. In the preparation of the follow- ing series the writer has endeay- ored to give in clear, concise language the application of science to practical feeding. In many cases the material has been written hurriedly without attempt at finished production, because the whole series has been written at odd times, as the duties of class room and laboratory would allow. In every case it has been the inten- tion to state no principle or practice that has not a firm place in the operations of our best dairy feeders. In this time of stress the feeding of our animals is difficult. It is hoped that these articles may help feeders to get a firm basis on which to start their plans. The author hopes that after they are carefully read that they may be the stimulation which will cause the reader to study further the practice of other men and to cor- relate this practice with their own methods. Ithaca, N. Y. 7, aos s April 19, 1917. foe i 2 FEEDING DAIRY CATTLE ) By E. 5. SAVAGE Professor of Animal Husbandry Cornell University A series of articles published inthe Holstein-Friesian World SYRACUSE, NEW YORK WATERLOO, IOWA 9 F203 eR CONTENTS PAGE IV rats 6501 rts 001 ee 5 Introductory—Dairying and Permanent Agriculture...........-...2.-..-2-22------20---- vi Part ONE—FEEDING DAIRY CATTLE. I. The Composition and Selection of Concentrates...........................-..--- iL len cNhewlamurstalenveolluenot wh CCOSS ce. ce nr er 13 It. ‘The By-Predvcts Wsed'in Feeding Dairy Cows. ...:.:.... 22 ee 17 live. The Selectionsand Value of Concentrates... 2.2.2 ee 22 Veehioraee \Orapsmior mnOUSHages kc... ioe asc ee oe 26 VI. Curing Hay From the Standpoint of the Feeder......................2228 30 Willee When to.Cut, Corn for silage.) = ...2. ie on Wii. wAncldeal matumtor Dairy Cows. 9 2825 0.2 36 Part Two—ADVANCED REGISTRY FEEDING. IX. Fitting a’Cow for an Advanced Registry Test:..:......2..0 223) AL KX. Weedine for Advanced Keorstry Records. -2...2.2..0.) eee 43 ME Eeeding Test Cows-at Cornell University... -......-2...2..0 225 eee 48 Mit. Rations:Wedatocneme Mamous- COWS... — =o. a 53 MM: +The Rations Wed: Segis: Mayne: Johanna.) 2. ..2:.-2.-44cnee ee 59 MV. Keedine stor ene Distance Records. 22-2. 3s eee eee 62 XV Summer Nations tor Semi-Ollicial Cows 22... 2 eee 65 DeVere Meedinesebia Ga lnto- sybils sae. ee Bag Bers ee 67 PART THREE—FEEDING CALVES. XVII. Raising Calves on Whole and Skimmed Milk............ shinee ee 69 MOWANU, Ake ier (CAVhyS cin Siblostnlibncest sore YUU eee ee a 72 XIX. Feeding and Management of Yearlings and Two Year Olds.............. 75 PART FOUR—MISCELLANEOUS ARTICLES ON FEEDING. KX: SSeS UD ey Shore ears ee Pe ee en ee 79 ex Feeding and Care-of thes Dairy. Bulle... i eee ee 81 XXII. Forage Crops to Supplement Pastyye Ee eee PR te 83 ©o1.a467169 MAY 23 1917 aie ( Introduction HERE is no subject of more vital importance to the breeder of Holsteins than that of feeding dairy cattle. The breeder must look not only to his breeding operations for a profit, but he must learn to feed carefully and econom- ically in order that the dairy herd that must be carried in connection with all breeding operations may be profitable. His example as a successful dairyman calls attention to the class of his cattle and his work as a breeder and assists his market very materially. With conditions as they are to-day the demand for the latest thought and a thorough ground work in the most advanced methods of feeding is abso- lutely essential. The utmost economy must be practiced and an additional source of profit such as the sales that come from a herd of pure bred animals ne eo if the dairy farmer is to obtain the highest possible price for his abor. And yet the business is inviting to the beginner. It opens new markets and a new source of profit. It offers the only sound way to build up the fer- tility of the soil. With the economy that must be practiced it instills into the minds of those who embark upon the venture sound business principle. Waste and uneconomical methods have no place in agriculture, particularly in dairy farming, and the dairyman who begins his work under such conditions as pre- vail to-day learns methods that bring him many dollars in years to come under more easy conditions. The publication of this book is undertaken by the World in response to a general demand that Prof. Savage’s writings as they have appeared during the past year might be preserved in some concrete form for handy reference. Prof. Savage is recognized as an authority upon feeding matters. He has worked in connection with some of the greatest authorities in the country and his work has reflected credit upon himself and his associates. He is in charge of the foundation Animal Husbandry courses at Cornell University and has done considerable experimental and research work in feeding at that institu- tion. His work has been published in bulletin form by the University from time to time, although this book is the first ever written by Prof. Savage cov- ering the entire subject of feeding dairy cattle. It will be remembered that Cornell University has bred and developed seven pure bred Holstein cows with records from 30 to 35 lbs. of butter in seven days, which work forms the basis of an interesting chapter in Prof. Savage’s book. Other chapters dealing with A. R. O. testing have been added, some of them covering experiences of the most noted breeders and feeders in the country in handling World’s Champion Holsteins. The entire subject of feeding dairy cattle as handled by Prof. Savage is based upon actual methods in use by dairymen all over the country. Its chief recommendation is its practicability for there is no plan nor method described in this book that is not subject to the use of the ordinary dairyman upon the ordinary farm. It makes especial reference to the pure bred Holstein be- cause of the fact that it was written for a Holstein newspaper and for Hol- stein men to read, and because the Holstein is admittedly the dairyman’s most economical milk machine. The principles the book contains, however, are applicable to every dairy proposition in all parts of the country. The Editors of the World acknowledge indebtedness to a number of breed- ers for photographs which accompany the cuts. The usual courtesy which pervades every Holstein community and forms an important part of the suc- cess of every Holstein undertaking has prevailed throughout the preparation of this series of articles by Prof. Savage and its publication by the World. We feel that we can very strongly recommend Prof. Savage’s book to Holstein dairymen. It is a book that any member of the fraternity can per- use with safety and profit for it teaches sound principles in a careful, concise and readily understandable way. Syracuse, N. Y., May 1, 1917. THE EDITORS. ,,asuadxd ysea] }e AzI[1JWOZ ULeZUJeLU OF MOY Sf SUO!}senb Hid ,Suawues dy} JO 9UO,, VYOINSANY IVEYNLIANDIHDVY AO SS390V1d MOHS AHL AO SANO—WHV4 LHDIN1EG S.LYVSH LV S NISLS1OH Introductory Dairying and Permanent Agriculture O establish the basis upon which this paper is founded, we can- not do better than to quote from “The Holy Earth’, by L. H. Bailey, what is said beginning the chapter, ‘The Farmer’s Relation”: “The surface of the earth is particularly within the care of the farmer. He keeps it for his own sustenance and gain, but his gain is also the gain of all the rest of us. At the best he accumulates little to himself. The successful farmer is the one who produces more than he needs for his support; and the over-plus he does not keep; and, moreover, his own needs are easily satisfied. It is of the utmost consequence that the man next to the earth shall lead a fair and simple life, for in riotous living he might halt many good supplies that now go to his fellows. “Tt is a public duty so to train the farmer that he shall appreci- ate his guardianship. He is engaged in a quasi-public business. He really does not even own his land. He does not take his land with him, but only the personal development that he gains from it. He cannot annihilate his lands, as another might destroy all his belongings. He is the agent or the representative of society to guard and subdue the surface of the earth, and he is the agent of the divinity that made it. He must exercise his dominion with due regard to all these obligations. He is a trustee. The pro- ductiveness of the earth must increase from generation to genera- tion ; this also is his obligation.” That last statement is the fundamental: ‘The productiveness of the earth must increase from generation to generation; this also is his obligation.” This obligation works no hardship on the dairy farmer ; on the contrary the more closely he carries it out, the more money he himself will make, and so much the better his farm will be when he leaves it than when he takes it in the beginning. All this is simply saying that every farmer must return to the soil each year, a little more fertility than he takes from it. In no other way is he truly farming; he is simply mining and on most of our farms too much mining has already been done. We must now begin to farm. The dairy farmer with pure-bred Holstein-Friesian cattle, who is aiming at a high production with that herd, will, without any doubt, keep up the fertility of his farm; and, for that matter, add to its fertility. Let us take the case of a farmer who has 20 cows, Page Seven Feeding Dairy Cattle the average production of which he aims to make 10,000 pounds per year. This is a good high aim, but not impossible of achieve- ment, and no one should be satisfied with less. What must this farmer do to make money for himself and at the same time turn over his land to posterity better than he found it? He must do three things. (1) He must grow legumes for roughage and corn silage; (2) he must be careful in the purchase of concentrates; (3) if he sells money crops, he must aim to purchase enough com- mercial fertilizer to replace the material sold in the money crops. We will suppose that this farmer sells from his farm each year the following: Five cows, weighing 1,000 pounds each; 15 tons of timothy hay, 1,000 bushels of potatoes, and 200,000 pounds of milk. The fertility sold from the farm would be: Nitrogen Phosphoric acid Potash pounds pounds pounds Five 1,000-pound cows.......... 116.5 77.5 9.0 is:tons timothy hay.........:-...- 297.0 93.0 408.0 1,000 bushels potatoes............ 210.0 72.0 318.0 200,000 pounds milk .............. 1120.0 380.0 340.0 Therefore this farmer must balance these amounts with the same amount of fertilizing constituents brought onto the farm in one form or another. He can do it by the purchase direct of com- mercial fertilizers, but is it necessary for him to do this? No, only in part. If he is judicious in the selection of feeds, he can make up a large part of this loss through those that he purchases. To produce 10,000 pounds of milk in one year, it will be neces- sary for him to feed each cow at least 12 pounds of a good mixture of grains 250 days in the year. At this rate for the 20 cows, 32 tons at least will be necessary. A good mixture at present prices is 500 pounds distillers’ dried grains, 500 pounds hominy feed, 500 pounds wheat bran, 300 pounds gluten feed, 200 pounds linseed oil meal. This is an example of the kind of mixture that should be fed to bring the most fertility to the farm and a high feeding value also. How much fertility will 60,000 pounds of this mixture add to the soil after it has passed through the dairy cow? First, we must see what becomes of the nitrogen, phosphoric acid and potash in the feed when it is fed to a dairy cow. She is normally neither gaining or losing live weight, therefore, she is not storing anything in her body except what may go to the foetus, and that is a comparatively small amount during more than one-half the year. There are only three channels through which the fer- tilizing elements in the feed may disappear, the milk, the manure, and the urine. Seventy-five and five-tenths per cent. of the nitrogen appears in the manure and urine and the balance, 24.5 per cent., appears in the milk. Ejighty-nine and seven-tenths per cent. of the phosphoric acid and potash appears in the manure and urine, and the balance, 10.3 per cent., appears in the milk. Therefore, we see that a large part of the fertility purchased in feeds is available to the land. This has never been studied as carefully as it should be in this country, because up to the present, little thought has been Page Hight Feeding Dairy Cattle needed to be given on account of the virgin condition of our soils and the immense stores of fertility in them. Of course, these stores are in no way exhausted, but must be conserved. In older countries like England, farmers have had to be careful of the fertility in their soils, and we will turn for a moment to the English law re- garding this point. This law is quoted from “Feeds and Feeding’, by Henry & Morrison: “British practice—in Great Britian, where many of the farmers are long period tenants, the manurial value of feeding stuffs is recognized by law in a manner that tends greatly to the betterment and permanence of her agriculture. The Agricultural Holdings Act, which is the law governing the relations between landlord and tenant, direct that when a tenant is vacating his lease- hold he shall be reasonably compensated for the improvements he has made. Among these, credit must be given for the fertilizing value of feeding stuffs which the tenant may have purchased and fed out, and also, under certain conditions for the fertilizing value of grains produced on the farm and fed to stock. In order to furnish data to guide the valuers who serve in settlement between landlord and tenant, after full and extended study, Lawes & Gil- bert and later Voelker & Hall, of the Rothamstead Experiment Station, drew up tables showing the compensation to be allowed for the fertilizing value of various feeds. The recommendations, as revised in 1913 and adopted by the Central Association of Agri- culture and Tenant Right Valuers, are that the tenant shall be credited as follows for all manure resulting from feeding pur- chased feeds to stock on the leasehold. “For all unused manure, or that which has been recently ap- plied to the land, without a crop being grown thereafter, a credit of three-fourths of the total value of the phosphoric acid and potash in the feed is allowed. Because a greater loss of nitrogen com- monly occurs in stored manure than in manure dropped in the field by animals at pasture, a credit of 70 per cent. of the total value of the nitrogen is allowed when the stock have been fed at pasture and of only 50 per cent. when they have been fed in the barn or Varo... We all know that in all countries the material written into the law is conservative. Therefore, the following amounts of fertiliz- ing materials estimated from the materials in the feeds in the 60,000 pounds of the mixture above suggested, are conservative estimates. The total available nitrogen, if the feed had been spread on the ground, has been multiplied by one-half, as allowed in the above extract from English law, and the available phosphoric acid and potash by three-fourths. The 60,000 pounds of the mixture has been separated into its different constituents in order — the difference in feeds might be seen. Page Nine Feeding Dairy Cattle Available in manure Nitrogen Phosphoric acid Potash pounds pounds pounds 15,000 lbs. Distillers’ dried grains............ 368.2 76.5 19.2 000 bss Hominy feedi= = =. a 127.5 139.5 106.8 db 000M bsaWiheatebran== 192.0 331.8 182.4 OCR bse Gluten steeds eee 182.7 41.7 15.6 CLO00MbSaOllemede = see ee ee ee 162.6 76.5 Dilee A ICOy Pet ASR ets Bie eee ae ee ers’ 1033.0 666.0 381.3 It will be seen that the above goes a long way towards offsetting the fertility that has been sold off the farm. It almost completely offsets the fertility that is sold in the milk, leaving only that sold in the money crops to be replaced by the farmer. This brings sharply to light the first fact that we wish to es- tablish, that by the judicious selection of feeds, all the fertility that is sold as market milk may be fully replaced by the fertility in the feeds, even when the fertility in the feeds is conservatively esti- mated. In the above tables, comparing milk with the feeds, there is a slight shortage in the nitrogen. We must remember, however, that only 50 per cent. of the available nitrogen in the feed has been computed. Then, if legume crops are grown, whatever of nitrogen is taken from the air is clear gain. This emphasizes the impor- tance of the growing of legumes. Nothing has been said about the money value of these fertilizing constituents. 'The writer leaves that for the interpretation of the reader. Nitrogen on the average for the past 10 years has been worth 18 cents per pound, phosphoric acid 4.5 cents, and potash 5 cents. Nitrogen and potash are much more expensive at present. Potash is nearly unavailable, therefore, we see again the importance of getting what we can in feeds. As to choice of feed, without going into detail, the high protein feeds—cottonseed meal, gluten feed, etc.—yield the nitrogen, and the feeds like wheat bran made up of the outer coatings of the kernel, carry the most potash and phosphoric acid. Upon looking at this first table, we can see that mature animals carry away relatively the least fertilizing elements, therefore, the Holstein breeder, who is feeding his milk and selling mature animals at high prices, is conserving the fertility of his farm. Therefore, the greatest gain to be made in dairy farming, from the standpoint of a permanent agriculturist, is to aim for the best blood there is and to make the surplus stock the main cash crop of the farm. Then again, if milk must be sold, a glance at the first table will show that if the milk can be sold to a factory, so the skim milk can come back to the farm, or if butter can be made on the farm, a great saving of fertility is made. Therefore, as far as possible, from the standpoint of a per- manent agriculture, the dairy farmers must learn to grow legumes and to market their crops in cream and butter and mature animals at high prices. Page Ten Part One—Feeding Dairy Cattle I. The Composition and Selection of Concentrates "THe question of feeding dairy cattle is largely a question of growing roughage suitable for the cows on the farm; in some cases the growing of a little grain, and lastly and most important of all, the selection of the proper purchased feeds to supplement the ones grown at home. A feed is grown or purchased for the total digestible material in it. The water and the indigestible matter are of no particular use to the animal and are like the ‘“‘filler” in a fertilizer. There- fore the study of the selection of feeds either to be grown or to be purchased must be based on the cost of the digestible material and the needs of the cow for certain particular things in her ration. The things needed in a ration are digestible protein, digestible carbohydrates and digestible fat. These are familiar terms to all readers and need no particular discussion here. When a feed is purchased or grown it is for the digestible protein, the digestible carbohydrates and the digestible fat in it. The feeds to be chosen are those in which we can get the most of these things for one dollar. The ordinary coarse feeds grown on farms are mixed hay, corn silage and cornstalks or fodder. The grains ordinarily grown are corn, oats, barley and buckwheat. We must purchase feeds to properly supplement these feeds we grow at home and study the growing of those that will give us the most at the least cost. For purposes of convenience it is customary to add together the diges- tible protein, digestible carbohydrates and digestible fat multiplied by 214, and call the result the total digestible nutrients. This is usually computed on the ton basis. For example: there are in 100 pounds of gluten feed, 21.6 pounds of digestible protein, 51.9 pounds digestible carbohydrates and 3.2 pounds of digestible fat 3.2 « 214, — 7.2 plus 51.9 plus 21.6 equal 80.7 pounds of total digestible nutrients in 100 pounds of gluten feed. The fat in any feed is worth 21/4, times as much as the carbohydrates and protein, there- fore the fat is multiplied by 214, before adding. 80.7 « 20 equal 1614 pounds of total digestible nutrients in one ton (2000 pounds) of gluten feed. Therefore when we buy a ton of gluten feed for $33.50 as quoted below, we pay the $33.50 for the 1614 pounds of digestible material in the ton. One hundred pounds of total diges- tible material in gluten feed would cost $2.08. In this way the cost of digestible material in all feeds may be calculated and the results used as a basis in the selection of the crops that shall be grown for Page Eleven Feeding Dairy Cattle roughage and in the selection of the supplements that must be purchased. Such a table is worked out below as the basis for the selection of the proper feeds to purchase at the present time to go into a ration. In all rations for dairy cattle there must be sufficient protein. In the ordinary roughages grown on the farm and in the grains grown on the farm there has been a lack of protein, so the second thing to be considered in the purchase of feeds is the amount of protein in each. To make this a matter of easy consideration the feeds listed below are divided into high protein, medium protein and low protein groups. How to make use of this grouping will be explained later. As for roughages all that need to be said is that on the basis of the cost of digestible nutrients alone the roughage that all dairymen must grow is corn silage. Inno other crop can so much be obtained for one dollar as in corn silage. Next in importance is the growing of legume hays. The possession of a sufficient quantity of good corn silage and of good clover or alfalfa hay gives us the finest kind of a start in the selection of the feeds that shall make up the ration. No farmer can afford to be without these roughages. Now to make this lesson definite we will proceed to the selection of the concentrates which we would choose to make a mixture to supplement good clover hay and corn silage in a ration. Below as a starting point is given a table of the feeds commonly listed by feed dealers, arranged according to high, medium and low protein content. COMPOSITION OF CONCENTRATES. Per cent Total digestible Cost Cost of (High Protein) digestible nutrients in per 100 Ibs. total 3 protein one ton ton dig. nut. 1. Cottonseed meal ....... Uae Sask 2 37.0 1564 $37.50 $2.40 D. \bahmeeevel Onl ae ee aeeerccs 30.2 1558 37.00 2.30 3. Distillers’ dried grains..........-.---- 22.4 1778 32.75 1.84 AN (@iiuiveray TOC a ee ach 21.6 1614 33.50 2.08 5. Brewers’ dried grains...........------- 21.5 1314 28.50 PY G. Malt sprouts: 2.2.2.2 --.-------:-- 20.3 1412 28.50 2.02 (MEDIUM PROTEIN) Fe, Vetikoeice aor ice Koa ee Se aaa oe etree Daal 1564 30.00 1.92 oy Wheat mixed, fects se. =. -- WAS, 1340 26.75 2.00 GS ANAM RE, JON PENIS cence eee asec 12.5 1218 24.50 2.01 (Low PROTEIN) TC), (CHROWORAYO | ONES) ae eb eee ore ete 9.4 1400 35.10 2.51 Til. (@reoywuayel joe We EN eee eae eee ceeee 9.0 1588 35.00 2.20 AO. | EV OTIIAG ok 2 2 tes eae ese te 7.0 1692 30.00 Ustety 31835 Ohoweiay. Sane a ae ee eee 6.9 1676 30.90 1.84 2k 1 Dyyearcl overt Jone Vee eee eden 4.6 1432 26.50 1.85 The figures in the last column are obtained by dividing the cost per ton by the total digestible nutrients in one ton of each feed and multiplying the result by 100. It is this column and the amount of protein in each feed which guide us in the proper selection of the feeds. This is the proper starting place. This knowledge must. be supplemented by a thorough knowledge of the peculiar usefulness of each feed in milk production. Page Twelve Feeding Dairy Cattle To insure the proper amount of protein in the ration, about one- half of the feed should be chosen from among those containing a high amount of protein. The following mixture is suggested, taking all of these things into account: BO Oval seem ovary eres ocean ee eee ea $ 7.50 500 lbs. distillers’ dried grains.................... 8.19 HOO Mb stamanxe distieed s2ccs22. ee ee eee 6.69 BO Opi bsacclutbenw ec Ge ee eee 5.08 ZOOM Ss orllerre cl ees e ste eee Bee a ee 3.70 2) 00M SS COn econ!) ees eee nn eee oe $31.11 It is seen that 1000 pounds of this mixture is made up of distillers’ grains, gluten feed and oil meal. The oil meal was not chosen as yielding total nutrients very cheap, but because the writer wishes particularly to have a little oil meal in his ration. All the others in the suggested mixtures will be found to yield total diges- tible nutrients the cheapest. The author has found this method of great assistance in studying the relative values of feeds and in forming a basis for the choice of feeds. The prices quoted are those of a wholesale dealer on the basis of a Rochester freight rate at the time this article was written (1916). The above mixture is advised with practically any roughage. It would go particularly well with clover hay and corn silage. If no silage is available it will be noticed in the table that dried beet pulp and malt sprouts are relatively cheap feeds. They make excellent succulent feeds if soaked eight or ten hours before feeding. Not as much other grain would be needed with these soaked grains. II. The Manurial Value of Feeds LL true farmers believe in a system of farming which is a little better than permanent agriculture. A system of permanent agriculture means one in which as much fertility is added to the soil each year as is taken off the farm crops, thus the farm is per- manent. Every good farmer believes in having his fields a little richer and better each year than they were the year before, and that means that he must have added a little more fertility than he has taken away. If he does this he is carrying on a system which is more than permanent. Consequently, one of the big questions is how to maintain fertility at the least expense. Some help on this question is the aim of this paper. Nowhere has the Great War hit the farmer much harder than it has in the cost of fertilizers. The cost of nitrogen per pound the last ten years has averaged about 18 cents, of phosphoric acid 4.5 cents and of potash 5 cents. Due to the war, nitrogen now costs in an available form 20 to 25 cents per pound; phosphoric acid about 6 cents, and potash is scarcely available at all. When quoted the price is given varyingly from 30 cents to 50 cents per pound, but it can scarcely be purchased at any price. Therefore anything at Page Thirteen SCENE ON A CENTRAL NEW YORK FARM “The dairy farmer with pure bred Holstein-Friesian cattle will keep up the fertility of his farm” Feeding Dairy Cattle this time that will help keep up the fertility of the farm will be of great service. One source that must not be overlooked is the fer- tilizing constituents in feeds. Here is where the dairy farmer has an advantage over his neighbors, hay and grain farmers, because he has a lot of manure to use, and is a big purchaser of feeds. From a manurial standpoint how can he get the most for his dollar in maintaining and building up the fertility of his farm? There are two main things that he must know, and concerning them he must put his knowledge into practice. First, he must know in which feeds he will get the most fertility. Secondly, he must so care for the manure and urine that none of the fertility will be lost. We will endeavor to show first how much fertility there is in the common feeding stuffs and show how he may quickly compare feeds on this basis. No one questions the importance of growing all the legume roughage that it is possible to grow. In this we have a happy combination of circumstances. On practically every dairy farm in the whole country it is possible to grow either clover or alfalfa. These hays make the foundation of the ration and are ideal rough- ages. In growing them the farmer gets one fertilizing constituent, nitrogen, to some extent free from an inexhaustible source, the air. The amount of nitrogen gathered in this way by large crops of legumes amounts to a great deal, and adds directly to the permanent value of the land at practically no cost to the farmer. In addition to roughage he may grow some grain, but rarely does a farmer grow enough to feed his own cows. Therefore he must be familiar with the fertilizing constituents of the feeds that he must purchase to supplement those that he raises. When feed is first fed to an animal only that portion is available as a fertilizer which passes out from the animal in the manure and urine. The percentage of each fertilizing constituent which will appear in the manure varies with the animal. With a mature horse, neither gaining nor losing live weight, all the nitrogen, phosphoric acid and potash in the feed must appear in the manure and urine, otherwise the horse would of necessity gain in weight. The percentages of nitrogen, phosphoric acid and potash recovered in the manure and urine from different animals as given by Henry and Morrison are as follows: PROPORTION OF NITROGEN, PHOSPHORIC ACID AND POTASH OF FEED WHICH IS VOIDED BY ANIMAL Phosphoric acid Nitrogen and potash per cent per cent Hose sat sivwiO hikes ee 100.0 TRG Reva MO? ORC ee eee 96.1 SMB Fattening sheep..................- 95.7 96.2 LVR EEN OTT OR ee eee eeceeceeese 85.3 96.0 VEC WR COW ee teee eee eee W5.5 89.7 (Celhe, aiacl jemi 30.7 A5.7 These percentages are higher than the amounts recovered in common practice. For calculation in the choice of feeds for a Page Fifteen Feeding Dairy Cattle ration it has been deemed best to adopt the plan given in English law which governs the relations between landlord and tenant. The following principles of English law as recommended and adopted by the Central Association of Agriculture and Tenant Right Valuers are quoted from Henry and Morrison: “For all unused manure or that which has been recently applied to the land without a crop being grown thereafter, a credit of three- fourths of the total value of the phosphoric acid and potash in the feed is allowed. Because a greater loss of nitrogen commonly occurs in stored manure than in manure dropped in the fields by animals at pasture, a credit of 70 per cent of the total value of the nitrogen is allowed when the stock have been fed at pasture and only 50 per cent when they have been fed in barn or yard. “When one crop has been grown since the application of the manure, a part of the fertility thereby being used up, the credit allowed is only half that stated above. It is realized that the beneficial effects of farm manure persist much longer than two years, but owing to the difficulties of checking records for a longer period, the compensation is not extended over a greater time. The principle of the English law, as set forth, should be drafted into every lease drawn between landlord and tenant in this country.” In accordance with these principles the following table has been computed : MANURIAL VALUES PER TON. Manurial Feed Cost value Net cost per ton per ton per ton Cormng meal sete ee eee Te, One $31.00 SS Baie $27.68 lonammy. steed oe Ne se 30.00 4.62 25.38 Giiuten steed yen ewe res att Se 31.00 7.91 23.09 Flour wheat middlings.............. 30.00 5.13 24.87 Wiheatsbraniec = 2. te ese 24.00 7.81 16.19 Wheat mixed feed.....................- 25.00 6.08 18.92 Ground wOatS sewers 33.00 4.53 28.47 Ground) barley. ee 35.00 4,42 30.58 Maltesprouts, 6 -s00n tei! os 28.00 10.10 17.90 Brewers’ grains, dried.............. 29.00 8.37 20.63 Cottonseed meal, choice............ 38.00 15.87 PPM Linseed oil meal, old process.... 35.00 LEST 23.18 Beet pulp rsdricd see 28.00 3.01 24.99 Distillers’ grains, dried............ 31.00 9.43 PAO The manurial values here given are those computed on the basis that a dairy cow returns in the urine and manure 50 per cent of the nitrogen and 75 per cent of the phosphoric acid and potash in the feed as fed. The value has been circulated by multiplying the pounds of nitrogen by 18 cents, the phosphoric acid by 4.5 cents and the potash by 5 cents. Objection may be made that no such values are ever recovered in ordinary practice. Attention is therefore called again to the first table, which says on good authority that 75.5 per cent of the nitrogen and 89.7 per cent of the phosphoric acid and potash are returned by a dairy cow, and then consider that the percentages, Page Sixteen Feeding Dairy Cattle 50 for nitrogen and 75 for phosphoric acid and potash, are used from the law. All men know how conservative are the figures written into law. Again, we have used low prices as compared with the present prices for nitrogen, phosphoric acid and potash. Concerning the care of the manure and urine, again it must be emphasized that more than half of the manur:al value of each feed is in the nitrogen. Practically all of the nitrogen of the feed is returned in the urine. Therefore all the urine must be absorbed and the manure so kept that no fermentation or heating can take place. The best method is to spread it over the fields every day. In case this is not possible it is at least possible to prevent leaching of the pile. Heating is hard to control, but tramping it down hard will help. If the manure can be stored in a place where it can be tramped hard by animals very little heating will take place. This might be accomplished with young stock. III. By-Products Used in Feeding Dairy Cows AIRY farmers will be troubled to procure feed for their cows during the next six months if the indications at present are of any value. On account of the war and the great demand for cereals for human food, good prices are bound to be high even with a great crop this year. Therefore this article has been planned to give some additional information concerning the by-products that may be used in feeding dairy cows. This article may be dry read- ing but it is hoped that there is valuable information in it for the dairyman who will take the time to read it through. All the concentrates that may be used for dairy cattle may be put into three groups for convenience in arranging proper mix- tures. These groups are a high protein group, medium protein group and a low protein group. The high protein group contains those feeds with a nutritive ratio of 1 : 3 or narrower, the medium protein group those feeds between 1 : 3 and 1 : 6, and the low pro- tein group those feeds with a nutritive ratio of 1:6 or wider. In general it may be said that a mixture of feeds in which at least one-half by weight are high protein feeds will be a good mixture to feed. One-third of the mixture by weight should be made up of bulky feeds. The high protein feeds have in general the highest manurial value and so on down to the low protein feeds which have the lowest manurial value. Many, many farmers choose feeds according to the protein con- tent of the feed almost entirely. This is a very important thing to consider but is incorrect if it is the sole factor considered. Feeds have a value in direct proportion to the total digestible matter in them in all rations with sufficient digestible protein. Only when the ration as a whole, considering both roughage and concentrates, is lacking in protein does a high protein feed have a value above the value of a low protein feed, having the same that digestible nutri- Page Seventeen Feeding Dairy Cattle ents per ton, except that the high protein feed always has the greatest manurial value. CORN AND ITS By-PRopuUCTS: With the above introduction we may now consider somewhat in detail the by-products that may be used. The manufacturing process using corn as raw material give us as foods for dairy cows, distillers’ dried grains, gluten meal and gluten feed in the high protein class; germ oil meal in the medium class; corn bran and hominy feed in the low protein class. Corn meal and corn and cob meal come in this latter class although not by-products. Distillers’ grains, from the manufacture of alcohol and whiskey, are one of the finest feeds for their high protein content and the large amount of total digestible material. They are also bulky. They may well form the foundation of a ration. Gluten meal differs from gluten feed in that the corn bran is not added in the case of the meal. This makes the meal less bulky and with a high protein content. Gluten feed has the corn bran in it. Corn bran is like wheat bran and is somewhat more valuable. Corn bran, gluten meal and gluten feed all arise in the manufacture of starch and glucose from corn. There is not much gluten meal on the market. Gluten feed may be used as a high protein feed and naturally is classed with cottonseed meal where bulk is not needed. Distillers’ grains wouid be chosen if bulk is needed in the mixture. Hominy comes from the manufacture of hominy grit for human consumption. It is somewhat more valuable than corn meal for dairy cows and will keep better in bulk. These corn by-products are all very useful in feeding. Germ oil meal also arises in the process of starch and glucose manufacture. It is the cake remain- nig after oil is expressed from the germs or pits of the corn kernel. WHEAT AND ITS By-PRODUCTS: Wheat gives us several medium protein by-products. Ground wheat itself falls into the low pro- tein class. Wheat bran, standard wheat middlings, flour wheat middlings, and red dog flour are all separated mechanically in the process of flour making from wheat. They increase in total di- gestible matter and decrease in bulkiness in the order named. The finer products are not so good in dairy rations as wheat bran. How- ever, all may be used if the total bulk of the mixture is properly acquired through the use of other feeds. The relative value may be computed by means of the amount of total digestible nutrients. Reference to the table in this article will show this. Wheat mixed feed is the mixture of the mill run of all these separated wheat by-products. That is, if the wheat bran, standard wheat middlings, flour wheat middlings and red dog flour from one hundred bushels of wheat milled into flour were all mixed together, the results would be the mixed feed from such milling. Good mixed feed is more valuable than wheat bran. RYE By-PRODUCTS: Rye mixed feed is practically the only by- Page Highteen Feeding Dairy Cattle product from rye. It is a medium protein feed of practically the same value as wheat mixed feed but is not so palatable. BARLEY BY-PRODUCTS: Ground barley is in the low protein class and is as valuable as corn or hominy feed. When manu- factured into beer we get two by-products, malt sprouts and brew- ers’ dried grains. Both these feeds are bulky and high in protein. They are both more valuable than wheat bran but are not so valua- ble as the high protein grains such as distillers’ dried grains and gluten feed. There seems to be a prejudice against these feeds and if fed by weight it will be found that they are valuable. They are so bulky that one is deceived and apt to underestimate their value when fed by measure. Malt sprouts are valuable as a source of succulence if wet up when one has no silage. In the opinion of the writer these feeds when properly mixed with others, have a valuable commensurate with their content of total digestible nu- trients. OAT By-PRoDUCTS: In the milling of oats the same by-products analogous to those from the milling of wheat arise. They are not generally marketed as such, but for the most part find their way into ready mixed feeds. Care should be taken in the purchase of ground oats to see that too many hulls are not present. Ground oats are often made from light oats. The writer has seen a dif- ference of four per cent. in the crude fiber content of two cars of ground oats bought at the same price at the same time from two well rated companies. COTTONSEED MEAL, LINSEED OIL MEAL AND MISCELLANEOS By- PRODUCTS: Cottonseed meal arises in the production of cotton- seed oil from cottonseed. It is a very valuable by-product in the high protein group. It is much like gluten feed. Either of these may be safely fed to the extent of four pounds per day per cow. In a ration in which both cottonseed meal and gluten feed are found, not more than four pounds of both should be fed. Much has been said about the trouble that these two feeds cause, but from the fact that so much of both are fed in the best dairies, it seems to the writer that fears are groundless in feeding them in moderation. Linseed oil meal is a by-product from flax in the manufacture of linseed oil. This feed has a great value because of its Jaxative effect as well as its value as a feed in itself. Cocoanut oil meal and peanut oil meal sometimes are on the market. They are much the same in effect as the other oil meals and are valuable in proportion to their digestible nutrients. Dried beet pulp is very valuable, particularly when succulent feed is needed. It wets up readily and is very palatable. Many other feeds might be mentioned. A farmer might well study the possibility of buying a car of grain screenings or of sal- vage grain and make that the basis of his feeding operations. Screenings are as valuable as wheat bran when of good quality and the value of salvage grain would depend on the kind and the amount of damage. Screenings from wheat are separated from the wheat Page Nineteen FAIRVIEW KORNDYKE PIETERTJE World’s Champion junior two-year-old LADY PONTIAC JOHANNA World’s Champion senior three-year-old Feeding Dairy Cattle before it is milled and when of good quality consist mainly cf weed seeds and broken grains of wheat. Screenings should always be ground. The ground screenings are now run into wheat bran and wheat middlings in many mills. Salvage grain is grain damaged by fire or water and afterwards kiln dried. As a rule it is well liked by animals. PRECAUTIONS: In the purchase of concentrates of all kinds the tag should always be examined to know whether the analysis is up to the standard or average of that particular feed or not. The experiment station of nearly every state publishes a bulletin cn the analysis of the feeds used in that state. Every reader of “The World” should provide himself with these tables of analysis and buy on analysis and on the content of total digestible nutrients. Agri- cultural newspapers, experiment stations, farm bureaus are all ready and willing to give information along these lines. | Much money can be saved and made by the intelligent buying of feeds. A brief table is appended showing the grouping of feeds and their relative values on the basis of total digestible nutrients in one ton of each: GROUPS OF FEEDS HIGH PROTEIN Total digestible nutrients in one ton DAStiers Marled) orainee 2. ook ee RN Ss a 1778 (Gilwireray’ \seayseey Le ae Noes Re ea oh 9 Sr RS Cae 1680 Giuvenweteedit- 4h) eal Eee ee tees Ooo RS 1614 Browers anied«eraimne ont fe he es ey ee 1314 JWUGATS yj Ciel UI sn Seo 5 Os SNC Wes Oty Ina) Netanya ESTEE 1412 Buches middlings.. 2 t<..28 e sz Brimencotonseed: mealeec = = inet. Se ee 1510 inscedmotlmeme ales eeeeweee tren seem er Se 1558 MEDIUM PROTEIN GerenimOllnied een... coe Mersey Ange Aly 1650 WV CaO even ont ee at ee: Se ns ste _. ae de 1218 Standard, wheat middling's 2.2.22 22.20. 1386 Hloumaw heave mild clin cicmes tess sete es see seein 1564 He Clee et OUME are teh F at 3 Ih eo od PN see also De 1584 Wine ateermnixedrokeed: seems ote Ret ll ole Boe 0 ie 1340 RVR IMIG Chee seen tees sam he et lee hae el Poet 1490 LOW PROTEIN Conneandmcobpimicn lbeses cet ok ec ee 1562 Cornmeal lpr em es eh tere: eee ter he et OA oe Ret oe 1676 TELotnhinn ya whee Oncte nts fark eet hs bao Sed le ee 1692 Orr eel aes eee ia ee ee a | aed bE ge en a 1462 Gasol w le a tna ten el reel ak A ts de ee 1602 oi CDT 70 WME ah 7c Nees Aen omenanee, © Seed Be eee BGes ie Bet oer ety enn MONE, 1620 CHUNG AR EY ne a hie eter nn re ee ce acer ee 1588 Grown deoatiee eee See Ne ST ee TES a 1408 Groundsbuckwineat ses tee eee eg ee ee 1268 Deh ee tp ilipabe Se att Se ait ah Eis wh eB yee ang 1432 IMIOTAISSC Si eee ae eo ek a Ae sees, ey See a 1184 Wihcaterscreeninese 2. Me es eee re ee ee 1340 Page Twenty-one Feeding Dairy Cattle IV. The Selection and Value of Concentrates Y way of introduction to this paper a few of the requirements in a ration for dairy cows may be stated with benefit because these factors must be uppermost in one’s mind when he is selecting and buying the concentrates for his ration. Seven factors must be considered: bulk, digestibility, the “balance” of the ration, variety, suitability of the feeds, palatability and, finally, the cost of the ration. These factors should be thought of carefully in selecting concentrates. The “balance” of the ration and the cost are the two factors which will be explained a little further before making the selection according to present prices. The other factors explain themselves in their names. : BALANCED RATION. To-day we have a somewhat different conception of the term “balanced ration” than was formerly held. In the past the term balanced meant practically the nutritive ratio of the ration and nothing else. That is, a ration was said to be balanced if there was one pound of digestible protein to five and four-tenths pounds of carbohydrates and fat, 1:5.4. It was considered necessary to balance the ration quite closely. To-day the best feeders agree that plenty of protein in a ration is fundamentally essential, but the range of the nutritive ratio has been set at wider timits. We now set the limits at 1:4.5 and 1:6.0. It is even thought that in sections where carbohydrates in feeds are the cheap nutrient that the wider limit may be wider than 1:6.0, although to the writer it would seem that a careful study of the paper on Manurial Values would show that wide rations for dairy cows would be advisable only under very exceptional conditions. The narrow limit 1:4.5 is set at that point purely because more protein than this may injure the health of cows. Many rations as narrow as 1:3.0 are fed. We have no adverse criticism of this practice. It is sug- gested, however, that cows on such narrow rations should be carefully watched. The new thoughts of scientists, borne out by practical feeding trials, tell us that while the nutritive ratio and plenty of protein are important, some other things are also very important in a properly balanced ration. Much evidence is being brought out, particularly with growing animals, that not only is it necessary that there be sufficient protein present, but that the kind of protein is important. The importance of this in feeding dairy cows is apparent when we think that for nine months out of every twelve the cow is growing a young calf as well as caring for herself and manufacturing milk. The best way in practice to be sure of this point. is to have a good variety in the ration with several plants represented. Later on we are going to know more definitely about the individual feeds and recommend specifically on this point, but at present we can only advise a variety of proteins. Again the mineral matter in rations is receiving considerable Page Twenty-two Feeding Dairy Cattle attention and study. To insure a sufficient and suitable supply of mineral matter in the feed it seems absolutely necessary to feed legumes, and the most satisfactory legume from this standpoint is alfalfa. Therefore in our present idea of a balanced ration we must consider the individual feeds, the specific proteins that they supply and the mineral matter that they contain as well as the mere balance of the nutrients. I wish we might say specifically at the present time just what all these necessary things are and definitely that this feed supplies this and that feed supplies some other necessary thing, but in the present state of our knowledge we can only urge variety and legume hays. THE COST OF THE RATION. The other important factor on which the selection of feeds is based is cost. The proper way to select concentrates to supplement roughage is to start with the selection of the five or six feeds that are truly the cheapest on the market and then make up a proper mixture taking into consideration all the other factors. To make this lesson clear and concrete we will take present quotations (1916) and select the six feeds that are truly the cheap- est. Those feeds are truly the cheapest which give us the most digestible material for one dollar. The following table has been prepared to show which feeds at recent quotations give us the most digestible material for one dollar. This table has been computed both before the manurial value has been taken out and after on a net basis: Price per Pounds Cost of 100 Net cost of ton whole- total digest- Ibs. tot. Manurial Net cost 100 Ibs.total Feed sale Roch- ible nutri- digestible valueof perton digestible ester rate ents in 1 ton nutrients 1 ton nutrients Cormnpemea| =a ae = $35.30 1676 $2.09 $3.37 $31.93 $1.91 ELOMMN Gag ee 33.00 1692 1.95 4.62 28.88 1.68 Gluentsteeds se 28.75 1614 1.78 7.91 20.84 1.28 WMI, SPOTROWNIS SLs ey STS, 1412 AS) 10.10 iL) 1155 1.07 Wheat mixed feed........ 28.00 1340 2.09 6.08 PALS 1.64 Flour middlings.......... 30.25 1564 1.94 5.13 25.12 1.60 Distillers’ dried grains 30.50 1778 We 9.43 ZAR, 1.18 Wiha tie biznes eee 25.50 1218 2.09 7.81 17.69 1.45 Ground barley...) 35.00 1588 2.20 4,42 30.58 1.93 Groundmoats= = 32.80 1408 2.30 4.53 28.27 2.00 Brewers’ dried grains.. 27.50 1314 2.09 8.37 19aS 1.49 Cottonseed meal .......... 37.00 1564 Deon 15.87 Dill 1.36 Oil niente cee oe 37.00 1558 2.31 Ualesif PALS 1.62 Dried beet pulp............ 27.00 1432 1.89 3.01 29.99 1.67 The pounds of total digestible nutrients in one ton in the third column of this table are found by adding the pounds of digestible protein, the pounds of digestible fat after the fat has been multiplied by 2.25. This is the digestible material which we pay for. The rest, from the standpoint of the feeder, is waste. ‘Then it is reasonable to select those feeds for the mixture of concentrates which will give the most digestible material for one dollar. To make this selection easy the fourth column is given. This column gives us the cost of 100 pounds of total digestible nutrients in each Page Twenty-three suoi}zeuedo GBulwuey siy ul douo usoo S,4eah yowra 40} UoIsIAOUd ajdwe eyeW pjnoys ueUAWIep 9Y ft Sannr NI dOYS NYOO VMO!I NV Feeding Dairy Cattle of these feeds. For example, $2.09 is the cost of 100 pounds of digestible material in corn meal at the price given. The second part of the table is computed to take into account the manurial value of the feeds. The manurial value has been computed with nitrogen at 18 cents per pound, phosphoric acid at 4.5 cents and potash at 5 cents, most conservative prices at present, and on the same basis as given in the article on Manurial Values ina preceding article. Every farmer when he is thinking of buying feeds should pre- pare such a table with the prices submitted by the person from whom he expects to purchase. If one does not wish to do this for himself he should have his Farm Bureau Manager in his county do it for him or even request that his feed dealer do it for him to show him the feeds which are truly the cheapest. (Cornell Read- ing Course bulletin 117 gives all the necessary data for this.) The pounds of total digestible nutrients in one ton do not change, so may be used over and over again. This figure for any feed not in this list may be computed easily from any book or bulletin on computing rations. The column giving the manurial value per ton may be considered fixed, although these prices would of course vary with the price of nitrogen, phosphoric acid and potash. They are probably accurate enough for comparing the relative value of feeds. SELECTING THE MIXTURE. On the basis of the cost of 100 pounds of total digestible nutrients the cheapest seven feeds, one-half the list, in order of cheapness are distillers’ dried grains, gluten feed, malt sprouts, dried beet pulp, flour middlings, hominy feed, wheat bran. Not considering manurial values then, we would suggest the following as a good mixture: 500 Ibs. distillers’ dried grains 400 lbs. gluten feed 500 lbs. hominy feed 300 Ibs. wheat bran 300 lbs. oil meal This mixture would contain about 23 per cent of total protein and would make a balanced ration with practically any kind of roughage. Two of the relatively cheapest feeds, malt sprouts and dried beet pulp, have been left out because the writer would suggest that if either of these be used that it should be wet up and fed separately. If a farmer does not have silage this would be the advisable thing to do. Feed the equivalent of three or four pounds of the dried pulp or malt sprouts daily and cut dry grain somewhat. Flour middlings are not used because bran is better and only a little more expensive. Oil meal has been put in although eleventh in the list because of a personal liking for oil meal in a ration if not wholly out of the question on account of price. The oil meal would not be needed except for variety if silage is available and perhaps not needed at all if the beet pulp or malt sprouts are fed wet. Page Twenty-five Feeding Dairy Cattle If manurial values are given credit the seven cheapest feeds in the list in order are malt sprouts, distillers’ dried grains, gluten feed, cottonseed meal, wheat bran, brewers’ dried grains, flour wheat middlings. The following suggestion is made on this basis: 400 lbs. distillers’ dried grains 400 lbs. gluten feed 200 lbs. brewers’ dried grains 300 lbs. wheat bran 500 lbs. hominy feed 200 lbs. cottonseed meal Here again malt sprouts come high in the list and could be used to advantage fed wet. There are several factors against malt sprouts. Weed seeds are present many times, and may germinate after passing through the cow. Further, according to some authorities, the value of the protein in malt sprouts is not high. Therefore the use of malt sprouts may be more or less questionable. This the writer offers as a basis for the proper selection of feeds. We invite criticism. It is merely a mathematical method of studying prices and the selection must always be modified by one’s knowledge of what the feed will do. The writer has given one example in putting oil meal in the first mixture because he likes oil meal in a ration. V. Forage Crops For Roughage HERE is one great forage crop in the United States which is head and shoulders above all others except perhaps alfalfa. That crop is corn. Corn is king of the cereal grains and for all dairy farmers is king of the roughages. No dairy farmer can afford to continue without a silo. This statement cannot be made too strong. Therefore the main part of this article shall be a plea for silage on every dairy farm. Early each spring every farmer should plan for a crop of corn for next winter’s feeding, and if he does not have one plan to buy and build the silo in the late summer. Estimating thirty pounds per head per day for 180 days’ feeding, a silo which will hold 100 tons will furnish silage enough for liberal feeding for a herd of 35 mature cows or the equivalent. Sy eer a fo) tn, gh av" sn - Ss LIBRARY OF CONGRESS iii