FRAGILE
DOES NOT |
CIRCULATE |

AMID O00

3 1924 0

ALBERT R. MANN
LIBRARY

AT

CORNELL UNIVERSITY

THE GIFT OF

Professor H. H. Wing

Cornell University

Library

The original of this book is in
the Cornell University Library.

There are no known copyright restrictions in
the United States on the use of the text.

http://www.archive.org/details/cu31924067982102

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HOLSTEIN-FRIESIAN WORLD

Syracuse New York

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“The dairy farmer with purebred Holstein-Friesian cattle will keep up the
fertility of his farm.”

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FEEDING DAIRY CATTLE

Third and Revised Edition 1921

By E. S. SAVAGE

Professor of Animal Husbandry
Cornell University

A series of articles published
in the
Holstein-Friesian World

SYRACUSE, NEW YORK

FIRST EDITION
COPYRIGHT 1917
SECOND EDITION
COPYRIGHT 1918
THIRD EDITION
COPYRIGHT 1921

HOLSTEIN-FRIESIAN WORLD, INC.

Printed by
THE CORSE PRESS,
Sandy Creek, N. Y.

Author’s Note

N the preparation of the following series the writer has
endeavored to give in clear, concise language the appli-
cation 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 classroom and labora-
tory would allow. In every case it has been the intention 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 diffi-
cult. 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 stimu-
lation which will cause the reader to study further the prac-
tice of other men and to correlate this practice with his own
methods.

Ithaca, N. Y. E. S. SAVAGE.
October I, 1921.

Introduction

. YHE Savage articles on Feeding Dairy Cattle have been
published in the WorLp from 1916 to the present time.
and were reprinted in book form in 1917 and again in
1918. Breeders and dairymen appreciated that nothing of
this sort had ever before been prepared for their benefit—a
series of practical articles giving explicit directions on the
important question of how to feed their dairy cows most
efficiently and most economically. In addition, it was written
not only from the standpoint of the ordinary dairyman, but
from the point of view of the Holstein breeder as well—the
breeder who is anxious to make the most of his opportunities.
In short, the book of Savage articles comprised the most
complete, understandable and up-to-the-minute text-book of
Holstein feeding information ever put together. The first
edition was quickly snapped up by the breeders, and likewise
by agricultural colleges and schools, who bought these
books in quantity for text-book use. In view of this enthusi-
astic reception, backing up our judgment in the matter, we
are issuing a third edition, revised and brought down to date.
The entire subject of feeding dairy cattle, as handled by
Professor Savage, is based upon actual methods in use by
successful dairymen. This book differs from the ordinary
text-book in the important respect that every theory is made
to deliver the goods in actual practice before it is accepted.
Professor Savage is recognized as an authority on feed-
ing matters. His ideas have proven successful not only in
his own experience, but in the hands of dairymen and breed-
ers who have put them into practice. He is in charge of
the foundation courses in Feeds and Feeding at Cornell
University, and has done considerable experimental and re-
search work in feeding in that institution. Several cows
with records of 30 to 35 pounds have been bred and developed
in the university herd, and one of these cows, Glista Ernes-
tine, has made seven different 30-pound records. The
handling of these cows forms the basis of an interesting
chapter in this book. The details of the care and feed of a
number of the leading producers, in both short and long-
time tests, as given by the men in actual charge, form the
basis of other chapters, invaluable to the man who is inter-
ested in getting the greatest possible returns from his test
work.

Altogether we can commend this book to our Holstein
friends in full confidence that its careful study will result in
added knowledge of the subject of feeding that will be of
practical service to them in their business as Holstein breed-
ers and dairymen. THE WORLD.

October I, 1921. Syracuse, N. Y.,

CONTENTS

PINE TOG UCUVO I sciatica ise wu seated x sececieiance socassen taney Cape cd gu celbo Rvs seu eh ire aaiuer 5 bee aa aPORS 6
Introductory—Dairying and Permanent Agriculture .............. 8
PART ONE—FEEDING DAIRY CATTLE
I. The Composition and Selection of Concentrates .......... 13
Il. The Manurial Value of Feeds .............. eee eee eee ees 16
Ill. By-Products Used in Feeding Dairy Cattle ............... 19
IV. The Selection and Value of Concentrates ................. 23
V. Forage Crops for Roughage ........... 0. cee eee eee eee eee 27
VI. Curing Hay From the Standpoint of a Feeder.............. 30
VII. When to Cut Corn For Silage ............... 0.0 ee ee eee 34
VIII. The Ideal Ration For a Dairy Cow ..............00c eee eee 36
IX. Feeding: in. Summer wes cu. cs cise. ee ninss ease geass eee 40
X. Succulent Feeds to Supplement Pasture ................ 42
Dl SMOMISSCS “AS A: PCE. -cecsesicsiwtis wirssians evonsaseers SA Sp eecee aa raReMlees, Seat 45
XII. The Feeding of Lime and Phosphorus to Dairy Cows ...... 47
PART TWO—ADVANCED REGISTRY FEEDING
XIII. Fitting a Cow For An Advanced Registry Test ........... 53
XIV. Feeding For Advanced Registry Records ................. 56
XV. Feeding Test Cows at Cornell University .................. 60
XVI. The Rations Fed Some Famous Cows ..................-. 10
XVII. Feeding For Long Distance Records ................02005 83
XVIII. Summer Rations for Semi-Official Cows .................. 85
XIX, Feeding Fat Into Milk wc: s.4ccisecascavgwwanciseareeres 88
PART THREE—FEEDING CALVES
XX. Raising Calves on Whole and Skimmed Milk .............. 91

XXI. Raising Calves on Substitutes For Milk .................. 05
XXII. Feeding and Management of Yearlings and Two-Year-Olds 97
PART FOUR—MISCELLANEOUS ARTICLES ON FEEDING
SOL. cMeeding? Dry StOGK. ws. causa eccavasaenedamaniaaigunegagaane aeons 101
XXIV. Feeding and Care of the Dairy Bull

PART FIVE—THE SOURCES OF FEEDS
XXV:. ‘The: Sources: of PeedS) sci eneuess aie eee eeees hemes eels ee 107

XXVI. Concentrates Derived From the Corn Plant ............. 111
MXVIE. Barley ‘and Its Product? casa naagonesseeanseees oom dasaeaes 118
XXVIII. Rye and Oats and Their Products ....................... 121
XXIX. Wheat and Its By-Products ............. 0.0.00. cece ee ace i,. 127

XXX. Buckwheat and Its By-Products. Rice and Its By-Products.

Sorghums and. Millets: cscscascc peas be euid mewn dane wae 132

>, ©, @, GRE 1 o1(= me © DU MR = HF ge ean ec en 136

Introductory

Dairying and Permanent Agriculture

© ESTABLISH the basis upon which this paper is

a founded we cannot 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. -\t 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 satished. 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
appreciate his guardianship. He is engaged in a quasi-pub-
lic business. He really does not even own his land. He
does not take his land with him, but only the personal devel-
opment that he gains from it. He cannot annihilate his lands,
as another miht 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 trustee. The productiveness of
the earth must in crease from generation to generation; this
also is his obligation.”

That last statement is the fundamental: “The productive-
ness oi the earth must increase from generation to genera-
tion; 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.

Page Eight

Feeding Dairy Cattle

The dairy farmer with pure-bred Holstein-Friesian cattle,
who is aiming at a high production with that herd, will,
without any ‘lout, 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, the average production of
which he aims to make 10,000 pounds per year. This is a
good high aim, but not impossible of achievement, 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 thive things: (1) He must grow legumes and corn silage
for roughage; (2) he must be careful in the purchase of con-
centrates; (3) if he sells money crops, he must aim to pur-
chase enough commercial fertilizer to replace the material
soll in the cash crops. We will suppose that this farmer
sels from his farm each year the following: Five cows,
weghing 1,000 pounds each; 15 tons of timothy hay, 1,000
bujhels of potatoes, and 200,000 pounds of milk. ‘The fertil-

ity sold from the farm would be:
Nitrogen, Phosphoric acid, Potash

pounds pounds pounds
Five 1000-pound cows...... LLG: he 9.0
15 tens timothy hay... sscs 297.0 93.0 408.0
1000 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
thi same amount of fertilizing constituents brought onto
th) farm in one form or another. He can do it by the pur-
chise direct of commercial fertilizers, but is it necessary for
hih to do this? No; only in part. If he is judicious in the
seection of feeds, he can make up a large part of this loss
though those that he purchases.

To produce 10,000 pounds of milk in one year, it will be

n¢essary for him to feed each cow at least 12 pounds of a
god mixture of grains 250 days in the year. At this rate
fq the 20 cows, 32 tons at least will be necessary. A good
nyxture at present prices is 500 pounds distillers’ dried
gains, 500 pounds hominy feed, 500 pounds wheat bran, 300
plunds gluten feed, 200 pounds linseed oil meal.
This is an example of the kind of mixture that should be
fl to bring the most fertility to the farm and be of high
feding value also. How much fertility will 60,000 pounds
o this mixture add to the soil after it has passed through
tle dairy cow?

First, we must see what becomes of the nitrogen, phos-
jroric acid and potash in the feed when it is fed to a dairy
gw. She is normally neither gaining nor losing live weight,
Age Nine

Feeding Dairy Cattle

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 fertilizing 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. Eighty-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 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 no way
exhausted, but must be conserved. In older countries ike
England, farmers have had to be careful of the fertility in
their soils, and we will turn for a moment to the English aw
regarding this point.

This law is quoted from ‘Feeds and Feeding’, by Feary
& Morrison:

“British practice—in Great Britain, where many of the
farmers are long period tenants, the manurial value of fed-
ing stuffs is recognized by law in a manner that teids
greatly to the betterment and permanence of her agricultire.
The Agricultural Holdings Act, which is the law goven-
ing the relations between landlord and tenant, direct tat
when a tenant is vacating his leasehold he shall be reasyn-
ably compensated for the improvements he has male.
Among these, credit must be given for the fertilizing vaue
of feeding stuffs which the tenant may have purchased nd
fed out, and also, under certain conditions for the fertilizag
value of grains produced on the farm and fed to stock. In
order to furnish data to guide the valuers who serve in st-
tlement between landlord and tenant, after full and extened
study, Lawes & Gilbert and later Voelker & Hall, of ae
Rothamstead Experiment Station, drew up tables showi1g
the compensation to be allowed for the fertilizing valueof
various feeds. The recommendations, as revised in 1913 ad
adopted by the Central Association of Agriculture and T'a-
ant Right Valuers, are that the tenant shall be credited is
follows for all manure resulting from feeding purchased feds
to stock on the leasehold.

Page 4n

Feeding Dairy Cattle

“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 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 yard.”

We all know that in all countries the material written
into the law is conservative. Therefore, the following
amounts of fertilizing materials estimated from the materials
in the feeds in the 60,000 pounds of the mixture above sug-
gested, 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
the English law, and the available phosphoric acid and pot-
ash by three-fourths. ‘The 60,000 pounds of the mixture has
been separated into its different constituents in order that

the difference in feeds might be seen.

Available in Manure
Nitrogen, Phosphoric acid Potash,

pounds pounds pounds

15,000 lbs. Distillers’ dried grains....... 368.2 76.5 19.2
15,000 Ibs. Hominy feed................. 127.5 139.5 106.8
15,000 lbs. Wheat Bran.................. 192.0 331.8 182.4
9,000 lbs. Gluten feed...............00.. 182.7 41.7 15.6
6,000: Ibs. Oi! meals ic ccs iswwnev awe eens 162.6 76.5 87.3
MRO GAYS sesh abies auecssc steeds ate ceatee 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
establish, 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 estimated.

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 importance of the growing of
legumes.

Nothing has been said about the money value of these
Paze Eleven

Feeding Dairy Cattie

fertilizing constituents. he writer leaves that for the
interpretation of the reader. Nitrogen on the average for
the past Io vears has been worth 18 cents per pound, phos-
phoric acid 4.5 cents and potash 5 cents. All are more expen-
sive at present. Therefore, we see again the importance
of getting what we can in feeds. As to choice of feed, with-
out 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 fertil-
ity of his farm. Therefore, the greatest gain to be made in
dairy farming, from the standpoint of a permanent agricul-
turist, 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
permanent agriculturist, the dairy farmers must learn to
grow legumes and to market their crops in cream and butter
and mature animals at high prices.

Page Twelve

Part One—Feeding Dairy Cattle

1. The Composition and Selection of Concentrates

ELE 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. Therefore 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 diges-
tible carbohydrates and the digestible fat in it. The feeds to
Le 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 ordi-
narily 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 digestible protein, di-
gestible carbohydrates and digestible fat multiplied by 2%4
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 pro-
tein, 51.9 pounds of digestible carbohydrates and 3.2 pounds
of digestible fat. 3.2X2%4=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 2% times as
much as the carbohydrates and protein, therefore the fat is
multiplied by 2% before adding. 80.720 equal 1614
Page Thirteen

Feeding Dairy Cattle

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 digestible 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 roughage and
in the selection of the supplements that must be purchased.
Such a table is worked out below as the basis for the selec-
tion 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 pur-
chase 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 tor roughage all that need 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 possess-
ion 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.

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 pectliar usefulness of each feed
in milk production.

Page Fourteen

Feeding Dairy Cattle

COMPOSITION OF CONCENTRATES

(High Protein)

Per cent. Total digestible Cost of
digestible nutrients in Cost 100 Ibs. total

protein one ton per ton dig. nut.

1. Cottonseed meal ......... 37.0 1564 37.50 $2.40
2. Linseed oil meal ......... 30.2 1558 37.00 2.37
3. Distillers’ dried grains ... 22.4 1778 32.75 1.84
4. Gluten feed .............. 21.6 1614 33.50 2.08
5. Brewers’ dried grains .... 21.5 1314 28.50 2.17
6. Malt sprouts ............ 20.3 1412 28.50 2.02

(Medium Protein)
7. Flour middlings .......... 15.7 1564 30.00 1.92
8. Wheat mixed feed ........ 12.9 1340 26.75 2.00
9. Wheat bran 215 tvckiwidauss 12.5 1218 24.50 2.01

(Low Protein)
10. Ground oats ............. 9.4 1400 35.10 2.51
11 Ground barley ............ 9.0 1588 35.00 2.20
123 Hominy vceecue oe eae va a 7.0 1692 30.00 1.77
13>. ‘CORN. MEA]. wool seep dees eine 6.9 1676 30.90 1.84
14. Dried beet pulp .......... 4.6 1432 26.50 1.85

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:

500 Ibs. hominy ....... 0... 0.0. c cece eee $7.50
500 lbs. distillers’ dried grains............. 3.19
500 lbs. mixed feed...............0..0 eee 6.69
300 Ibs. gluten feed................. 0 eee 5.03
200 Ibs. oil meal... .... eee eee 3.70
2000 Ibs. (one ton)......... 00. $31.11

It is seen that tooo 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 cheaply, 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 digestible nutrients the cheapest.

The author has found this method of great assistance in
studying the relative value of feeds and in forming a basis
for the choice of feeds. In using this method current prices
of feeds should be substituted for those given and the table
calculated over. Your farm bureau agent usually has the
prices.

The above mixture is advised with practically any rough-
age. 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.

Page Fifteen

Feeding Dairy Cattle

Ul. The Manurial Value of Feeds

LL true farmers believe in a system of farming which
is a little better than permanent agriculture. A sys-
tem of permanent agriculture means one in which as

much fertility is added to the soil each year as is taken off in
the farm crops, thus the farm is permanent. Every good
farmer believes in having his fields a httle 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.

The cost of nitrogen per pound from year to year has
averaged about 18 cents, of phosphoric acid 4.5 cents and of
potash 5 cents. Due to the war, current prices are some-
what higher than these but are coming down gradually.
Therefore anything at 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 fertilizing 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 feed-
ing 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 roughages. In growing them the
farmer gets one fertilizer constituent, nitrogen, to some ex-
tent 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

Page Sixteen

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Feeding Dairy Cattle

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. ‘There-
fore he must be familiar with the fertilizing constituents
of the feeds that he must purchase to supplement those that
he raises.

When feed is fed to an animal only that portion is avail-
able as a fertilizer which passes out from the animal in the
manure and urine. The percentage of each fertilizing con-
stituent 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.
HORSe 8b. WORK nnd anes 100.0 100.0
Mattening! OX sscaeacawess 96.1 ae
Fattening sheep ......... 95.7 96.2
Fattening pig ........... 85.3 96.0
MAG: COW acca w eciaecivnsioce ‘75.5 89.7
Calf, fed milk .......... 30.7 45.7

These percentages are higher than the amounts recovered
in common practice. For calculation in the choice of feeds
for a 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 Ass ocia-
tion 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 7o 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. 7

“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
Page Seventeen

Feeding Dairy Cattle

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
Cost Manurialvalue Net cost

Feed per ton per ton per ton
Sort SCR ogee canae wees eee $31.00 $3.37 $27.63
Hominy {660 scccsdaacineexe ens 30.00 4.62 25.38
GlOoten: TE6O sees ecard auetid cecbioon 31.00 7.91 23.09
Flour wheat middlings ........ 30.00 5.13 24.87
Wheat bran ...... Bie Saseeres oreecre 24.00 7.81 16.19
Wheat mixed feed ............. 25.00 6.08 18.92
GTOUNG “OES: <2 ss ccssceiecsnsud iacece Mlarsereuens 33.00 4.53 28.47
Ground “DATlOY .dvcncs cet omncrecoransers 35.00 4.42 30.58
Mal ADPOUUS - s.cesea rene ckeedes 28.00 10.10 17.90
Brewers’ grains, dried ......... 29.00 8.37 20.63
Cottonseed meal, choice ........ 38.00 15.87 22.13
Linseed oil meal, old process .. 35.00 ALB? 23.13
Beet. pulp; ried wvciwgee eanacews 28.00 3.01 24.99
Distillers’ grains, dried ........ 31.00 9.43 21.57

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 cir-
culated 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. Fippin in the Cornell Read-
ing Course for the Farm, Lesson 127, uses percentages less
than these. Whatever percentages are used the principle
is the same and the amounts recovered are large and im-
portant. 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, 50 for nitrogen and 75 for phosphoric acid and
potash, are used from the law. All men know how con-
servative 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 manurial
value of each feed is in the nitrogen. Practically all of the
nitrogen of the feed is returned in the urine. Therefore al]
the urine must be absorbed and the manure so kept that no

Page Eighteen

Feeding Dairy Cattle

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 or
hogs.

Ill. By-Products Used in Feeding Dairy Cattle

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 addi-
tional 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 mixtures. 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
I :3 or narrower, the medium protein group those feeds
between 1 :3 and1 :6, and the low protein 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. This is due to the fact that nitrogen is the most
valuable fertilizing constituent in feed and all the nitrogen
in a feed is found in the protein. ‘Therefore the high protein
feeds leaving the most nitrogen would have the greatest
manurial value.

Many, many farmers choose feeds according to the pro-
tein content 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
Page Nineteen

Feeding Dairy Cattle

sufficient digestible protein. Only when the ration as a
whole, considering both roughage and concentrates, is lack-
ing in protein does a high protein feed have a value above
the value of a low protein feed, having the same digestible
nutrients per ton, except that the high protein feed always
has the greatest manurial value.

CoRN AND Its By-Propucts: With the above introduc-
tion 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 comes 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 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 some-
what 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 he used as a high protein feed and naturally
is classed with cottonseed meal where bulk is not needed.
Distillers’ grains would be chosen if bulk is needed in the
mixture.

Hominy feed comes from the manufacture of corn foods
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 remaining after oil is expressed
from the germs or pits of the corn kernel.

WHEAT AND Its By-PRropucts: Wheat gives us several
medium protein by-products. Ground wheat itself falls into
the low protein class. Wheat bran, standard wheat mid-
dlings, flour wheat middlings, and red dog flour are all sepa-
rated mechanically in the process of flour making from
wheat. They increase in total digestible matter and decrease
in bulkiness in the order named. The finer products

Page Twenty

Feeding Dairy Cattle
are not so good in dairy rations as wheat bran. However,
all may be used if the total bulk of the mixture is properly
maintained 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 result would be wheat
nixed feed from such milling. Good mixed feed is niore
valuable than wheat bran.

Rye By-Propucrs: Rye mixed feed is practically the
only by-product from rye. It is a medium protein feed of
practically the same value as wheat mixed feed but is net so
palatable.

BarLey By-Propucrs: Ground barley is in the low pro-
tein class and is as valuable as corn or hominy feed. When
manufactured into beer we get two by-products, malt sprouts
and brewers’ dried grains. Both these feeds are bulky and
high in protein. ‘They are both more valuable than wheat
bran but are not so valuable as such high protein grains as
distillers’ dried grains and gluten feed. There seems to be
a prejudice against malt sprouts and brewers’ dried grains
but if fed by weight it will be found that they are valuable.
They are so bulky that one is deceived and apt to underesti-
mate their value when fed by measure. Malt sprouts wet
up are valuable as a source of succulence when one has no
silage. In the opinion of the writer these feeds when prop-
erly mixed with others, have a value commensurate with
their content of total digestible nutrients.

Oat By-Propucts: In the milling of oats the 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 not too
many hulls are present. Ground oats are often made from
light oats. The writer has seen a difference 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.

SOTTONSEED MAL, LINSEED OrL MEAL AND MISCELLAN-
EOUS By-Propucts: Cottonseed meal arises in the production
of cottonseed oil from cottonseed. It is a very valuable
by-product of the high protein group. It is much like gluten

Page Twenty-one

Feeding Dairy Cattle
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 manu-
facture of linseed oil. This feed has a great value because
of its laxative 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 diges-
tible nutrients.

Dried beet pulp is very valuable, particularly when suc-
culent 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 salvage 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 before it is milled and
when of good quality consist mainly of 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 arule 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 partic-
ular feed or not. The experiment station of nearly every
state publishes a bulletin on the analysis of the feeds used
in that state. Every reader of THE Wor~p should provide
himself with these tables of analysis and buy on analysis and
on the content of total digestible nutrients. Agricultural
newspapers, experiment stations, farm bureaus all are 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

Page Twenty-two

Feeding Dairy Cattle

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
Distillers’ dried grains ..............025- 1778

GIUCeM: MSA ees ara vcemitesraenaee arene oan ces 1680
Gluten: feed) sasiccisiacieoen meg eens cedeews 1614
Brewers’ dried grains ...............0005 1314
Malt, SPPOUES: sisi scesied esnicenes ocasnnesstnehtueconntecwaordas 1412
Buckwheat middlings .................... 1532
Prime cottonseed meal .................. 1510
Linseed oil meal ............ cee eee eee e eee 1558
Medium Protein
Germ oil meal. ccseeecds ceded aus ew eires 1650
Wheat, bran. 22 scciesietsceee Beer dowss 1218
Standard wheat middlings .............. 1386
Flour wheat middlings .................- 1564
Red’ dog four secdcuexaxeriensagecasren sx 1584
Wheat mixed feed..................0.0055 1340
Bye Wined T6bd. ...ccaudekns cuemhun gene ne 1490
Low Protein
Corn, and cob Me@al.scieccuwcceeencsveeivs 1562
ORM TCA ssciisacsnistitne dvds eve atasatendtonaunraaemeuncar 1676
POW TOON acct keeles a haielse makin wole we aaw 1692
Corn: “Oran: x ays einen sanders acchge eginen me geatin'd g 1462
‘Ground “Wheat « ani5+ cis ese oe wwase meee 1602
PRG POS 6 ci cw awk pware ve Reatiedncan awe 1620
GROUME: “DAPIOY | ecco. uiiscevercnvs receuaudieusWrerinnpmne 1588
round OalS casee ged +eueewetes weer ake s 1408
Ground buckwheat <)ccosessen sew eace neds 1268
Dried beet pulp ....03 0. 2.84% 6000s ws dee es 1432
IMIGTASSES?, co. iciscn cus desd sisarlons cigub daiem ousahiieusoines Sbaual ork) 1184
Wheat. Screenings: cise aauresonaeegesnecee eters 1340

IV. The Selection and Value of Concentrates

Y WAY of introduction to this paper a few of the
B 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 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 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
Page Twenty-three

Feeding Dairy Cattle

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. Today 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 limits. \We now set the
limits at 1 :4.5 and 1:6.0. It is even thought that in sec-
tions 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 condi-
tions. 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 I :3.0 are fed. We have no
adverse criticism of this practice. It is suggested, however,
that cows on such narrow rations should be carefully
watched.

The new thoughts of scientists, borne out by practical feed-
ing 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 manu-
facturing 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 specifi-
cally on this point, but at present we can only advise a
variety of proteins, ,

Again the mineral matter in rations is receiving consid-
erable attention and study. To insure a sufficient and suit-
able 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 recent
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

Page Twenty-four

Feeding Dairy Cattle
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 considera-
tion all the other factors.

To make this lesson clear and concrete we will take
typical quotations and select the six feeds that are truly the
cheapest. ‘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 typical 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:

3 8 3
n = eo

Fy erase Fe Fe i weedy

s «geeegs Sf 5S. «68S BS

Be Beutel ge 928 ¢, sone

Feed {8 @€8sis2 2 so za Zese

Corn meal....... $35.30 1676 $2.09 $3.37 $31.93 $1.91
Hominy. . » 2. « 38.00 1692 1.95 4.62 28.38 1.68
Gluten feed. ..... 28.75 1614 1.78 7.91 20.84 1.28
Malt sprouts ..... 25.25 1412 1.79 10.10 15.15 1.07
Wheat mixed feed . . 28.00 1340 2.09 6.08 21.92 1.64
Flour middlings . . . . 30.25 1564 1.94 5.13 25.12 1.60
Distillers’ dried grains 130.50 1778 1.72 9.43 21.07 1.18
Wheat bran. ..... 25.50 1218 2.09 7.81 17.69 1.45
Ground barley ..... 35.00 1588 2.20 4.42 30.58 1.93
Ground oats . . ... 82.80 1408 2.30 4.53 28.27 2.00
Brewers’ dried grains 27.50 1314 2.09 8.37 19.13 1.49
Cottonseed meal . . . 387.00 1564 2.37 15.87 21.13 1.36
Oil meal... .... 387.00 i 1558 2.37 11.87 25.18 1.62
‘Dried beet pulp... . 27.00 1432 1.89 3.01 23.99 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 carbohydrates,
and the pounds of digestible fat after the fat has been multi-
plied 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. Tio make this selection easy the fourth column
is given. ‘This column gives us the cost of 100 pounds of
_Page Twenty-five

Feeding Dairy Cattle

total digestible nutrients in each of these feeds. For example,
$2.09 is the cost of too 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 con-
servative prices at present, and on the same basis as given
in the article on Manurial Values.

Every farmer when he is thinking of buying feeds should
prepare 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 haye his Farm Bureau Mana-
ger 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 Reading Course bulletin 117 gives
all the necessary data for this.) ‘The pounds of total diges-
tible 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 rela-

tive 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 sug-

gest the following as a good mixture:
500 lbs. distillers’ dried grains
400 lbs. gluten feed
500 lbs. hominy feed
300 lbs. wheat bran
300 lbs. of 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

Page Twenty-six

Feeding Dairy Cattle

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.

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 sugges-

tion is made on this basis:
400 lbs. distillers’ dried grains
400 lbs. gluten feed
200 Ibs. brewers’ dried grains
300 lbs. wheat bran
500 lbs. hominy feed
200 Ibs. 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. There-
fore the main part of this article shall be a plea for silage on
every dairy farm.

Early each spring every farmer should plan 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. Estimat-
ing thirty pounds per head per day for 180 days’ feeding. a
siio which will hold 100 tons will furnish silage enough for
liberal feeding for a herd of 35 mature cows or the equivalent.
Page Twenty-Seven

Feeding Dairy Cattle

A silo 16 feet in diameter and 30 feet deep will hold upwards
of 100 tons with some allowance for settling from the top
after filling.

The yield per acre of good varieties of corn for silage on
good land will average eight to ten tons per acre. ‘Therefore
plan for ten acres of corn if you have 35 cows, build a good
silo and be on a firm foundation for feeding in the winter.

Silage is the cheapest forage that can be grown. To
prove this a comparison is made with hay. Silage is worth
for feeding, one-third the value of good clover hay. This is
a safe and simple way of calculating the value of silage and
may be shown to be true in several ways.

1. There are 354 pounds of total digestible nutrients in
one ton of corn silage; in one ton of red clover hay, 1,018
pounds of total digestible nutrients. Therefore, on this
basis three tons of silage are more than equal to one ton of
hay. If hay is worth $12 per ton, silage is worth $4 per ton.

2. Look at the cost of production of silage. Can it be
produced for $4 per ton?

The best estimate to which the author has access is the
following table taken from “Feeds and Feeding” by Henry
& Morrison. ‘This shows the cost well below $4 per ton:

COST PER ACRE OF CORN SILAGE

Minnesota Illinois Ohio
“Olacres 147 acres 115 acres
4

and: ental. ciycoccinencs demehae seeded se eee $3.75 $5.28 $3.81
Manure or fertilizers. «ssi. scene a se ceccna vox aes 3.73 1.46
SOCG: die decane pats witha eas © chasbnainnnsaMangausnadnus uae Se 1.06 42 28
Labor growing and cutting crop............. 5.19 12.26 14.63
Gabor TWINS SiO. -osccicecwansarvrnwrsieadowideeas aere vers
PUSWAIUGH - cctphiasiee eeepdiasinin. Gesyaterh aresancihiels GUABALS TAMER SS 86 41 18
Coal, | vcccatss num te eatin d yu eR Ta ER aoe eee 42 46 25
Rental of power for cutter ................ ae oe rs 1.86
Interest and depreciation on farm machinery 1.56 L768 1.34
IMISCEIIABEOUS © feceisccse aeaicsaerttintuav, prmeeacecalsorngsl a aca 1.13 58 42
Total cost DOr SeTbicsc sr cx saved enue $18.98 $26.11 $23.73
Cost per ton, 10 tons per acre....... $1.90 $2.62 Cpa

Computed in another way, one ton of silage in the corn
belt will contain 5 bushels of corn at $.50, equals $2.s0, pius
$1 per ton of putting the corn into the silo, equals $3.50 per
ton. This again checks below one-third the value of hay.
(ther methods may be used in checking up and in every case
it will be found that silage is the cheapest roughage pro-
duced, considering its value from the point of succulence
which means health and milk with dairy cows, and food wale.

A second great point in favor of silage is the cost and
ease of storage. This is shown easily by a comparison with
the storage of hay. A 100 ton silo 16 x 30 feet will have in it

Page Twenty-eight

Feeding Dairy Cattle

6,040 cubic feet. To store the equivalent of 30 tons of hay
will require 15,000 cubic feet of barn room at least as costly
in construction.

This brings up the question of first cost for those who
must build new silos. A careful study of the comparative
costs of the different types of silos based on the 100 ton size
yields the following data:

Wooden stave silos cost $1.50 per ton capacity; solid
concrete type $2.50 per ton; cement block $4 per ton, and
vitrified hollow tile $5.50 per ton. If we add this cost of the
silo to the cost of production given above, a valuation of $4
per ton for the silage covers the entire cost of a stave silo in
one year. ‘Therefore can any dairyman afford to be without
silage?

The next great question is the question of hay. Com-
puted from the r91o0 census, the following table gives the
average yield per acre from alfalfa, clover, timothy and corn
on an air dry basis:

RETURN PER ACRE OF ALFALFA AND OTHER CROPS

Yield per Dig. crude Total dig.

aere, lbs. protein, lbs. nutrients, lbs.
ATP AIES: HAY cscs saeassa, ie apsranations 5040 529 72
Clover: Nay vice. cases ncaes 2440 183 1263
Timothy Nay ... sccaaete aie eu 2440 68 1174
Corn’ (ears and stover) ....8440 140 1964

This shows in no uncertain way why the acreage of alfalfa
has doubled during the last ten years and put this crop ahead
of any other dry roughage. Alfalfa hay forms the best sup-
plement to corn silage. The man who has both alfalfa and
corn silage has gone a long way in solving his feeding prob-
lems. ‘Therefore after planning for silage all dairy farmers
should turn their attention to the production of alfalfa. We
need not go into detail. A glance which shows the compara-
tive production of total digestible nutrients per acre and the
comparative production of digestible protein is all that is
needed. ‘hen couple this evidence with the fact that the
alfalfa crop is perennial through at least five years when a
good stand is secured. Therefore the foundation is silage
and alfalfa.

\ very significant statement was once made to the writer
by a New York farmer who had had much experience with
alfalfa in the alfalfa belt. He said: “If you will do as much
for the clover plant as you are willing to do for the alfalfa
plant in the way of preparation of the seed bed, lime, ete., the
clover plant will do as much for you.” ‘There is a chance
for much reflection on this. We do a great deal for alfalfa.
Perhaps if we were more careful of our clover and did a little
Page Twenty-nine

Feeding Dairy Cattle

more for it, it would greatly repay us. This gentleman
practices a short rotation of clover, potatoes, corn, oats and
clover again. When asked if he did not want a hay crop
which would stay down more than one year, he said he
wanted the clover sod for his potatoes. On some fields he
seeded timothy with the clover and used the timothy for a
cash crop. Timothy and mixed grasses are a very poor sub-
stitute for clover or alfalfa hay for feeding dairy cattle.

Soy beans, cowpea hay and hay from oats and peas are all
crops that may be utilized for a leguminous roughage for
next winter.

Every breeder of Holstein-Friesian cattle should enter his
animals for advanced registry. A valuable roughage to have
on hand for this purpose to supplement silage and hay is
roots. The best feeders advise the growing of the “Detroit
Red” table beet for this purpose. Mangels will yield more
per acre. ‘“Norbiton Giant” is a large red variety of man-
gels for fall and early winter feeding, and “Golden Tankard”
is a yellow variety which keeps better for late winter and
spring feeding. Potatoes may be used, but ordinarily are
not worth more than 15 cents a bushel compared with other
crops.

Some interest is being shown in sweet clover and perhaps
under special conditions this crop might be used.

Finally it may be said that the author wishes this thought
to stick, that roughage for dairy cattle for the greatest and
most economical production must come from a very few
common crops, and every farmer must bend his energies to
perfect his knowledge of the production of these rather than
seek new crops. These crops are: 1. Corn for silage. 2.
Alfalfa hay, or, failing this, clover hay. 3. Roots for special
high production of milk.

Nothing has been said on varieties except for roots or on
cultural methods. It is hard to make general statements on
these points in a short article. The author prefers to leave
these points to individual inquiry when the local conditions
pertinent to each farm may be stated.

VI. Curing Hay from the Standpoint of a Feeder

ITE farmer who raises hay to feed to his own stock has

a different problem from the farmer who raises hay to

sell. The latter has only one object in view, to raise

as much dry weight per acre as he can, of a quality which will
command a high price. The feeder is raising as much forage

Page Thirty

Feeding Dairy Cattle

as he can per acre most economically; he wishes to have the
hav as highly digestible as possible and as palatable as
possible.

The ideal hay from the feeders’ standpoint must be bright
in color and have a fine clean aroma. ‘These two factors are
important to make the hay properly palatable. If the hay
is to be highly digestible all of the leaves must be retained.
‘This is an important factor in the curing of all legumes. It
has been found at the Colorado Experiment Station that 40
to 60 per cent of the weight of alfalfa hay is in the leaves.
In these leaves are four-fifths of the protein and more than
one-half of the carbohydrates other than fiber, and more
than one-half of the fat. By careful work it was found that
under very favorable conditions, for every ton of hay taken
from the field, 350 pounds were lost in the leaves broken off.
In one instance,under unfavorable conditions, for 2000
pounds of hay cured 3000 pounds were lost in broken leaves
and stems, that is more was lost than saved. The portion
saved under such conditions is the less valuable part, the
woody stems and coarser leaves. The leaves of timothy and
other grasses do not break off easily.

The last factor of great importance is the freedom from
dust and mold. Under some circumstances on land that has
flowed or on new seeding the hay may be very dusty and
dirty due to dirt from an external source. But most of the
dust in hay comes from the growth of bacteria and molds.
These can only be kept down by proper care in curing.

With this introduction we may divide the rest of the dis-
cussion into two parts: 1. Some of the methods used in
making hay. 2. When to cut timothy, clover and alfalfa as
typical hay crops most generally raised.

Three things must take place in making hay: 1. ‘he
water content should be reduced to somewhat below 20 per
cent. There is some fermentation going on, caused by bac-
teria. 2. The curing process must control this so that the
aroma of the hay will be best to make the hay palatable and
so that there will be practically no dust. 3. Hay must be
exposed as little as possible to the sun to prevent bleaching.
This is again important from the standpoint of palatability.

Careful experiments have been made which show that
dried grass has the same nutritive value as fresh grass. ‘Two
portions of the same field have been cut and equal amounts
fed to a cow, one portion fresh and an equal portion of the
fresh material carefully dried before feeding. The milk pro-
duction was the same. In all practical cases, however. one
Page Thirty-one

Feeding Dairy Cattle

cannot cure hay without some exposure and loss, therefore
the cured hay never has quite the same feeding value as the
fresh material. The loss from the sun is comparatively
small. The greatest loss always occurs when bleaching
takes place from rain. In one experiment hay exposed to
three rains lost 60 per cent. of the crude protein, 41 per cent.
of the carbohyrates other than fiber, and 33 per cent. of the
fat. In this case 31.7 per cent. of the total dry matter was.
lost.

It is difficult to write any method of curing. Probably’
the ideal way to cure hay, particularly clover and alfalfa, is
to mow after the dew is off, then rake and cock the hay when
well wilted and while hot. Cock into small cocks. Then
open out the next day or the second day in large flakes, shak--
ing the hay as little as possible to prevent loss of leaves.
The main reason back of this process is that the leaves and
stems are still alive until nearly dry. The life processes still
go on and the one that helps in the curing is that the water
continues to move from the stems to the leaves. If the hay
is allowed to wilt too much the leaves will become com-
pletely dry before the stems have dried out sufficiently.
When well cocked this movement of water will continue and
leaves and stems all drop out together. In the cock, too,
about the right amount of fermentation will develop to give
the hay its best color and aroma. Of course by this method
bleaching is reduced to a minimum. If hay caps are used
perhaps it is best if the cocks are not disturbed at all the day
after the hay is cut. Many times the cocks may be opened
after the dew is off the next morning and the hav sufficiently
cured to be stored the day after it is cut. A modification of
this method is to cut the hay in the late afternoon, cock up
the next day and house it the next. In good weather these
methods work out very well.

Any modification in the interest of speed and economy
almost always means curing in the windrow without cock-
ing. ‘This is all right for mixed grasses, timothy and all hav
with a minimum of legumes in it. But thethods inyolyine
frequent tedding and much exposure to the sun, cause bleach-
ing and then in case of rain the very greatest loss because
of the maximum surface exposed. Exposure to dew is al-
ways bad except when freshly cut. When cut in the late
afternoon the first night’s exposure to dew does little harm.
A more extensive use of hay caps in the curing of legumes
will improve the quality of our legume hay very much. Hay
should be put into the barn as dry as possible but at the same

Page Thirty-two.

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Feeding Dairy Cattle

time there must be moisture enough to cause the hay to pack
well. The ability to decide just when hay is right to go in
is an art and no rule can be given. Authentic instances of
spontaneous combustion are on record, therefore one mu:

take no chance by puttng in the hay too green.
WHEN TO CUT TIMOTHY, CLOVER AND ALFALFA

The proper time to cut hay is when the largest yield per
acre can be obtained commensurate with highest quality.
With timothy hay this is when in full bloom. ‘The Missouri
Station in an experiment showing average results for three

seasons gives us the best data:
YIELD OF TIMOTHY CUT AT DIFFERENT STAGES
Dry matter Total digestible

per acre ,|lbs. matter, Ibs.
Coming into blossom............... 3411
WUll DIOOM. 0... esas s wine eo daise gaiaee ec 8 3964 2113
Seed formed ..........e cece eee eee 4089 2030
Seed in dough ........... cece eevee 4038 1914
SGe@d TIPS ics gis cei Peas semen 3747 1754

It will be seen that at full bloom the most digestible mat-
ter is yielded. ‘The farmer who wishes to sell his hay would
not cut it until after the seed had formed in order to get the
greatest yield of dry matter per acre. Practice tells us that
for feeding most animals the early cut timothy is the best.
Horses. however, may utilize to good advantage hay cut
later. A like table from Illinois and Pennsylvania gives com-

parable results on red clover:
YIELD AND NUTRIENTS IN AN ACRE OF MEDIUM RED CLOVER.
Yield of hay Total

Stare of growth when cut per acre, lbs. nutrients, lbs.

Tllinois—Hunt:

PUT). DIO OMS es. oad ane awed w che 3600 2309

Heads three-fourths dead ...... 3260 2231
Pennsylvania—Jordan:

Heads in bloom ................ 4210 3419

Some heads dead .............. 4141 3202

Heads all dead ................ 3915 3153

This shows that the proper time to cut clover is when in
full bloom.

With alfalfa a different problem is involved. Here the
second crop must be considered. T'wo general rules are
observed: 1. Cut when about one-tenth in bloom. 2. Cut
when new shoots appear at the crown. In general it seems
best to observe the second rule in the interest of the next
crop. In many sections it is practically impossible to cure
the first crop of alfalfa. Although apart from the subject of
hay making it may be mentioned here that one way to con-
serve this first crop under unfavorable weather conditions is
to put it into the silo as one would put in corn. The result-
ing silage is not as valuable as corn silage but is a valuable
silage nevertheless.

Page Thirty-three

Feeding Dairy Cattle

Finally, not enough thought is given to the relation
between quality of hay and its nutritive value. High nutritive
value is always found in the best cured hay. Hay making
as an art or science is something more than simply getting
the hay dry enough to go into the barn.

VII. When to Cut Corn for Silage

HE determination of the proper time for cutting corn for
silage has passed through an interesting history.
When silage was first made it was thought that the
corn plant must be very green in order to make proper silage
and much of the valuable part of the crop was lost as we
shall see. As silos have become more and more common the
corn plant has been harvested later and later, until now it is
the custom, and the proper one, to wait as long as possible in
order to get more maturity, with increased keeping qualities.
In order to study the subject carefully and to find out the
reason for the practice of waiting until the corn is as near
mature as possible we must study the nutrient content of the
corn plant at different stages of maturity.
This is best shown in a table taken from “Modern Silage
Methods”, published by the Silver Co., Salem, Ohio:

. Tasseled Silked Milk Glazed Ripe
Yield per acre July 20 Aug. 9 Aug, 21 Sept. 7 Sept. 25
lbs. Ibs. Ihs lbs Ihe
Gross weight ........ 18045.0 25745.0 32600.0 32295.0 28460.0
Water in the crop... 16426.0 22666.0 27957.0 25093.0 20542.0
DEY MALE esses, wroa.c 2619.0 3078.0 4643.0 (202.0 7918.0
PES colt mar eecmnanidcinon tartateuks 138.9 201.3 232.2 802.5 364.2
Crude protein ...... 239.8 436.8 478.7 643 9 677.8
Biber’ 2cash ia eee cary 514.2 872.9 1262.0 2755.9 1734.0
INE Sea BR, calapacee Saapasiec tee ig 653.9 1399.3 2441.3 3239.8 4827.6
(Starch, sugar, etc.)

Crude: Bat canaries a3 712.2 167.8 228.9 260.0 214.3

A careful study of this table will show some very interest-
ing things. The huge increase in the amount of dry matter
per acre comes between the milk stage and the glazing stage.
There is a still further increase before ripening. After the
glazing stage there is a change in the carbohydrates. The
amount of fiber per acre drops more than 1000 Ibs. before
the corn is ripe, and the more soluble carbohydrates, starches
sugars, etc., increase more than 1500 lbs. An increase in the
dry matter per acre, with every day up to maturity, tells us
that the later we put off putting the corn into the silo up is
the time the corn is ripe, the more food per acre we are get-
ting in our crop. All groups of nutrients except the fiber
show an increase with every day and the loss in fiber is more

Page Thirty-four

Feeding Dairy Cattle

than made up by the increase in other carbohydrates. Fiber
is the hardest nutrient to digest and the percentage of fiber
that is digested is less than the percentage of any other
nutrient. Therefore the total digestibility of the corn plant
will increase towards maturity.

From the average of twenty-one careful trials, with more
than twelve different varieties of corn, it has been found thai
between tasseling and ripening the dry matter in the plant
will increase 193 per cent., the crude protein 98 per cent.
These averages have been compiled from several sources and
bear out the statements given in detail above in the table.
It is seen that when the plant has reached its full height. it
has really only begun to store up food for use in the form of
silage. These tables show conclusively how foolish it is to
grow corn of large varieties for silage, and how much better
it is to plant the corn no thicker than to allow it to mature
fully, with the largest possible proportion of ears.

Therefore, due to the larger proportion of food value as
corn approaches maturity, we can say without any doubt, that
the time to cut corn for silage is as near maturity as possible.
The only reason for not waiting until the corn is ripe is that
there is danger that the silage may not pack well. This may
be overcome in part by the addition of water, as will be dis-
cussed under treatment suggested for frosted corn.

A third reason, apart from the increased amount of nutri-
ents and less fiber, is in the fact that there is more of the
carbohydrates in the form of starch as the plant approaches
maturity than in the form of sugar. This fact has an
important bearing on the keeping quality of the silage. The
more sugar there is present the farther fermentation will go
and the more acid will result. The better quality of silage is
that that is least acid. Then, too, the losses in food value
which occurred in the silage after it was stored in the silo,
in the early days, often ran as high as 20 per cent. Accord-
ing to the best authorities, the loss need not be above five
per cent. if the corn is reasonably mature before cutting and
the silage is properly packed. The writer has many times
seen gallons of liquid nearly of the consistency of syrup, run
out from the bottom of silos when the corn was put in too
green. The silage in such a silo is sure to be very acid.
While not injurious, acid silage is not so palatable, certainly
not so nutritious, and indicates that there has been a greater
loss than necessary in the silage after storage.

Page Thirty-five

Feeding Dairy Cattle
SILAGE FROM FROSTED CORN.

In the colder parts of the top tier of states in the United
States, if we are going to leave our corn in the field until it
is fully glazed, or even later, often it is going to get frosted.
There is now enough experience on this point to enable us to
say that frosted corn will make just as good silage as other
corn if properly cared for. First, the corn that has been
frosted must be cut at once, because if left in the fields it will
shatter and lose some in this way if it dries out too much.
Then if the frosted corn is rained on very much the same
losses will occur as would occur if the corn were cut and
shocked.

When frosted corn is cut into the silo water enough must
be added to make the silage pack well. Practically it is
nearly impossible to do this unless the blower type of silage
cutter is used. Then the water is introduced into the blower
and the silage is thoroughly and evenly wet. Water enough
will be added if a good stream, without much pressure, is run
into the blower with a three-quarter-inch hose. The writer
has had two years’ experience with silage made from frosted
corn in this way and when fed it could not be distinguished
from ordinary silage.

We would advise, then, that when there is a blower
cutter available and a stream of water that can be intro-
duced into the blower, corn should be allowed to mature
beyond the glazed stage before it is cut. We would even
suggest that some chance be taken with early frosts in
order to get a more matured plant with the very evidently
greater food value than there is if cutting is put off until
the kernels are fully glazed.

VIII. The Ideal Ration For a Dairy Cow

HE, point of view in this paper is the proper ration for

a dairy cow after she has freshened and is in full fow

of milk. How shall we feed her to get maximum
production? Farmers wish to know what is the “best” dairy
ration. The answer must always be in terms of the sur-
roundings on each person's own farm. Perhaps it will be
best to begin the discussion with a definition of the “hest”
dairy ration. That ration is the best which will bring about
the greatest producton at the least cost, and in looking at
production in these davs we must look at the records +hat
the cows make as well as the actual milk produced. There
is more money in the record and in the offspring than in the

Page Thirty-six

leeding Dairy Cattle

milk itself. The best breeders of purebreds look at the milk
as a by-product.

Before the ration itself can be considered, a breeder must
look to the conditions surrounding his herd. We will only
stop to consider these for a moment and just barely call
attention to them. These things are five: kindness, light, pure
air, pure water and an abundance of salt.

I'very animal in a dairy herd, which is well managed, will
be so tame that the owner and attendants may catch her
easily at any time in the open lot. A dog, be he ever so
gentle, is of little use in connection with a dairy herd. A
club or whip has no place in a dairy barn.

Light and ventilation explain themselves. We must sup-
ply all the light and pure air possible. It is not costly to
provide light in a stable, neither is it very costly to provide
very efficient means of ventilation in old stables if the owner
is a live, hustling manager with his mind open to the best in
his power for the comfort of his animals. All the dairy
papers and experiment stations are ready at any time to help
and suggest means of bettering stable conditions with plans
which may be had for the asking. Most of these plans are
simple and economical and farmers are fully sapaite of put-
ting them into execution.

‘Cows should be watered at least twice a day. The water
should be pure and at all times of year it should be free from
ice. If cows have a place to drink where ice does not form,
and when they are watered twice a day, it does not seem
necessary to artificially warm the water. The danger is to
avoid chilling the animal so that she will not have to stand
and shiver after drinking. Any system which will furnish
pure water and which works so that the cow gets all that she
requires, at least twice in twenty-four hours, is a good water-
ing system.

A cow should be furnished with about one ounce of salt
every day. The practice of our best dairymen varies. The
writer would suggest feeding each cow about two ounces
three times a week, either in the grain feed or simply thrown
into the manger any time during the day. So much for five
fundamental conditions which must be made right in every
herd for the best results. We may now turn our attention
to the consideration of the ration itself.

In this series of papers on feeding we like to be definite
even if the papers are not so smooth in their general effect.
In considering the formulation of an ideal ration, there are
seven factors, that should be considered. They are:

Page Thirty-seven

Feeding Dairy Cattle

1. Bulk.

2. Digestibility of the feeds.

3. The relation of the nutrients—that is, the “balance” or

nutritive ratio of the ration.

4. The variety of feeds.

5. The suitability of the feeds to the animal and the

products.

6. The palatability of the feeds.

7. The cost of the ration.

1. Bulk. Dairy cattle demand a certain amount of bulk
in the ration. This is secured by feeding succulent feeds.
Dry grain and hay do not meet this condition or factor.
Therefore silage or roots must be fed, and to meet ideal con-
ditions we must furnish both. This is closely connected
with the factor of palatability, a succulent ration is more pal-
atable to a dairy cow. A good definite rule is to feed one
pound of dry roughage per hundred pounds of live weight.
When feeding both silage and roots, more than this may be
advisable.

2. Digestibility. We should always try to arrange the
crops so that the most highly digestible feeds will be avail-
able. Roughage must be fed, but the hay must always be
well cured. There is probably no chance for straw in an
ideal ration. The concentrates must not be too bulky.
About one pound to the quart is a good rule to follow in the
mixing of grain rations.

3. Relation of the nutrients. Much has been said con-
cerning the balancing of rations and the nutritive ratio. The
writer believes that the nutritive ratio should not be outside
of 1:4.5 to 1:6. This means one pound of digestible protein
to 4.5 pounds to 6 of digestible carbohydrates and the fat in
the ration. Most farmers do not care to compute the nutri-
tive ratio of their ration or have not learned to do so. _ It is
advisable to know this because this relation is very important.
However, if we make sure that at least one-half the grain
mixture is made from foods containing 20 per cent. of crude
protein, the nutritive ratio will fall between the limits 1 3 to
1:6 in almost every case. i

4. Variety. No ration has sufficient variety unless there
are three grains in the mixture. A good check is to have
three or more grains in the mixture and to have at least four
plants represented in the whole ration, taking into considera-
tion in this check both the roughage and the concentrates.
This is important in getting a sufficient amount of mineral
matter and all the different nutrients required.

Page Thirty-eight

Feeding Dairy Cattle

5. Feeds suitable to the individual animal and to the
product are always necessary.

6. Palatability is very important in large production.
Here is the place where the individuality of the animal is
concerned. In a general herd ration, if there is succulent
food in abundance at all times of year, the ration will be
palatable to practically every individual and it is probably
not worth while to have more than one general mixture.
In feeding a cow an ideal ration for a special record, it is best
to study her whims and personal likes. If roots can be pro-
vided, the most palatable way to feed the grain is on sliced
roots.

7. Most important of all to most farmers is the factor of
cost. ‘The more valuable the animal and the more we can
get for the offspring, the less we need to look at the cost of
the ration. Ifa man is keeping the cows that meet the ideal
that he should have, he can afford to feed them all they can
eat of the very best foods all the time. However, ideal
rations may be selected with a great deal of attention paid to
relative costs. ‘The method of choosing concentrates has
been given and need not be repeated here.

Lastly, must be mentioned the amount to be fed. On
full production with good cows, it is hardly necessary to men-
tion this—it will be found the most economical practice in
the end to feed for the first six months of the lactation period
all the grain the cow can consume. Of course, this means
all she will consume according to her normal appetite and
“does not mean crowding. About one pound of grain to three
and one-half pounds of milk will ordinarily be sufficient.

With the above rules in mind, the following ration is sug-
gested as approaching the ideal for a cow weighing 1100
pounds and producing forty pounds of milk per day, testing
3.5 per cent. butterfat:

10 pounds alfalfa hay

30 pounds corn silage

30 pounds mangels (sliced)
12 pounds grain

This grain mixture is suggested:
500 pounds distillers’ dried grains
300 pounds gluten feed
200 pounds wheat bran
200 pounds ground oats
400 pounds hominy feed
200 pounds oil meal
200 pounds cottonseed meal

The writer is fully aware that in the above, the oats, the
oil meal and the cottonseed meal are high in price, but in this

Page Thirty-nine

Feeding Dairy Cattle
paper the ideal ration is being considered, and the above
ration is the best that we know how to put together.

For those who would not wish to mix so complicated a
mixture, the mixture given before will check with the factors

concerned:
500 pounds hominy
500 pounds distillers’ dried grains
500 pounds wheat mixed feed
300 pounds gluten feed
200 pounds oil meal

If roots are not available it might be well to purchase
dried beet pulp and soak up about three or four pounds per
cow and feed the grain on this soaked beet pulp in place of
sliced roots.

In case no roots or beet pulp are fed, a little more grain
would be advisable.

IX. Feeding in Summer

DAIRYMAN thinks about his cows relatively little in
summer. He gets up in the morning, milks them and
turns them out, takes the milk to the milk station and

ships it and takes what he can get for it, trusting that the
Dairymen’s League will market his milk for him to the best
advantage. He then does his farm work during the day
and gets the cows up again in the afternoon, milks thei and
turns them out nights, if he thinks he can find them all right
in the morning. If they fall off in milk and get a little thin,
he does not think much about it except momentarily. The
hair is smoother and the skin is more mellow, the general
physical condition is much better and the owner does not
realize that his cow is really going down in flesh.

The cow on the other hand, is likely to find the summer
season one of little relief to her. She is required to get out
and gather her own meals, in many cases does not have
proper relief from heat, through good shade, and in any
case has to fight the flies. If she is a fall cow, she is not only
supposed to produce highly, but she is supposed to grow her
calf. All these duties and troubles pull her down. She puts
all she can into the pail, because good pasture is a great
incentive to high milk production. However, during July
and August, she is likely to slacken up. —

GRAIN MIXTURES FOR COWS IN MILK

It is the writer’s belief that the best outlay of money for
feeds is that expended for the grain which is given to cows
and young stock while on pasture after the first of July.
There is no evidence to support the feeding of much grain

Page Forty

Feeding Dairy Cattle

to cows and young stock previous to the first of July, when
the pasture grasses begin to dry up. During flush of pas-
ture, when the grasses are at their best, cows will eat enough
of them and make the best use of pasture, unless they are
extremely high producers. In that case, the chances are
‘that the animal will not have the capacity to hold enough of
the green grass to furnish her with the material from which
to make large quantities of milk. But the general run of
cows will be able to produce 40 to 50 pounds of milk a day
on pasture grass, during June.

Now, the thing to do is to keep these cows producing
during July and August at the same rate. The first thing to
do is to spray the cows thoroughly. We cannot recommend
any specific mixture. here are several on the market and
the writer has tried out two or three of them with good
succcess. About all one can do is to pick the best one he
knows and use it as intelligently as possible. It is probably
not possible to spray the cows more than once a day after
milking in the morning and again at night.

The mixture of concentrates to be fed on pasture does
not present a very serious question. Enough must be fed
with the green crops or silage to maintain the milk flow.
Do not let the cows shrink. A somewhat heavier mixture
may be fed than in winter if the market considerations should
demand such. ‘The concentrates should be chosen as indi-
cated in the earlier articles in this series. High protein feeds
should constitute one-half the mixture of concentrates and
bulky foods about one-third the mixture by weight. If the
market would indicate such a choice, the following would
serve the purpose to good advantage:

500 pounds corn meal

400 pounds distillers’ dried grains
500 pounds mixed feed

400 pounds gluten feed

200 pounds cottonseed meal

Some authorities think it is not necessary to make a high
protein mixture for pasture feeding, because the pasture
grass as taken by the cow provides more protein than hay
Therefore, we can make good use of the cheaper wheat feeds

and corn feeds.

A mixture I am suggesting for dairy cows in summer to
make a larger use of wheat and corn feeds is as follows:

300 pounds wheat bran
300 pounds hominy

300 pounds gluten

100 pounds oil meal

Page Forty-one

Feeding Dairy Cattle

Sometime ago, the Cornell University Experiment Sta-
tion made quite an extensive study of the feeding of concen-
trates on pasture. To briefly summarize the result of their
experience we would find about what has been suggested,
that during the flush of pasture the extra material obtained,
did not pay for the feed, but after the flush was over, that
grain feeding paid.

There is a secondary result from the feeding of grain on
pasture. It was found in the Cornell experiments that in
the second year the cows that had received grain while on
pasture the year before, did better than those that received
no grain. The second summer all cows were fed alike, all
cows being fed grain on pasture. The previous vear one
group had received grain and the other no grain. Professor
Roberts was certain that the feeding of grain to one group
carried over into the next summer. Professor Roberts holds.
that the benefit of pasture was an especially marked one in
the development of the voung stock. This showed up in
their greater production, greater size and stretch over those
receiving no grain on pasture.

Professor Eckles, in his book gives the following table
for feeding a Holstein cow on pasture:

25: pounds: milky ays sees os aise seats <3 3 pounds grain
80 pounds Milk daily: vacua s oxen snore 4 pounds grain
OO POUNGS: MINE GAN Yoo sence veg erduandoata cece 5% pounds grain
40 pounds: Milk day... ce ies eae ean 4 7 pounds grain
SU PONNES TMK DAU cxweraa kwe owe 9 pounds grain

This, of course, applies only when pastures are abundant.
The poorer the pasture the more necessary would be the feed-
ing of grain and the amounts would approach the amounts
fed in the winter.
GRAIN MIXTURES FOR YOUNG CATTLE
We know of no grain mixture for young cattle on pasture

which is anv better than the following:

30 pounds wheat bran

20 pounds ground oats

30 pounds hominy

10 pounds oil meal

A good mixture without the oats would be:

300 pounds wheat bran

500 pounds hominy

200 pounds oil meal

X. Succulent Feeds to Supplement Pasture

T IS a well known fact among dairymen that cows that
] once go down in milk do not readily come back again.
It does not seem to be enough, however, to feed concen-
trates entirely as a supplement, nor is it economical to do so.
Page Forty-tivo

Feeding Dairy Cattle

It seems to be as necessary to provide succulent feed, concen-
trates and perhaps some dry roughage, at this time when the
cows are on pasture, as it is in winter when the cows are in
the barn.

The writer is of the opinion that it is good practice to
feed some hay in summer when the pastures begin to go dry.
Some dairymen think it best to feed a little hay even at the
flush of pasture. The writer is of this opinion but does not
urge the practice, but would merely call it to the attention of
dairymen as a subject for thought and perhaps trial.

We are convinced, however, that the cheapest and most
convenient way to supplement pasture is to feed silage.
Here are some of the reasons: First, it has been conclu-
sively demonstrated in several trials that the cows will pro-
duce as much, seem as comfortable and keep up their appe-
tites just as well when fed silage and grain and perhaps a
little hay when on pasture, as when fed green crops, grain
and hay when on pasture. Second, from any experiments
that the writer has seen, the cost has always been in favor
of the silage.

There is every reason to believe the two main facts just
cited. In addition: (1) It is difficult to get proper suc-
cession of crops so that each is in its choicest condition when
fed. Some crops will have to be fed when a little too green,
others will have to be held too long. (2) It is necessary to
plant small areas at different times, which is a nuisance in
busy seasons. (3) When pastures suffer from drought the
worst, and green crops are most needed, the green crops also
yield poorly. With silage, an abundance of succulent feed
is carried from year to year, and the effect of drought easily
and most economically offset. (4) Green crops must be
harvested in small quantities in all kinds of weather. It is
practically necessary to harvest some every day because it is
impossible to pile them even in small piles without some loss
in palatability.

When silage is grown large fields are fitted most econom-
ically. The best use of labor and machinery is made in plant-
ing, cultivating, and harvesting the crop. Silage is of uni-
formly high quality at all times. Greater yields per acre are
obtained with silage than with many crops used in a green
crop system.

The only reason the author can find in favor of the grow-
ing of green crops, to supplement silage, is the value of
variety in the ration, and the fact that it may not be best to
feed a cow continuously on silage the year round. She will
Fage Forty-thre.

Feeding Dairy Cattle

get some rest, however, in a system with silage as the only
supplement, because in nearly every locality there is a flush
season of pasture when probably neither a succulent supple-
ment nor a grain supplement will be needed.

The method of supplementing pasture with silage alone,
grades into a second plan which involves the intermittent use
of the silo. Advantage is taken of alfalfa and clover and a
crop or two of peas and oats, when these crops are in prime
condition, and silage is used in between. There will be
some loss of silage in intermittent use, but the amount is
small when the silage is near the bottom of the silo, because
it is so tightly packed and fermentation has stopped. Care
should be taken to keep the surface of the silage level, and
to leave it as smooth and as little disturbed as possible when
pitching off the last lot, when planning to use a green crop
for a time. This plan has been used at Cornell University
with success and with little loss. Whichever plan is used,
the greatset success will be obtained if two silos are available,
one with a larger diameter for winter feeding and one with a
less diameter for summer feeding. The smaller the diameter
the less surface will be exposed at any time and consequently
the less chance of loss.

The third method of supplementing pasture will involve
the use of green crops alone, and means a succession through-
out the summer from about July 1st to November ist. Such
a succession may be obtained with the use of the following
crops. The table is computed on the basis of the needs of
50 cows. The table is adapted from a table given in “Feeds
and Feeding”, by Henry and Morrison, and is quoted from
Professor Voorhees of New Jersey. This plan, then, would
be applicable to the latitude of southern New York, New
Jersey, Pennsylvania, Ohio, etc.

— ie aes

cres seedi i
PCa: ANG - OatSrien- sc hea tite Riis fe uadedesoanene 0. 2 April 2° ane eh ceo
POASy ANG, AUS 3) 2.05 so.n: Ha-Stausiave soamiare Aceueta stk 2 April1l July 5-July 10
PEAS CANO, OATS sie cecst tera ereve rendicnnaitlesy saosin aad 5 April19 July 11-July 22
Southern. white: corm: «sgiavs ceaies gee veers 2 May 2 July 23-Aug. 3
Barnyard millet das vos os evew ches sas tices 2 Junel9 Aug. 4-Aug. 19
SOY WEANS: © sce. c.scccuestn ghoisu cing aetapheleit Mako. Sobene 1 Junel Aug. 20-Aug. 25
COW DPOalS ) sitinaehc < hima saa ad 1 June10 Aug. 26-Sept.1
Second cutting clover or third cutting alfalfa ...... Sept. 2-Sept. 16
Pearl millet: 2. csctanssamas oka 2 erate Geis 2 July1 Sept. 17-Oct.1
QOW: PEAS > 2.28.55 a veeslerel hi iedees) dukes wosndieatensl duaus leached 1 July 24 Oct. 1-Oct. 5
Mixéd 27ASSCS sac cciscaiwvenwiawsam iawn —boadias Oct. 5-Nov. 1

It is not claimed that the above outline is the best that
may be suggested. It is merely a suggestion to indicate the
crops that may be used for the purpose discussed in this

Page Forty-four

Feeding Dairy Cattle

paper, with the probable acreage needed for fifty cows, the
time of seeding, and the approximate time when the crop
would be in prime condition to be fed green. Each individ-
ual dairyman must work out his own system. All dairymen
must feed some supplementary feeds and can best plan their
work through the use of silage.

Attention should be calléd to the amount of succulent
forage crop that must be fed to secure the best results. In
the winter time we are accustomed to feed a cow 12 pounds
of hay daily and 35 pounds of corn silage together with a
good grain mixture. Twelve pounds of hay daily would
yield 10.5 pounds of dry matter; 35 pounds of corn silage
would furnish a cow with 9.2 pounds of dry matter; there-
fore, with this ration of hay and silage, she would be getting
approximtely 20 pounds of dry matter of the roughage a day.

Suppose that when on rather fair pasture in July and
August she gets one half of the necessary dry matter in the
roughage. ‘That means we must feed enough silage crop or
green crop to furnish to pounds of dry matter a day. Now
let us see how much of these succulent feeds will be needed
to furnish this to pounds of dry matter. Peas and oats,
green, have 22.6 pounds of dry matter in a hundred pounds:
green alfalfa about 20 pounds; green clover about 20 to 25
pounds; millet about 21 pounds; the corn fodders in the
tassel and milk stage about 15 to 20 pounds. Therefore, it
will be seen that to furnish this to pounds of dry matter, not
less than 40 pounds and in most cases, 60 pounds of fresh,
green roughage must be fed. I think that most feeders do
not realize this and are accustomed to feed a little of green
stuff once a day and expect a cow to get a whole lot out of
it. If you are going to provide green stuff for cows and
young stock, feed them liberally.

XI. Molasses as a Feed

HIS year, 1921, due to business conditions in general and
the sugar manufacturing business in short, molasses
has been a cheap feed and its sale is being pushed rather

hard by the different sugar and molasses companies. Now,
molasses is like every other feed. It is a valuable feed, if it
does not cost you very much and you should be posted.as to
its relative value. In this article, I will endeavor to give some

facts that may help.
CANE MOLASSES

When buying molasses, one should buy it with careful
attention to its composition and guarantee, just as in buying
Page Forty-five

Feeding Dairy Cattle

any other feed. .\ good cane molasses should have not over
21 to 22 per cent. water, not over 6 per cent. ash and not less
than 53 to 55 per cent. total sugar.

The total digestible nutrients in molasses of about this
composition add up to 1184 pounds to the ton. This shows
that on the basis of digestible material, molasses is worth
just about three-fourths the value of corn meal, and the price
one should pay for it might very well be based on this com-
parison. Another comparison would be with wheat bran.
There are in one ton of wheat bran, 1218 pounds of total
digestible nutrients. Therefore, one could not afford to pay
more per ton for molasses than good wheat bran. The wheat
bran has the added value of considerable protein and mineral
matter, which is not supplied in the molasses, the value of the
molasses being almost wholly in its sugar content.

Qf course, there is a value in molasses in that it tones up
the whole digestible system and keeps the bowels of the
animal in a free and open condition. Because of this physio-
logical effect and the fact that molasses helps to smooth up
the hair and make the skin more mellow, the first pound of
molasses that one feeds is more valuable than any other
pound. Therefore, as a conditioner, a little molasses in the
ration may be very valuable. This is particularly true if one
does not have corn silage.

Molasses is very valuable in feeding cows on advanced
registry tests and no feeder of a cow on test either for a short
or long period, tries to feed without molasses. It is not
usually fed to these test cows in a large amount, but is used to
the extent of two or three pounds daily. The molasses is
usually diluted with water, and the water used to soak up beet
pulp. A customary dilution is one quart of cane molasses to
ten quarts of warm water. Used in this way, molasses is
very valuable indeed, and is sought for, for this purpose. irre-
spective of cost.

In ordinary every day feeding, molasses is a little diffteult
to handle, unless one has a supply of hot water available at
all times. I think that it is good practice to feed all animals a
little molasses, particularly at the price that it can be bought
at this time (1921).

I do no think much of beet molasses, and I see no reason
for feeding ibe The difference between beet molasses and
cane molasses is largely in the high content of alkaline salts.
These salts cause the molasses to have a purgative action,
and I would not advise the feeding of beet molasses when
cane molasses can be obtained.

Page Forty-six

Feeding Dairy Cattle
XII. The Feeding of Lime and Phosphorus to Dairy Cows

NTERKIEST changes in the different sides of the feeding
| question. For many years the question of greatest
inportance in the feeding of dairy cows has been the
amount of protein. The whole question of the balanced
ration lav in the proper porportion of protein to the other
nutrients, and a ration was said to be balanced if it had the
proper nutritive ratio. During the war, this question
changed somewhat due to the fact that the cost of high pro-
tein feeds became much less than in any pre-war days, and the
question of getting enough protein into the ration was not
so much of an economic question as it had been before.
Farmers became accustomed to buying quite extensively of
high protein feeds and putting them into their rations.
Further, the teaching of agricultural colleges and experiment
stations, the large amount of publicity given in the dairy
papers to the rations used by the best feeders, has caused
most farmers to use feed mixtures containing an abundance
of protein.

Just now the question of the proper balancing of a ration
is spreading out into a discussion of the necessity for vita-
mines and the necessity for mineral matter. The question
of vitamines.in the feeding of farm animals probably will
never be a very serious one, because of the fact that farm
animals get a large amount of roughage in their ration and
there seems to be plenty of vitamines present in the rough-
ages and other feeds that are the normal ingredients in
rations. The question of the proper amount of mineral matter
in the ration is now receiving considerable attention. The
question of mineral matter with the proper feeding of swine
has always been considered important, but the question of
the proper mineral matter in the rations for dairy cows has
not received the attention it should, until very recently.
It is the purpose of this article to summarize the knowledge
up to date and to state specifically how the mineral nutrition
of dairy cattle may be accomplished in a practical way with
some assurance of good results.

Dr. E. B. Forbes of the Ohio Experiment Station, Woos-
ter, Ohio, has studied this question of the feeding of minerals
to dairy cattle more than any other one man. Dr. E. B.
Meigs of the Dairy Division of the U. S. Department of
a\griculture has also given attention to this question. \What-
ever is said in this article has been drawn mainly from these
two sources of information. .

Page Forty-seven

Feeding Dairy Cattle

For those who desire to look carefully into this question
the following references are given:

The mineral nutrition of dairy cattle is covered by the
Ohio Experiment Station bulletins Nos. 395-308-330-347,
and in the monthly bulletin of the Ohio Experiment Station
for July, 1920. Requests for these bulletins should be
addressed to the Ohio Experiment Station, Wooster, Ohio.
Dr. Meigs’ paper on the mineral nutrition of dairy cows is in
bulletin No. 945 of U.S. Department of Agriculture.

MINERALS NEEDED

The result of the study of investigators has shown us
that aside from a liberal supply of common salt the necessity
for mineral seems to be limited to calcium and phosphorus.
Ordinary good rations seem to supply all other mineral
elements with the exception of these two. A farmer ordi-
narily thinks of the question of calcium as lime. In this
article we will stick to the terms of calcium and phosphorus.
Anyone who thinks in terms of lime will know that when we
speak of calcium, we mean lime.

A NEED FOR MINERAL MATTER

The need for mineral matter is perhaps best summarized
by Dr. Forbes under the following three heads:

1. Rations abnormally poor in minerals. This may be
due to an excessive proportion of grain in the ration: to
forage grown upon impoverished or infertile soil: to the use
of manufactory by-products which are poor in mineral
nutrients; or to the substitution of foods poor in minerals
for a natural food which is rich in the same, as in the use of
some calf meals in place of the normal ration of milk.

2. The rapid growth of livestock which have been selected
for early maturity.

3. The high mineral content of the product sought—eges
and milk, for instance, especially in unusually efficient
production. :

Cows need calcium to strengthen the bones and to grow
the new bones in the young and to supply the large amount
of calcium which is found in the milk. Careful experiments
have shown that the dairy cow producing a good supply of
milk will give out from her body into the milk, urine and
feces, more calcium per day than she takes in in her food.
There is only one place from which this extra calcium can
come and that is her skeleton. Therefore, it is necessary
for us to feed an abundance of calcium in rations throughout
the year, in order that she may have a sufficient supply of
calcium at all times in the feed to supply the amount put into

Page Fart, -eight

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First prize senior yearling, and junior champion male, National

Dairy Show, 1921.

Feeding Dairy Cattle

the milk so far as her body is able to do this. If she is unable
to assimilate enough calcium from the ration from day to day
to put the necessary amount of calcium into the milk, then
she must take it from her skeleton. This means that she
must then build back into the skeleton, the necessary amount
of calcium during the period of the year when she is giving
little milk or during that period of the year when she is dry.
Therefore, it seems doubly necessary to insure a plentiful
supply of calcium in the ration when she is dry.

A large number of experimerits have been made to study
cut the best way to supply this calcium. First and foremost
comes the amount of calcium supplied by legumes. .\lfalfa
and clover carry more calcium than any other forms of rough-
age. All good roughages ‘carry considerable calcium.
Therefore the first and primary consideration in a proper
ration for milk producing animals is a plentiful supply of
good legume roughage.

In addition, the best way to supply this calcium secins
to be in the form of steamed bone. ‘There is a product put
out by the United Chemical & Organic Products Company,
111 West Washington Street, Chicago, Illinois, called Special
Steamed Bone, which has been used with success by Dr.
Forbes. He has also used ordinary packers’ steamed bone
to good success.

To be very specific, it would seem to the writer that the
best way to supply calcium in abundance to milch cows at ali
periods of the year would be to keep constantly before the
cows a iixture of four parts of special steamed bone and one
part of salt, or a mixture of four parts of ordinary packers’
steamed bone and one part of salt. Packers’ steamed bone
can probably be secured from any one of the large packing
houses.

MINERALS FOR CALVES

While calves are receiving an abundance of milk with
roughage and grain there is probably no need for additional
calcium. After they have been weaned and are getting no
milk at all, it would be a good safety precaution to provide
them with access at all times to either one of the mixtures
recommended above.

In the experiments at the Ohio Experiment Station,
reported in bulletin No. 347, both mature cows and calves
seemed to prefer the four to one mixture of packers’ steamed
bone and salt to the four to one mixture of special steamed
bone and salt. The ordinary packers’ steamed bone would
he cheaper and I can see no reason why the special steamed
Page Forty-nine

Feeding Dairy Cattle

bone would need to be used for these animals, unless it was
found in any given herd that the ordinary packers’ steamed
bone was not palatable to the animals.

lf the cattle would not eat enough of this mixture of
steamed bone and salt to insure the consumption of an
ounce of salt per day, then salt should be given to them in
addition, unmixed.

FEEDING PHOSPHORUS

The experimental evidence on the necessity of the feed-
ing of additional phosphorus to milk producing animals is
not quite so definite or clear. Dr. Forbes’ summary of the
necessities for minerals by dairy cattle seems to indicate that
sufficient phosphorus will be supplied in the ration if cattle
have access at all times to this four to one mixture of steamed
bone and salt. He makes the following statement:

“With some waste of phosphorus the whole supplemen-
tary mineral requirements may be served by calcium
phosphate.”

Calcium phosphate is provided by the steam bone men-
tioned above.

Dr. Meigs’ work, as reported in bulletin No. 945 of the
U.S. Department of Agriculture, shows that the feeding of
additional phosphorus to cows during the dry period seems
to have a beneficial effect upon their production in the suc-
ceeding lactation. Dr. Meigs recommends the feeding of
phosphorus in the form of di-sodium phosphate (Na2
HPO4). He recommends feeding this as to per cent. by
weight of the grain mixture. Dr. Meigs’ method of feeding
phosphorus is to feed hay one day during the dry period and
grain containing the sodium phosphate the next day. He
calls this “alternate feeding with phosphorus.” The reason
for alternating the hay and grain is this. The calcium
is contained to the largest extent in the roughage and the
phosphorus is contained largely in the grain. According
to Dr. Meigs, high calcium retention may be interfered with
by a large amount of phosphorus in the ration, therefore,
it seems to be better to feed the hay one day and grain the
next with silage every day.

To my mind, the question is as yet somewhat unsettled
as to the necessity of this additional phosphorus feeding if
the steamed bone 1s fed regularly to the animals both during
the lactation period and during the dry period. However
sodium phosphate is not harmful to animals, neither is an
excess of steamed bone harmful to them in any way. Con-
sequently, I see no reason why the feeding of both the

Page Fifty

Feeding Dairy Cattle

steamed bone during the lactation period and the feeding of
additional phosphorus during the dry period might not be
practiced if one so desires.

The whole question of the proper supply of minerals is
very well summed up in an extract from Ohio Bulletin
No. 330.

Get your farm into a high state of fertility, and treat the
soil, if necessary, so that it will grow legumes; then grow
them, making as liberal use as is profitable of fertilizers con-
taining calcium and phosphorus.

Consider with care your meadows and pastures; they are
often neglected; if the soil is not rich, the mineral nutrients
in pasture grass may be doubled by fertilization.

Build up the mineral reserves of your cattle by growing
them largely on leguminous roughage or on pastures con-
taining an abundance of legumes; and allow them exercise,
as much as they incline to take. Muscular activity increases
the avidity of bone cells for mineral salts.

Feed leguminous roughage during milk production; and
give the cow a chance to refund mineral overdrafts by con-
tinuing the liberal feeding of leguminous roughage during
the latter part of the period of lactation, and during the drv
period, before the birth of the next calf.

Use as large a proportion of roughage in the ration as
seems practical and profitable.

If you are short of leguminous roughage and must depend
on corn fodder, straw, or hay made from grasses, or if on any
other account there is reason to believe that your cows are
not receiving proper bone food, give them bone flour. If they
are already in good order there will be no marked change in
condition but the feeding of bone flour will help to keep them
at their best, and is good insurance.

In conclusion, I think we should see that the experimental
evidence with regard to the whole question of mineral
nutrition is not definitely decided and that it is very difficult
to bring out definitely, any increased milk production through
the feeding of additional minerals, but I would like to leave
it with dairymen that I definitely suggest the feeding of some
steamed bone flour at least during the dry period and for the
best results, it seems that we would certainly have better and
larger animals with the feeding of some steamed bone flour
to our animals during their entire lives. I think there is less
doubt of this than there is doubt of the question of feeding
the additional phosphorus, in the feeding of sodium

phosphate.
Page Fifty-one

Feeding Dairy Cattle

In addition to its possible effect in size and production
the feeding of a proper amount of mineral matter in the,
rations is bound to have a good effect on the breeding
efficiency of dairy cattle. Observation tells us that with an
abundance of mineral matter in the ration there «is less
sterility and other breeding troubles in the herd.

Page Fifty-two

Part T'wo—Advanced Registry Feeding

XIIl. ‘Fitting a Cow for An Advanced Registry Test

HE best preparation for large advanced registry records
T isin proper breeding. ‘The quickest way to get a herd
properly bred is through the influence of the sire.
Presumably this article is to be on the care and management
and the feeding of cows that are to be tested for advanced
registry, but the writer cannot refrain from introducing it
with a few words on breeding. There is not much to be
said on the feeding of animals about to be tested. The grain
mixtures to be recommended are based on a few simple
principles that can be put in a few words, and those words
will be given a little further along.

A farmer who is going to test his animals regularly and
keep it up, must school himself to the point where he will be
willing to pay big money for the head of his herd. No
volumes on fitting or on feeding are going to help him or
make large records for him on animals that have not been
well bred from the start, to give them the constitution and
capacity to handle the feed necessary to produce the milk
and fat.

Therefore study the breeding of your herd and the indi-
-viduals, and study the breeding of those animals that are
making the big records all the time. ‘Then the sooner that
you get the sire with the right kind of breeding and get the
right kind of breeding in the cows to which he can be bred,
the sooner the large records will come to your herd. We
do not mean by this that feed and care are not important,
for they are all important. But first of all let us get the
cows and the bull and get to breeding right.

Then right on top of breeding comes experience. And
the only way to get experience in testing is to test. A great
many young breeders hesitate to begin testing because they
think too much of the expense of it. It is expensive. But
the plunge has to be taken sooner or later, and the sooner
the better. The easiest time to put an A. R. O. record on a
cow is when she is a heifer. Each year makes the require-
ment that much higher. Even if the records are low they
are always worth more than they cost. It is so much better
to say that this or that cow has an A. R. O. record than to
Page Fifty-three

Feeding Dairy Cattle Z

try to sell her or her calf when she has no record at all. If
she is registered she is entitled to a record. And any farmer
with any knowledge of feeding at all can at least cause his
animals to make requirements. Many times he will be sur-
prised with the results.

So begin, and begin now. With a beginning will coine
experience and interest. Then will come the great desire
to have the best that is going and with those, with common
sense, this means the beginning of real success in the dairy
farming business.

Before beginning the actual feeding suggestions, the
writer wishes to quote a little from a bulletin written by
Professor T. L. Haecker, of Minnesota. In the handling of
highly bred animals, and particularly of those we expect to
test, kindness and even pampering will bring in good returns.
Professor Haecker says this very well and we take the lib-
erty to quote him:

“We know of many instances where the best of dairy
cows were kept, and where good methods of feeding were
practical and still results fell far short of what might
reasonably be expected, simply because the animals did not
receive that kindly treatment which is so essential ts a cow
giving much milk over a long period. The herd as a whole
should always be moved slowly. Never hurry a cow or
strike her or speak loudly or harshly. A gentle voice and
a caressing touch are quite as potent as is digestible protein.
If you so handle the cows that they are fond of vou, vou
have learned one of the most important lessons that lead to
profitable dairying. The most successful milk-producers
are always in close touch with every cow in the herd. ‘he
milk-producer has to do with motherhood, in which affec-
tion always plays an important part. A cow’s affection for
the calf prompts the desire to give it milk; if you gain her
affection she will desire to give you milk. If you have not
been in the habit of caressing the cows, the time to inaugu-
rate the practice is when they approach the time of calving,
as it is at that particular time when they take kindly to
grooming and to gentle rubbing of the udder.” :

In taking up suggestions for the feeding and management
of animals that are tested we will take the heifers first. he
preparation of a heifer for testing must begin when she js
born. She must be grown well from the start. Much has
been said about getting young stock too fat and thus destrov-
ing their dairy qualities and inducing them to lay on fat after
calving rather than to turn all the feed into milk and butterfat.

Page Fifty-four

Feeding Dairy Cattle

Some careful experiments have been made by Professor
Eckles on this point and the results seem to favor
keeping the heifer somewhat fat for the best results in test
when the time comes. Eckles fed one heifer on rich and
abundant rations from birth to calving, while another was
kept poor and thin. After calving the milk of the well-fed
heifer tested over 4 per cent., while that of the poor heifer
tested 3 per cent. After calving the fat heifer declined in
weight and the percentage of fat in the milk remained about
constant. The weight of the thin heifer remained about
the same. After several weeks the weight of the fat heifer
became constant and the percentage of fat in the milk
declined somewhat. In the end the percentage of fat in the
milk of both heifers was practically the same for the
remainder of the lactation period. Observation by others has
led to the same conclusion. Therefore it would seem to be
wise to grow heifers well and fatten them somewhat before
calving. There is no evidence to show that heifers treated
in this way will be of poorer dairy temperament than heifers
of the same breeding that have been grown on less grain and
more roughage, heifers that have made equally good growth
in frame but are not so fat at time of calving.

It may be well to let heifers that are to be tested after
their first calf get well developed before breeding. This
means to breed them to drop their first calves at thirty
months. The strain of testing the first lactation and conse-
quent high milk production may keep them from growing
as well during this first lactation period. Then it is a good
plan to milk them a full twelve months this first lactation
period to form a habit of holding out well.

Good silage and legume hay is the foundation of the
ration in the preparation period. The list of grains from which
tu choose is not long. Corn, oats, barley, wheat bran and oil
meal are enough to choose from. A good mixture is:

30 pounds of corn meal or hominy
30 pounds of wheat bran

30 pounds of ground oats

10 pounds of oil meal

Another mixture liked by many is a modification of the

above with more oil meal,.i. e., using equal parts of hominy,
wheat bran, ground oats and oil meal. One modifies it to
suit himself.
- Barley might be substituted for the corn meal and oats in
part. This is simply a good growing ration and a fattening
ration when fed in sufficient quantity. The feeder will feed
enough in connection with the roughage to get the heifers
Page Fifty-five

Feeding Dairy Cattle

as fat as he thinks they should be. This will mean four to
six pounds a day, practically from one year old to the time of
calving, except on the very best of pasture.

‘The same mixture does very well for mature cows that
are to be tested. Sometimes it is necessary to feed mature
animals 10 to 12 pounds per day to get them in proper condi-
tion. It is the usual custom to rest cows that are to be
tested a long period before. It has always seemed to the
writer that a period longer than twelve weeks is not neces-
sary, and perhaps it is detrimental to the best interests of
the breed if the rest period is longer than eight to ten weeks

XIV. Feeding for Advanced Registry Records

N OFFERING suggestions in the feeding of individual

cows which are being tested for advanced registry records,

it is assumed that these animals have been rested for a
period of eight to twelve weeks after having been carefully
dried off. It is supposed that they have been well fed and
cared for, that they have calved and cleaned all right and
that they are in good flesh. Perhaps it is well to have them
more than in good flesh, they should be fat for the best
results.

While a large number of records have been made directly
after calving in the first three weeks, on the average a cow
does not strike her best gait until about three weeks after she
has dropped her calf. She should be treated carefully from the
start and watched, milked and cared for just as if she were
doing her best at all times and if she shows a tendency to
strike her gait early, then it is well to be ready for it and
take all advantage of such a condition. Applications for a
supervisor should be made with the proper authorities early
enough to insure having one when one is needed. Getting a
supervisor within two or three days of the time actually
needed is almost entirely a question of making an applica-
tion early enough, months before one really needs him. The

experiment station or college authorities who send out the
supervisors and authenticate the records are always very
willing to cancel applications or to defer the time when a
supervisor shall be sent if a reasonable notice is given by the
breeder that he wishes his application cancelled or wishes his
test deferred. Therefore to be on the safe side, send in
your application about three months before the time you

Page Fifty-six

Feeding Dairy Catilv
will actually want the supervisor on the ground and then
cancel or defer if necessary according to the way the cows
show up. A little attention to this matter of early applica-
tion will help the breeders to get supervisors when they want
them and will help the authorities that authenticate the.
records to give better satisfaction to the breeder.

After a cow freshens and has straightened out she may be
fed on good roughage and about four or five pounds per day
of the grain mixture that was recommended for fitting, that
is, a mixture of 30 pounds of wheat bran, 30 pounds of hom-
iny feed, 30 pounds of ground oats and to pounds of oil meal
or some modification of it. If everything goes all right the
cow may be changed to the test ration three or four days
after calving and the amount of grain gradually increased
to the limit of her appetite. The increase should not be
made faster than one pound per day except in some indi-
vidual cases when the feeder knows his animal thoroughly
well and knows that she can stand a more rapid increase than
this.

THE Test Rarions: For roughage the first requisite
seems to be alfalfa hay, or, if this is not obtainable, clover
hay, corn silage with as much grain in it as possible and
beets. The “Detroit Red” table beet seems to be preferred
by most breeders. Mangels give nearly as good results.
“Norbition Giant” is a good variety of red mangels, but is
not as late a keeper as the yellow fleshed variety, “Golden
Tankard.” As to methods of feeding the roughage, most
feeders slice the beets and feed the grain on them while the
cow is being milked. It is usually best to milk four times
in each twenty-four hours at intervals of six hours. This
means from ten to fifteen pounds of sliced beets at a feed
with a quarter portion of the grain mixture poured on the
beets. If the cow does not have access to water whenever
she wants it she should be watered before each milking.
She can then be fed silage twice a day and hay twice a day,
alternating the feed of these roughages between milkings.
It is good practice to feed all the hay and silage she will eat.
alwavs seeing to it that her appetite is kept keen for all her
‘food. In late years the practice of feeding silage has changed
somewhat. Less and less silage is being used and more
beet pulp and molasses are fed in its place. The silage is fed
many times just to leave a nice clean acid taste in the cow’s
mouth.

Page Fifty-seven

Feeding Dairy Cattle
THE MINtTURE OF CONCENTRATES: The writer suggests the
following as a good mixture of concentrates:
500 pounds distillers’ dried grains
300 pounds gluten feed
400 pounds wheat bran
400 pounds hominy feed
200 pounds oil meal
200 pounds cottonseed meal

This mixture of concentrates has given good satisfaction
in a number of instances.

No exact directions can be given as to the amount of
concentrates that shall be fed. This must be decided by the
feeder. The size of the animal, her appetite, capacity, con-
dition of flesh, are all characteristics which have an important
bearing on the question of the amount to feed. Some cows
are what is known as good feeders; others must be carefully
watched. Sometimes it seems that the best way to handle
a cow is to force her appetite to its limit until she is almost
off feed. If she can be kept up to this limit it seems to have
the effect of causing her to test high. If there is an indica-
tion that she may go off feed a good thing to do is to change
her ration to the mixture of 30 pounds of wheat bran, 30
pounds of ground oats, 30 pounds of hominy and 10 pounds
of oil meal, for a couple of feeds and reduce the amount even
to two pounds. This sudden change of mixture and reduc-
tion of amount will cause her, many times, to come back on
her feed at once with vigorous appetite. Ifa fluctuation in
per cent. of butterfat is caused by this sudden change it is
likely to be toward a higher plane. To those who have a
quantity of good ground oats on hand, it might be well to
put some ground oats in place of some of the bran and
hominy feed.

The principles on which these suggestions for rations are
based are simple. Alfalfa hay is good in itself and may be
particularly useful in furnishing an abundant supply of lime.
particularly in long time tests. The silage and beets are
cooling and laxative. The mixture of concentrates sug-
gested is properly put together to furnish a bulky mixture,
plenty of easily digestible material, plenty of variety and an
abundance of protein. Such large variety will probably
insure a sufficient supply of the proper protein constituents
and vitamines and things of this nature about which not very
much is definitely known beyond the fact that the lack of an
almost infinitely small amount mav be the limiting factor
in any given ration.

A study made by a student, Mr. W. L. Houck, under the

Page Fifty-eight

Feeding Dairy Cattle
writer's direction about two years ago, may be of interest in
this connection. Mr. Houck wrote to the ten breeders and
feeders of the cows holding the highest yearly semi-official
records in each of the four leading dairy breeds, Holstein-
Friesian, Guernsey, Jersey and Ayrshire. He received
answers to twenty-two letters out of the forty. He tabu-
lated the results and found that the following feeds occurred
in the rations the following number of times:

ANGST: NAY” ccsaseccndndsrautate a raonveaeee4ae Be RARER 12
CLOVER Taye care apiece larton a9 eceys ere 2a 505 Wy Res BE ie SEE None
IMTOO! HAY? Wi soeccs tcc aienasdutiddorecacnanar ase: femsotneisnsens teroonmen Gea 11
BSets OF MANZE|IS, oo.c..ccesssicsceaar chives. asin e deasaBiavdeaele sabarales 18
COPn, SUAS 6 tres 2023 ores Wtecirs RG VE ES ORO T SIS RE 17
Pasture asaccuvosawman naw oe avecialeeeGe Me Baseared Bueasass Golde 11
GALROUS! ms cressia. cst fasces vais antes tones dy uc uatcuse acetoanceaeteneroutusione tua 9

It is interesting to note that no one of the twenty-two
breeders reported the use of clover hay; it was either mixed
hay or alfalfa. Soiling crops were used in a few scattering
cases. Pasture of course shows many times in these reports
because these were reports on yearly record feeding. It
is not likely that pasture would constitute any great part
in the feeding for short time tests for seven or thirty days.

For the concentrates used, we have the following record:

Times
Distillers’ dried grains .cccsses vesevaee ose See ees 14
GUUGET. TESS os he diedicvedneaacisrainnd doo aieeten hace dar daapeaemectys 16
SWS Bit PAT shes tesserae cecerssreicrderena deég Sonar oen ancien lee saa pax eee 22
Hominy feed: 2: acci00s teeesaenued peer mew nee yew nes 9
Oil: MCA). - seis ection veins eee a ariea HE Ears, SE ea 18
COttONSESd, AMCAL seas x seeccis vee ieicusrhissneisn erie iad wubue op wrie Wier 13
Ground. Oats: tsssiccc ciaceiacdwogmsy ee aera andi 16
Corn, meal <4c205 omicwamend sheea ve pes ae ee Rese 7
Ground: DALIEY 5 csiiaains dion Stee eae onsen Re ae acs 5
Dried. BSE DUP .cccse sowie w.aia wens oi eaiea gb vengicedienencmndilh dududieeant ism 9
Unicorn. dairy feed. isc sivceviicy woceeeiws ere eriwes bl
Molasses: csnc2see ie eoanennciad mee outer sake t ee kes 2

To the writer, these reports are very interesting and ina
later paper, it is proposed to give the mixtures used by sev-
eral of the feeders and breeders who have succeeded in mak-
ing large records both in short time and in long time tests.
It will be noticed that in the suggested mixture above those
feeds are used that are most often found in the rations of the
more successful feeders except that most of them, 16 out of
22, like to have ground oats in the mixture. The writer has
already suggested that it might be better to use ground oats
in place of a part of the wheat bran and hominy. Corn meal
is nearly as often used as hominy. Hominy is likely to give
better satisfaction. Dried beet pulp is used many times and
is particularly useful when wet up in case one does not have
mangels or beets. It can be used in place of corn silage,

Page Fifty-nine

Feeding Dairy Cattle

but the times when purebred breeders find themselves with-
out corn silage and alfalfa hay when testing should be se
seldom as never to require notice.

OTHER SUGGESTIONS: Most breeders prefer to keep their
animals in a cool, very well ventilated stable free from drafts.
The cows should be blanketed. Very careful handling and
quiet should prevail at all times. Occasionally an individual
will be found who will respond to an extra amount of some
particular feed, such as gluten feed, ground oats. oil meal,
etc. In case this is known to the feeder, it goes without
saying that she may receive regularly or from time to time,
a pound or two of this particular feed, clear, on top of a little
less amount of the regular test mixture that is being fed to
other test cows. Attention to little details of comfort and
individuality will be repaid many times in bigger results on
the part of the cow being fed.

XV. Feeding Test Cows at Cornell University
Q T CORNELL UNIVERSITY many creditable

advanced registry tests have been made with several of
them well above the 30-pound mark. Professor H. H.
Wing, who has complete charge of the feeding and breeding
of the Holstein-Friesian herd at Cornell University, can point
to the development of this herd with pride, and the one cow
that fully justifies our statement that Professor Wing knows
how to breed and feed Holstein cows, is Glista Ernestine
In the feeding and development of this cow, Professor
Wing has succeeded in getting her to make seven advanced
registry records of better than 30 pounds. These records
‘are showin in table as follows:

Time of Record Milk Fat Butter

February, 1913 548.3 Ibs. 24.410 lbs. 30.51 lbs.
September, 1915 625.7 lbs. 24.940 lbs. 31.05 Ibs.
October, 1916 709.7 lbs. 26.660 lbs. 33.33 Ibs.
February, 1918 823.3 lbs. 28.773 Ibs, 35.96 lbs.
February, 1919 815.8 lbs. 27.742 lbs. 34.67 lbs.
May, 1920 666.5 lbs. 27.390 lbs. 34.23 lbs.
May, 1921 522.4 lbs. 25.153 lbs. 31.44 lbs.

No other cow so far as I know, has made seven 30-pound
records in seven different lactations.

It is worth while to give in general, the methods used in
feeding and testing under Professor Wing's direction. The
best way to summarize the general methods and our ideas of
good practice is to reprint the article by C. 1. Allen which
was published in the Worn~p May 1, 1920, Mr. G. WW

Page Sixty

Feeding Dairy Cattle
Tailby, Jr, Mr. C. L. Allen and Mr. James Beiermeister have
been the young men who have carried out Professor \Wing’s
directions for longer periods of time than any others and in
his article, Mr. Allen has given us a very careful statement of
good practices. Mr. Allen’s article follows:

“The making of large records of production is looked
upon by many persons as an art of manipulating the animal
which can be attained only by a very few men. ‘This is true
just in so far as it is true that it is an art for a mechanic to
turn out a maximum amount of work by skillful manipula-
tion of a delicate machine. On the other hand a man who
is a careful observer, a good caretaker, and who has had
sufficient practice, should be able to obtain good results. In
order to make high records the most skillful feeder must have
good cows with which to work and a good selection of
superior feed for their consumption.”

FITTING COWS FOR TEST

The universal practice in preparation for short time rec-
ords and a quite general practice in preparation for long-
time records is to fit the cows for the test. By fitting is
meant the conditioning of the animal by rest and fattening
so that she will be able to produce at a maximum by using
her stored up energy for milk production. Another aim is
to have the cow strong and healthy at calving time. In mak-
ing short-time records it is customary to have the animal
very fat. It is expected that fat cows will for a short time
test higher than cows thin in flesh and thus make a higher
butterfat record. Perhaps half of the animals fail to respond
to this treatment, however. In any case fitting seems to aid
production and high producers usually tend to become thin
in flesh soon after they begin their lactation period. ‘Thus
it would seem that fitting aids the long-time record as well
as the short-time record although probably to a lesser extent.

In fitting, the cows are usually dried off three or four
months before calving and are fed a very liberal ration.
The ration should consist of some good grain mixture
together with pasture or hay and silage. It is quite common
to feed a small amount of beet pulp also. Three to four
pounds of dry beet pulp moistened with three to four times
its weight of water would be a usual amount. The beet
pulp'helps to keep the cows in a laxative and generally good
condition. Beets are just as valuable for this purpose but
thev are rarely fed because few men have a very large quan-
tity of beets and they would rather feed them when the cows
are on test.

Page Sixty-one

Feeding Dairy Cattle
The amount of grain mixture fed will vary with the size

and condition of the animal. At this time, cows will eat
from ten to twenty-four pounds each day. The grain mixture
is usually light, palatable, and not very high in protein. Such
a grain mixture which has been widely used with good results
follows:

Fitting ration:

100 pounds wheat bran

100 pounds ground oats

100 pounds hominy
100 pounds linseed oilmeal (old process)

Many feeders have used cornmeal instead of the hominy
in the ration with good results. The cornmeal, if used, should
be fed with care or discarded entirely just before calving time.

One very important factor which is often overlooked not
only in fitting but in the general care of animals, is the water
supply. The cow should have free access at all times to all
the good, clean water she will drink. If this is impossible
she should be watered at least three or four times daily and
should at no time be compelled to drink very cold water.

The question arises as to the danger of udder troubles,
difficult parturition and milk fever due to the animal’s being
fat. If the cow is kept laxative but little fear need
be entertained from the first two causes and rarely from the
third. Cows can usually be kept in a laxative condition by
the use of linseed oilmeal and succulent foods. It may be
necessary in rare cases to use a purgative, especially if suc-
culent foods are not available.

CARE AT CALVING TIME

A week or ten days before the cow is due to freshen, the
grain ration should be reduced and she. should be placed in
dry, well ventilated quarters. If she is to occupy a box stall
during the test she should be placed there at this time. Cows
are usually kept in box stalls while making short-time rec-
ords but this is not so commonly done for long-time records.

As the cow approaches calving time she should be care-
fully watched. It is particularly necessary at this time that
she have plenty of water and be kept laxative. No fear need
be entertained for swollen and caked udders so long as these
conditions prevail and so long as the udder does not contain
hard feverish spots.

If such hard feverish spots do occur they should be
reduced by rubbing with warm water. Grease may be
applied to keep the udder from irritation while it is being
massaged. Patent preparations may be obtained for this

Page Sixty-two

Feeding Dairy Cattle
purpose and many of them are good but it should be remem-
bered that the massage is the valuable part of the treatment
and not the grease. Caked and swollen udders are not
usually dangerous so long as all the quarters milk freely.

Milk fever is a disease which often affects the best cows
after calving. Formerly there were many fatalities due to
milk fever but the modern method of treatment, by distend-
ing the udder with air, has practically eliminated loss from
this cause. It is commonly thought that milk fever may be
avoided by leaving the udder distended with milk for two or
three days after calving, when the danger from milk fever
is usually over. It is best, however, to milk the cow a little
at frequent intervals, two or three times daily, during this
time in order to be sure that all the quarters are milking
freely.

A common mistake is to try to feed the cow too much
just after calving. She should be fed light laxative foods
for three or four days and these in limited amounts. After
three or four days, if she has a good appetite, the ration
may be increased rather quickly to the amount she was
receiving before calving.

FEEDING FOR SHORT-TIME RECORDS

The majority of short-time records are made in cool
weather, approximately between the first of October and the
first of May. There are several reasons for this. Farmers
are usually not so busy with crops during this period and
more time is spent with the cows. The most important fac-
tor however is the cool weather. An animal is able to eat
much larger amounts of concentrated food during cool
weather, and, therefore, will usually make a much higher
record.

In making short-time records it is customary to start the
cow on test just as soon as possible after calving. Cows
form habits very readily and so it is best to start them at the
beginning just they are to be handled during the test. Dur-
ing most short-time records cows are milked four times daily.
It is best to begin this practice just as soon after calving as
it is advisable to begin milking regularly. This is even more
important with the feeding than it is with the milking.
Experience has shown that it takes most cows nearly a week
to become adjusted to a change from three times a day to
four times a day for feeding and milking, and as a result the
cows are placed at a great disadvantage.

Cows on short-time test are fed all they will eat. Most
feeders give as much grain as possible without making the

Page Sixty-three

Feeding Dairy Cattle

animal sick. It is quite common to feed as much as twenty-
five to thirty pounds of grain daily and much greater amounts
are often fed. It is best, however, to proceed very carefully
with all amounts in excess of twenty pounds each day. Cows
that are fat from fitting will usually not eat so much grain as
a cow that is thin in flesh. It is best to raise the grain ration
not more than from one to two pounds daily and then wait a
day or so to observe the results. It is useless to increase
the amount of grain if the animals fails to respond with an
increase in milk or butterfat production.

Warm days during the testing period cause considerable
annoyance because the cows are not able to eat x much and
are more likely to go off feed. To avoid such trouble one
can often use a lighter ration instead of feeding a smaller
amount. ‘The mixture used for fitting is a good one for this
purpose and the cow will generally appreciate the change.
In practice it is often advisable to give the cows a little
change in the grain mixture for one or two feedings, espe-
cially if the test runs for a couple of weeks or longer.

GRAIN MIXTURES FOR TESTING

The question of grain mixtures has always been much ‘lis-
cussed and many feeders have been very exact as.to the
amounts of the different grains used. ‘There are so many
different mixtures used by successful feeders and they vary
so widely that it would appear that the exact composition is
not so important as many people suppose. From a study of
a number of mixtures used by successful men it would seem
that, if six or seven different grains were mixed together in
equal proportions, the resulting mixture would be as good
as any. About one-half the grain mixture should be derived
from high-protein foods and the mixture should weigh about
one pound to the quart. The grains most commonly found
in grain mixtures are wheat bran, ground oats, linseed oil-
meal (old process), cottonseed meal, hominy, gluten feed, and
dried distillers’ grains. Many feeders prefer to put salt in
the grain mixture. If this is not done the cow should be
fed salt regularly or have it continually before her.

‘The following mixtures have been used with good results:
Mixture 1 <
200 pounds distillers’ dried grains
200 pounds wheat bran
100 pounds gluten feed
100 pounds ground oats
200 pounds hominy
100 pounds linseed oilmeal (old process)
12 pounds salt
12 pounds charcoal

Page Sixty-four

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Feeding Dairy Cattle
Mixture 2
200 pounds distillers’ dried grains
200 pounds wheat bran
125 pounds ground oats
125 pounds gluten feed
100 pounds cottonseed meal
80 pounds oilmeal (old process)
15 pounds salt

In the future, distillers’ dried grains are likely to be very
scarce and difficult to obtain. Such a deficiency may be
overcome by increasing the wheat bran and gluten feed pro-
portionally. Ground barley may also often be used to advan-
tage in place of one-half the ground oats. No ration or
grain mixture can be prescribed to meet all cases. It is
desirable to cater to the likes and dislikes of the individual
animal. This may call for wide departure from formulas
ordinarily used.

In order to feed large amounts of grain with safety, it
is necessary to feed roots of some sort. Beets or mangels
are the roots chosen whenever it is possible to obtain them;
the large mangels are perhaps as valuable as any. Beet pulp
is used to supplement the beets at times, and in case beets or
mangels cannot be obtained, it may be used entirely as a
substitute. For best results the amount of beets fed seems
to bear an almost constant proportion to the amount of
grain. The proportion should be about three pounds of
beets to one pound of grain. If beet pulp is used the pro-
portion should be about one-half pound of dry beet pulp to
one pound of grain. The dry beet pulp is moistened with
three to four times its weight of water. Molasses is some-
times used to make the beet pulp more palatable. It is used
in the proportion of about one-half pint to eight or ten pounds
of dry beet pulp.

One of the most important factors in the ration of cows
on test is the quality of roughage. It is commonly thought
that poor roughage can be made up for by feeding more
grain but this is not the case. The best results can be
obtained only when the best quality of clover or alfalfa hay is
fed. Alfalfa hay is preferable to any other.

Silage is usually fed rather sparingly to cows making
short-time records unless some particular individual has a
special craving for it. Succulence is usually provided for
with beets or beet pulp and, if very much silage is fed, the
animals are not able to eat nearly as much grain. If silage
is fed, care should be exercised to feed only that which is
good and sweet.

Page Sixty-five

Feeding Dairy Cattle
FEEDING FOR LONG-TIME RECORDS

In feeding for long-time records the methods are much
the same as those practiced for the short-time records except
that the cows are not forced quite so much, and are usually
milked and fed not more than three times each day and often
only twice. As was suggested for the short-time records,
the cows should be fed a liberal amount of good grain mix-
ture supplemented by good roughage. -As in the case of the
short-time record it pays to respect the likes and dislikes of
the animal for certain kinds of food. The grain mixtures
are much the same as those already mentioned.

The question of good roughage cannot be too strongly
emphasized in feeding for long-time records. Roughage is
the most important factor in maintaining a large milk flow,
which can be increased in most cases by feeding better and
more succulent roughage but which cannot be materially
increased, as a rule, by increasing the grain ration. This is
especially true when the cows have been milking three or
four months. Because of the scarcity and the cost beets
are not used extensively in feeding for long-time records but
corn silage usually makes up the succulent part of the ration
and it may be fed in rather large quantities with profit.

In changing from stable feeding to pasture in the spring
it is well to keep in mind that the grass early in the season is
not very nourishing, especially if the weather is very wet.
The change should be gradual in any case and the cows
should still have all the hay and silage they will eat for a
week or more after being turned out to pasture.

As the season advances another problem confronts the
feeder. ‘The poor pastures of late July, August and Septem-
ber must be supplemented if the best results are to be
obtained. (Grain alone is not sufficient but some good rough-

age in the form of corn silage, green corn, or oats and peas
should be used.

(sood water is always such a necessary and often such a
neglected requirement for the dairy cow that it seems worth
while to mention it again. Whether in the pasture or stable.
good water should be where the cow can have an abundant
supply at all times without expending a great amount of
energy to obtain it.

The best results can not be obtained without heeding the
well-known fact that regularity of milking and feeding is an
important factor affecting production. Not only should the
milking and feeding be done regularly but the intervals
between milkings should be as nearly uniform as possible.

Page Sixty-six

Feeding Dairy Cattle

Warm weather is a disturbing factor in long-time as
well as in short-time records. It cannot be avoided in the
long-time records and the best that can be done is to keep
the cows as comfortable as possible. There should be plenty
of shade where they can get out of the hot sun and away
from flies. Anything that can be done to relieve the cows
from flies will bring ample reward. There are many useful
spray materials on the market that can be used to good
advantage.”

In addition to the above general statements of Mr. Allen,
I wish to add the specific treatment of Glista Ernestine dur-
ing the record that she made in the year 1920. We will begin
with a summary of her feeding during the lactation period
previous to her 1920 record.

In r919, Glista Ernestine calved February 15. This last
lactation ended the middle of January, 1920, and she calved
again April 21, 1920. The rest period between was four-
teen weeks. In this last lactation period Ernestine pro-
duced 22,854.6 pounds of milk containing 791.04 pounds of
butterfat.

HER FEED
During this lactation period Ernestine ate the following
amount of feed:
3860°pounds hay
8810 pounds silage
1425 pounds roots
3459 pounds dried beet pulp
7322 pounds grain

If we divide the amount of milk by the amount of grain
we will find that she used her grain just as most cows do.
She gave an average of 3.1 pounds of milk for each pound of
grain that she ate. It might be said that the beet pulp should
be considered as grain. I do not think it should in this case,
if ever, because Glista Ernestine ate sparingly of silage and
the silage was restricted all the way through, the beet pulp
being soaked and used as succulence in its place. It seems
to be better to restrict the amount of silage with test cows
and use more roots and beet pulp in its place.

The great saving of feed in this case, as with all big pro-
ducers is the saving of maintenance. The amount of feed
necessary for maintenance is in proportion to live weight.
Therefore, only one-half as much feed is necessary for the
maintenance of the machinery when 20,000 pounds of milk
is produced by one cow than if two cows have to be sup-
ported over a period of twelve months to produce 10,000
pounds of milk each.

Page Sixty-seven

Feeding Dairy Cattle
FEEDING WHEN DRY

After Ernestine went dry the middle of January, 1920,
she was fed about twenty pounds of grain per day until about
two weeks before calving. For a part of the time this mix-
ture was used:

30 pounds ground oats

30 pounds corn meal

30 pounds wheat bran

10 pounds oil meal
Then as the calving time approached and it was desired to
put on what is called the “soft fat” and to get her ready for
calving the mixture was changed to equal parts by weight
of wheat bran, corn meal and oil meal. All during this dry
period Ernestine got about fifteen pounds of hay per day and
six to eight pounds of dried beet pulp soaked, but was fed
no silage.

On April 5, 1920, her grain was cut down to ten pounds
per day because her feeder wished to be very careful of her
and not overdo it.

FEEDING AT CALVING TIME

Glista Ernestine calved last year April 21. For some
unknown reason she had a two-day session of acute indiges-
tion of which she gave no previous indication and from which
she fully recovered. However, this short attack of indiges-
tion meant very careful handling. About all the grain she
got for several days was a little bran and oil meal. For
several days the total amount of grain did not exceed five
pounds per day and the light fitting mixture of oats, bran,
corn meal and oil meal, the first one given above, was used.
By April 30 she was gotten up to twelve pounds of grain per
day, ten pounds of hay, and eight pounds of dried beet pulp.
During these first days after calving she averaged about fifty
to sixty pounds of milk per day.

FEEDING ON TEST

By May 1 Glista Ernestine seemed to have gotten back
to her old form and was going well. She was continued on
the light mixture, however, until May 5. For example, her
regular daily ration from May 1 to May 5 was sixteen pounds
of the light grain mixture, eight pounds of beet pulp, twenty
pounds of beets and ten pounds of alfalfa hay.

Her feeder now thought it safe to begin feeding a little
heavier so he changed May 6 to the regular test mixture.
You will see that there had been no great hurry in getting
Glista Ernestine up to her record pace. She has always been
this way. Her best records have been made as a rule several
weeks after calving, which shows that it is not necessary to

Page Sixty-eight

Feeding Dairy Cattle

have a cow start right off with a bang. It is probably bette:
in most cases to let them take their time and bring them up
gradually.
THE TEST MIXTURE
‘The test mixture used for making records at Cornell
University has been practically the same for several seasons.

The exact mixture fed Glista Ernestine was:
100 pounds distillers’ dried grains
100 pounds wheat bran
100 pounds hominy
50 pounds gluten feed
50 pounds oil meal
50 pounds ground oats
100 pounds cottonseed meal
10 pounds charcoal
6 pounds salt

It is difficult to get the distillers’ dried grains nowadays,
but in order to keep the ration that was wanted the College
of Agriculture purchased two or three years ago several tons
of distillers’ dried grains before they went off the market and
have kept them laid up just for advanced registry feeding.
In case one cannot get distillers’ dried grains, this mixture
would probably be nearly as effective with the addition of
twenty-five pounds of bran, fifty pounds of gluten feed and
twenty-five pounds of oil meal in place of the one hundred
pounds of distillers’ dried grains.

When Ernestine was changed from the light fitting
ration to the test ration her feed was cut down a little so that
from May 6 to May 10 she was receiving daily twelve pounds
of the test mixture, six pounds of dried beet pulp, twenty
pounds of beets and ten pounds of clover hay. Her hay was
changed from alfalfa to clover because the alfalfa hay seemed
to be a little too strong for her. On May to the amount of
test ration was increased to twenty pounds per day, the rest
of the ration was made up of ten pounds of beet pulp, fifty
pounds of beets, ten pounds of silage and ten pounds of
alfalfa and clover hay. This has been the mixture fed ever
since with the exception that beginning with May 20, sixty
pounds per day of green rye was added to the ration.

To show just how the ration was fed daily, the ration was
divided into four parts. Ernestine was milked at 5 and 11,
being milked four times a day. She was fed at each milking
five pounds of the test ration, two and one-half pounds of
dried beet pulp soaked up and twelve and one-half pounds of
beets. The beet pulp and the beets were put into a bushel
bucket and the grain poured on top. Then at 5 a. m. and
5 p. m. she was given five pounds of silage, but she received
no silage at the 11 o’clock milkings. As her feeder said, this
Page Sixty-nine

Feeding Dairy Cattle

little bit of silage was given after the 5 o'clock milkings
simply to leave a good taste in her mouth. The hay was
carefully picked out so as to get first quality and a little bit
put into her manger after she had finished her grain and
silage, so that she could eat what she wanted between
milkings. The green rye was fed in the same way.

This has given us detail enough—all that is necessary to
say is that this sort of handling in feeding gradually increased
the production and on May 24 the milk produced reached
one hundred pounds a day. The average production for the
record week, May 19 to May 26, was a little over ninety-five
pounds per day. The fat production was 27.379 pounds ot
fat, or 34.224 pounds of butter. During this record week the
total amount of grain fed was one hundred and forty pounds
and the total amount of milk was 677.3 pounds. It will be
noticed that Ernestine was producing 4.8 pounds of milk,
testing 4.04 per cent butterfat, for each pound of grain fed.
As we have said before, cows are ordinarily fed one pound of
grain to three pounds of milk when the milk tests 4 per cent.
This shows conclusively the answer to the question, whether
it pays to feed cows well when dry. Ernestine was then in
that record week using some of the feed that she received
when dry.

This article has been written considerably in detail,
because of the opportunity to write out exactly how a world’s
record cow is fed and handled.

Finally, we would call attention to this wonderful per-
formance as indicating the tremendous value of a purebred
sire, and call attention to the fact that after all, the one
responsible factor in this whole question is the capacity that
Ernestine and cows of her kind have for the utilization of
feed above maintenance. We cannot fool with little cows of
small production and small capacity in any breed, because
too much feed is eaten up in merely running a lot of useless
machinery.

XVI. The Rations Fed Some Famous Cows

HIS series of articles has been written largely for the

é ii young breeder and feeder who is just starting in the
business. It is the wish of the writer to be of service

to as many as possible on the question of feeding; to bring
to many the experience of others on feeding questions. This
article then will give, as far as we can, the actual feed mix-
tures used, the amount fed, and other things of that nature

Page Seventy

Feeding Dairy Cattie
with some of the high record cows of the Holstein-Friesian
breed. To get the data for the article a letter was sent to
the owners or feeders of the highest seven-day record cows
and the highest semi-official record cows. ‘The answers to
this letter have been very satisfactory, and the writer wishes
to thank these men personally who have co-operated in the
preparation of this article.

Young feeders and breeders like to know what the most
successful feeders in the breed have used in getting the
wonderful records that are now being made. It is a great
source of satisfaction that the successful feeders and owners
are so ready to tell us just the manner in which it has been
accomplished.

THE FEEDS USED

First of all it seems best.to list all the feeds used in the
feeding of the cows here considered with the number of times
each is found among the rations. This will tell us the most
popular feeds.

Concentrates:
Ground’ Oats cescne sea koonna keds Pi as arte atl ea tas dass i anew 6 times
Wheat. bran” . wcsceccaceeans tees eeemeanead ea 6
Wheat. MidGlngs: oo... nese eee eee ene tS
GNESI: POOR sa caster seine wire teceseivaayiphtch x tetiacarre genera natn fanlseeariaitals By
Glee Wiese) cee wig ecese ens ce yew ew oes ee ee ee eee 1 -
Distillers’ dried grains .............0e eee seen 6
Gottonseed meal, wii sareajeereis ie nreveareversneerenn Wien wierters 3 Mt
White Cross: feed. ccaccecnwasesessdreeonusaene cb
GinsS@6d. Oi) WMCAL ccs. ccseeccsieesaccitiniw 5015.2 CESS TERS gt
Brewers’ dried grains ............ eee cece eee eee 2
HOMINY” ssaciesaesswines saute sew ee ears waeieneteres S$ *
Malt: SpPHOUtS! 6jcscccou: cocaine tee MOUS Sea Baty 7
Ground barley .........-c csc ec cece ccc ereenees 1)
Dried beet pulp ......... cece eee eter rere renee 1 &
MOIASSES:. cnc cctuuacoaune sinh eEeeee sta eis i

Below are given the roughages used in the six rations
considered:

Roughages: ;
GOL SUAS. sisgee gee seiticwwtes, suelel Sache. aucaacesdanduoncuminie Rarethons 5 times
Alfalfa Hay ......- cc cece cece cece eres ee eeeeeaee 5 :
Clover Hay ¢ ccc. auiteecaey Sees amen eer ton emer 1 ie
ROO: fog seaececlan es aenvertnenevereD Cees OO BRiho BER Mle Cts 5 “
Green. CLOPS: © .4.40 5s aeiee cise os weet ewe erereresiearess 2 .
PAStUTG secs ee PROS Eee See ewe SH 2 :
Timothy hay ...-.....ecee cece eee tte eens 1

It is noted that the most important concentrates used for
this purpose are ground oats, wheat bran, distillers’ grains,
gluten feed, oil meal, hominy and cottonseed meal. Alfalfa
hay, corn silage and beets are the most important roughages.
The rations shown here and given in previous articles should
teach convincingly that it is unnecessary to go outside this
list for feeds and that nothing is gained by doing so. It is

Page Seventy-one

Feeding Dairy Cattle

time that the idea that large records are being made with
secret formulae should be driven out of the heads of our
breeders. It is foolish to think that secret formulae and
drugs are necessary to produce these records. Our breed-
ers must get to work and learn the arts of breeding and skill-
ful feeding and forget all this foolishness about drugs and
secret formulae. If you have the cow that is capable of
doing it through her inheritance and if you have the skill to
feed her and care for her, the above list of feeds is all that is

necessary.
FEEDING FOR SHORT-TIME TESTS

We have received replies to our letter from several of the
feeders of cows making creditable short time records. From
these letters I have selected the statements of feeding of
Tietje Queen Kol 2nd, Glen Alex Queen De Kol, Glen Alex
Queen De Kol 3rd, and Bess Johanna Ormsby. A state-
ment of the feeding of these cows will give us a good idea of
the general practices in the feeding of high record cows.
Tietje Queen De Kol 2nd

The best thing to do in connection with this cow is to
quote the following from a letter from Mr. A. C. Howe:

“Tietje Queen De Kol 2nd was born May 11, 1913, and
freshened at the age of 2 years six months and twenty-three
days making 16.793 pounds butter and 393.8 pounds milk.

“At three years, eight months and five days she made
31,068 pounds butter and 494.6 pounds milk after giving birth
to twin calves, both being as large as the usual calf. At four
years, ten months and twenty-six days she did even better
making the very creditable showing of 43.29 pounds butter
and 639.3 pounds milk.

“While being fitted she had all the alfalfa hay she wanted
and some beet pulp moistened with molasses together with

the following fitting ration:

200 pounds bran

100 pounds cottonseed

200 pounds ground oats

50 pounds ajax

150 pounds hominy

100 pounds oil meal

“While on test this cow had ensilage morning and night

and beets at noon and midnight, some alfalfa hay and the
rallowitig milking ration:

50 pounds ajax

20 pounds oil meal

50 pounds bran

4 pounds salt

30 pounds ground oats

2 pounds charcoal

30 pounds gluten

Page Seventy-twe

Feeding Dairy Cattle
“This cow is an exceptionally large and vigorous animal
and never seemed to have enough either when on test or at
any time in her life being always up and looking anxiously at
the feed door whenever any one started feeding. She never
went off feed and we have always thought her a fine candi-
date for a long time test but up to the present time we have
never been in a position to give her an opportunity. Another
thing which might be well to mention is that we have the
individual drinking cups and this cow had access to all the
spring water she wanted and whenever she wanted it except
directly following calving.”
Glen Alex Queen De Kol

Glen Alex Queen De Kol also made her best record of
42.35 pounds of butter at Mr. A. C. Howe’s farm. She is at
present owned at Hollywood Farm, Hollywood, Washing-
ton. Mr. H. C. Stimson sends me this account of her feed-
ing which he received from Mr. Howe:

“Glen Alex Queen De Kol was born April oth, 1914. At
2 years, 11 months, 20 days, she made the following record
having calved (second calf) March 29, 1917: Milk, 603.8;
butter, 42.36; best day’s milk 91.7. Previous to this test she
was fed 200 pounds bran, 200 pounds ground oats, 150
pounds hominy, 100 pounds cottonseed meal, 50 pounds Ajax,
100 pounds oil meal, beet pulp soaked in water and molasses,
5 to 10 pounds daily, about 20 to 30 pounds silage and 10 to
15 pounds alfalfa. T'wo weeks before freshening the Ajax
and cottonseed were omitted. After freshening, she was fed
50 pounds Ajax, 50 pounds bran, 30 pounds ground oats, 30
pounds gluten, 20 pounds oil meal, 4 pounds salt, 2 pounds
charcoal. Cottonseed meal was added from time to time,
Io to 15 pounds beet pulp per day, 20 to 4o pounds silage,
and 10 to 20 pounds alfalfa hay.

“She has made three 30-pound records since we purchased
her. She will weigh above 1800 pounds and if confined will
develop a tremendous appetite. We have fed her over 4o
pounds of grain without the least apparent harm. When
released from small quarters this appetite or craving for
grain disappears considerably. In all other respects she is
absolutely normal, and is an extremely profitable year round
producer.”

Glen Alex Queen De Kol, 3rd

The best way to give us the data on the feeding of
some of the best cows at Avondale Farm is to quote directly
the letter of Mr. H. Flynn. Mr. Flynn’s letter follows:

Page Seventy-three if

Feeding Dairy Cattle

“Yours of recent date to Mr. Hardy has been handed to
me for reply regarding the feeding and management of the
cows, ‘Glen Alex Queen De Kol 3rd,’ and as Mr. Hardy in
his reply to you, mentioned our other cow or rather heifer,
namely, ‘Lady Waldorf Sylvia,’ this heifer having the honor
of holding the world’s record for 305 days after having made
over 28 pounds butter in 7 days at 2 years, 7 months. Name
and number of first heifer is Glen Alex Queen De Kol 3rd,
number 382579, born March 23, 1917, and the second heifer is
Lady Waldorf Sylvia, number 399694, born March 23, 1917.
Glen Alex Queen De Kol 3rd freshened December 2, 1919.
and at that time started in and made the world’s records for
seven and thirty days for heifer with first calf. Lady Wal-
dorf Sylvia heifer freshened November 20, 1919, and started
in making her great record. Now both of these heifers were
born the same day and both weighed almost alike at time of
freshening. ‘They both weighed a little over 1650 pounds.
Both were fitted with same ration and both fed same ration
while being tested. Fitting ration was composed of bran,
200 pounds; hominy, 100 pounds; ground oats, 100 pounds;,
and oil meal, 100 pounds. Both heifers ran on grass until
in October but were brought in daily for about three
months, and fed the above ration together with whatever
silage they would eat which was not very large on account
of eating a certain amount of grass. About three weeks
before freshening each got at least one feed of roots a day.
When grass was done they had all the clover hay they wished
to clean up. Both freshened in fine condition and started
in making their records. The first two days after freshening
they both had a light ration of bran and oil meal. Third day
starting in on test ration, being fed 8 pounds a day to start
on, increasing gradually. Test ration composed of distillers’
grains 336 pounds, bran 207 pounds, ground oats 156 pounds,
gluten feed 142 pounds, hominy 114 pounds, oil meal 50
pounds, salt 10 pounds, charcoal 10 pounds. This ration was
fed four times daily, roots alsé four times, silage three times,
omitting the midnight feed. This was good corn silage, of.
course, also fed good alfalfa hay twice daily, morning and
evening. This [ think constitutes the feed fed to produce
both world’s records. You mention in your letter about
‘Walnutcrest Rag Apple Buttercup.’ The record this heifer
made at two vears old of course was not a world’s record
although she won first prize association money a year ago
making over 28 pounds. Her number is 428001 and born
January 28, 1918, and freshened March 16, 1920, and was

Page Seventy-four

Feeding Dairy Cattle
fitted with same ration as the other heifers. Also fed same test
ration only in a much smaller quantity. The roughage also
was made up of same material. Hope this will help you out
on your book of ‘Feeding Dairy Cattle.’ ”

Bess Johanna Ormsby

Mr. J. R. Danks, superintendent of cattle department at
the Winterthur Farms has written me statement of the feed-
ing of Bess Johanna Ormsby, when she made her last 7-day
record, from February 22 to March 1, 1921. Mr. Dank’s
letter follows:

“The record was: 30.536 pounds of butterfat; 650.4
pounds of milk.

“Her daily ration was as follows:

“Six pounds ration No. 7, 6 pounds ration No. 8, 2 pounds
ground oats, 14 pounds oil meal, 16 pounds silage, 25 pounds
alfalfa hay, 5 pounds beet pulp, 26 pounds mangels.

“Ration No. 7 is composed of: 300 pounds bran, 300
pounds oats, 100 pounds hominy, too pounds, oil meal, roo
pounds distillers, 50 pounds gluten.

“Ration No. 8 is composed of: 200 pounds ground oats,
200 pounds bran, 200 pounds distillers, 200 pounds oil meal,
50 pounds cottonseed. This cow was fed one quarter of her
daily ration at 4:30 a. m., and milked while she was eating.
This was done again at 10:30 a. m., 4:30 p. m., and 10:30 p. m.

“At 7:30 a. m. she was turned in the paddock for exercise
for about one hour. During the balance of the time she was
kept in a good roomy box stall equipped with watering
device. She was given about all the grain she would eat with
relish.

“This cow has, of course, made two previous 7-day
records but, as they were made quite some time ago, | am
not sure about the feed and management, therefore, I am
giving you her latest record. As I understand it, you are
not interested in her semi-official record.

“The amount of grain, also the roughage, varied slightly
from day to day but the various kinds of grain fed remained
the same throughout the test.”

Many other letters could be quoted on the subject of
feeding cows for 7-day tests, but these letters that have been
given will give us what we want very fully, and it seems
unnecessary to quote more. ;

FEEDING COWS IN THE YEARLY DIVISION

It is with much pleasure that I am able to lead off the
discussion of feeding cows for the yearly advanced registry
Page Seventy-five

Feeding Dairy Cattle

records by quoting the statements with reference to the feed-
ing of Bella Pontiac. This statement of her feeding
appeared first in the WorLp for June 25, 1921, when it was
written up by Mr. M.S. Prescott. For the sake of making
the book complete it is worth while to reprint a part of it
here.

“Completing her 4-year-old record on March 24, she
freshened again June 19, having been dry about six weeks.
She started out very easily on a light feed of wheat bran
and oil meal with green alfalfa for roughage. About the
first of July green mangels with the tops on were given her
fresh from the field to the extent of about a bushel and a
hali a dav and she has shown great fondness for these roots
throughout the test. As soon as she settled down to work
she was put on to a ration consisting of: 2 pounds bran, 6
pounds oil cake, 1 pound gluten, 2 pounds crushed oats with
a maximum of 12 pounds cottonseed meal. Of this ration
she ate from thirty to thirty-three pounds a day up to as high
as 37 pounds a day at the highest. With this grain ration
she took from 60 to 70 pounds of roots, 25 pounds silage
and all of the alfalfa hay she wanted. About the fifth of
April the supply of silage was exhausted and quite a radical
change was made in the whole ration. The roots were
increased to about 150 pounds a day, the cottonseed meal was
cut out entirely as she appeared to be getting tired of it and
and the oil cake reduced to half so that the ration she fin-
ished her vear on is just a mixture of 2 pounds bran, 2
pounds crushed oats, 1 pound oil cake, 1 pound cream of
wheat. Each feeding is weighed out separately with one-
quarter of a pound of salt and a handful of charcoal in each
feeding. The grain is given before milking and after that
is cleaned up the roots are fed and the alfalfa hay is placed
in the manger and two pounds more crushed oats is given
on the roots making a total of eight pounds of grain per
feeding, or 32 poundsa day. A tub of drinking water stands
in one corner of the stall where it is accessible at all times.
This is washed out and fresh water put in every day. She is
having no green feed whatever this spring or summer and
the changes in her ration have been made in an effort to give
her what she particularly likes the best. Throughout the
year she has occupied a light roomy box stall and has been
out only to be led occasionally for exercise. This has not
been given regularly as Mr. Barron in addition to looking
after this cow and the rest of the herd has had all the work
of a seventy-acre farm to attend to himself. Practically all

Page Seventy-six

Feeding Dairy Cattle

of the care of the new champion must be credited to Mr.
Barron, although during the Canadian National Sale where
he sold a few head, Mrs. Barron looked after the milking.
Mr. Wilson, the supervisor, also milked her about a week
when Mr. Barron was ill. We mention these facts here as
added testimony to the honesty of the record. It was
impossible to get a tester at the beginning of her present
year’s work but she milked up to nearly 100 pounds and seven
months after calving made a seven-day record of 33.02 pounds
of butter and the week preceding our visit which was the
hity-first week of her year she made under strictly official
test 28.05 pounds butter and 487.5 pounds milk showing an
average test of 4.6 per cent fat. In the thirty days from
May 14 to June 12 which figured the thirty days preceding
the date of our visit she made 106.03 pounds butter which
indicates the evenness of her performance throughout the
year. She has not been bred, but comes in heat regularly
and appears perfectly normal in every respect.

“There is a wonderful object lesson in this story of Tom
Barron and Bella Pontiac for it shows how the highest suc-
cess with Holsteins can be won without large capital and
with modest buildings, by applying intelligent and painstak-
ing effort to the care of the right kind of a Holstein cow.
The barn in which the new champion spent her year would
hardly measure up to the average dairy barn in Canada or
the dairy sections of the United States. The man who
milked and fed her and looked after her wants also looked
after the rest of the herd and did the farm work besides, but
let nothing stand in the way of giving Bella Pontiac the best
chance he knew how. When it was apparent that there was
chance for her to at least break the Canadian record he sold
the most of his milking cows including the 36-pound Dora
Fayne Posch that was the sensation of the Canadian National
Sale last spring, reducing his milking herd to three head.

“THe studied his cow so closely that although she has eaten
about 30 pounds of grain a day the greater part of the year
she has never been off feed, although coming close to it once
or twice, and several radical changes in the composition of
her grain rations were necessary. A less close observer
would have continued the gluten which she never liked and
the cottonseed meal which she tired of, when about nine or
ten months along with her record. As a reward for his
efforts, Mr. Barron has made his original investment increase
one hundred fold or more; he has a World’s Champion cow
over all breeds and for the period most keenly contested for,

Page Seventy-seven

Feeding Dairy Cattle

and he has in addition two beautiful daughters of that
World’s Champion, one a yearling and the other just past
two vears of age.

In the story lies most effective ammunition for Holstein
extension work, because who of us in the business upon
reading the story of Tom Barron and Bella Pontiac will not
go on with our work with just a little more zest and give our
own good cows just a little better chance to show what they
will do?”

The record of the feeding of Bella Pontiac is particularly
interesting because of the unusual amount of high protein
feeds that were fed in the first part of the year’s work. This
goes to show very conclusively that there must be very little
in the idea of secret formulae and that after all it is the
capacity of the cow that determines the record and that a
cow has tremendous capacity for adapting herself to the
ration as she may get, provided she gets good care and
enough feed from which to manufaceure the milk.

Duchess Skylark Ormsby

Duchess Skvlark Ormsby made her great record some
time ago but she still stands second in the list, therefore, it is
well to say something about her feeding. Mr. John B. Irwin
has written fully and carefully on this point and I take
pleasure in quoting his letter:

“Your favor of July 11th regarding information concern-
ing the grain mixture for Duchess Skylark Ormsby is at hand,
and I may state that she was quite remarkable in her food
consumption in that she was not affected seriously by change
of feed and the different ingredients of her ration were
changed in amount quite frequently so as to adapt them to
her appetite and the condition of the weather. Possibly if I
give you the amount of feed she consumed in three different
months it will give you a pretty good line on the feeds we

used. For instance she calved early in November. She
consumed the following feed in the month of:

December May September
lbs. lbs. lbs.
124 bran 125 bran 120 bran

124 ground oats
93 continental gluten
124 brewers’ dried grain
77 oil meal
75 hominy
868 silage

456 alfalfa
930 roots

120 ground oats
100 continental gluten
125 brewers’ grains

90 oil meal

45 hominy
900 silage

475 alfalfa
950 roots

120 ground oats

90 continental gluten
125 brewers’ grains

75 oil meal

60 hominy

3000 silage, green

oats and peas
450 alfalfa

1000 roots

Page Seventy-eight

a

Feeding Dairy Cattle
She was fed and milked four times per day throughout the
year, was kept in a good sized box stall, led out nearly every
day for exercise but was not in pasture at all since we had
a very hot summer and we preferred to keep track of her feed
and keep her away from the flies as much as possible in the
barn. She was bred in July and once after that during the
test but failed to get with calf from the first service. She
dropped a splendid matured calf just shortly before her death
but we were unfortunate in losing the calf.”
Miss Valley Mead De Kol and Miss Aaggie Acme Burke

These two young cows have been fed out by A. W.
Morris & Sons. Mr. F. L. Morris has written the following
concise letter which gives us a very definite idea of how
they handle these wonderful cows in California. Again this
letter shows that the feeding and handling is not complicated,
provided you have the correct type of cows and have good
men to handle them.

“Miss Valley Mead De Kol and Miss Aaggie Acme
Burke were kept in box stalls at night and during the stormy
winter weather, however, they were outside part of every
day, and when the weather permitted, ran at pasture, possi-
bly during nine months of the year. After the morning
milking they were allowed to pasture for four hours, and
also for an equal time in the afternoon. The pasture con-
sisted of alfalfa and our native grasses which are green dur-
ing three or four months in the spring.

“Our grain mixture consists of ground barley, oats and
bran in about equal parts. This is supplemented by linseed
oil meal, cocoanut meal, cottonseed meal and soy bean meal,
varying in amounts according to the requirements of the
different animals. We feed at all times either corn ensilage,
dried beet pulp or fresh beets when in season. The cows are
given what alfalfa hay they will clean up at all times.

“This is about all that can be said in connection with the
handling of our cows in yearly test, and we trust that it may
be of some use in the article you are preparing.”

Rose De Kol Wayne Butter Boy

The record of this cow is given because it shows how
high test cows are handled in Iowa, another section of the
country and also because this cow has had a good record
and is famous not alone for her record as a junior 2-year-old.
but also for her 3-year-old and 4-year-old records which are
world’s records.

Mr. R. A. Arnold writes as follows concerning her feed
and management:

Page Seventy-nine

Feeding Dairy Cattle

“Rose De Kol Wayne Butter Boy is creating quite a
name for herself as a yearly producer and is now on test her
fourth year as a 5-year-old and looks like she will make 1200
pounds of butter. She has been milked and fed four times
per day from the time she first freshened as a junior 2-year-
old and has had but very little rest between her lactation
periods. This cow has had a small amount of grass and
soiling crops in lots near the test barn. We always make
a practice of letting them out part of the time for exercise,
and a little green grass. She has also carried a calf quite a
long time with each record she has made, and until this last
lactation period she has been very easy to get with calf.

“Our main yearly ration: three parts ground oats, three
parts bran, two parts ground corn and one part oil meal.
Rose De Kol has always had more oil meal than the rest of
our cows. These rations are changed from time to time
somewhat to add variety and a change. Different cows are
fed different amounts of the grain. \We have always for
Rose De Kol quite a lot of molasses and while she has never
had -beets she has always had liberal ration of beet pulp.
She has always consumed large quantities of alfalfa hay.
During most of the month she has had quite a lot of ensilage.

“Tf you will study her production you will see that her
2-year-old record is the second highest ever made for age.
Her 3-year-old, 10-months’ record, is a World’s record for
butter for age, and her 4-year-old, to months’ record is also
a World’s record for butter for age. The total of her three
lactation periods for butter and for milk under full age are
larger than any other Holstein cow and they are both
world’s records. The butter record being excelled by a
Jersey who was run three full years.

“We expect to continue her on test as long as she lives,
and if she is fortunate in keeping up her good work, she
ought to make a great life-time record.”

Jewel Pontiac Segis, Beauty Girl Pontiac Segis, and
Beauty Beets Walker Segis

These cows were fed the following grain mixture:
100 pounds barley
100 pounds hominy
100 pounds bran
100 pounds brewers’ grains
50 pounds oil meal
50 pounds Schumacher feed
In a letter giving the above mixture used for feeding these
cows, Mr. Hackney writes as follows:
“I do not allow crowding of feed in any way. They live
just as normally as though they were not on test. I keep

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Feeding Dairy Cattle

them as closely as possible to the lines intended by nature.
In my herd of over 250 head, we have had only two non-
breeders in the past five years, and those were not of my
own breeding. I want to say also something that you will
perhaps consider even more startling, viz: That all of the
daughters of Count, that have made such phenomenal
records, more than the daughters of any other sire of any
breed, are breeders—there is not a non-breeder among them.
We are very proud of this record at rden Farms.” This quo-
tation shows clearly the kind of Holstein breeding and feed-
ing that Mr. Hackney stands for.

Segis Pietertje Prospect

Carnation Stock Farms have made some good records.
Probably the best way to end up this statement of the feed-
ing of cows for long-time records is to print the statement
of Mr. Carl Gockerell, on the care and feeding of Segis
Pietertje Prospect. No other has been able to produce as
much milk in one year as this cow. Mr. Gockerell’s state-
ment follows:

“Those of us who have known Segis Pietertje Prospect
for some time cannot help but marvel at her remarkable
development during her hard year’s work. In every way
she is a bigger, better cow, a more efficient machine, and at
the end of her year she is in perfect physical condition in
every way. We always knew the cow to be a consistent
producer, but it took a great deal of careful and persistent
study to bring out all that was in her. She was dry a little
over two months, preparatory to her test. During that time
she was fitted on a ration consisting of equal parts of ground
oats, bran, hominy and oil meal and some salt and charcoal.
She received a small amount of beet pulp and a few beets.
At freshening time she was just in good condition. She
freshened nicely and had a slight attack of milk fever the
day after freshening, but rallied quickly. She was started
on a semi-official test the morning of December 2oth. At
that time, appreciating the fact that in order to be a good
long distance runner, a man must go easy at the start, the
cow was fed very conservatively—receiving 17 pounds of
grain daily. She came on nicely, and on her ninth day on
test milked 118.6 pounds. As the table below shows, her
feed was then gradually increased, until the month of March.
During that month she produced 3716 pounds of milk in 31
days. However, it was noticed that this pace was a little
too heavy; accordingly her feed was decreased. The follow-
ing table shows very clearly her feeding schedule.

Page Eighty-one

Feeding Dairy Cattle

“Several very interesting features may be noted here.
Probably the most important is the immense amount of
roughage she consumed at all times. Invariably when any
drop was noted in her production it could be traced to the
hay. We tried to find first cutting alfalfa that had been
through a sweat and had the leaves nicely attached. But
during the months of July, August and part of September
we were unable to secure this. She also ate considerable
ereen feed; starting in March with Italian rve grass then
oats and peas and in the fall, sweet corn. We ran out of
this in October. We tried feeding her silage several times,
but were not successful. Believe this was due to some
peculiarity of the cow. She is a cow that loves freedom and
lots of fresh air. During her fitting and up to July of her
test period, she had access at all times to an open runway and
spent the greater part of her time out there, rain or shine.
In July we made the mistake of moving her into a screen
stall where she could not get exercise, and a difference was
noticed at once. She was kept there ninety days, and was
then returned to her old quarters, very much to her
happiness.

“Segis Pietertje Prospect weighs 1650 pounds—is in fine
physical condition at the end of her test, and is due to calve
again the first part of April, having carried a calf 171 days of
her remarkable test.”

Daily Ration of Segis Pietertje Prospect

Month Grain Beet Hay Beets Italian Molasses Oats Sweet
of Pulp Rye Grass and Peas Corn
Ibs. lbs. Ibs. lbs. lbs. Ibs. lbs. lbs.
Dec. 16 3 20 36 2
Jan. 22 o 25 56 2
Feb. 23 6 25 56 eas 2
Mar. an 6 30 56 10 a
Apr. 23 6 25 60 15 3
May 23 6 20 60 25 =
June 228 6 20 50 30 3 a
July mal 5 20 40 bod 3 40
Aug. 22 a 22 55 3 35 £8
Sept. 22 6 23 48 3 19 20
Oct. 22 6 25 56 3 25
Nov, 21 6 28 60 3
Dec. 21 6 30 60 3
Grain Mixture
§ parts ground oats 1 part gluten
4 parts bran 1 Ib. charcoal to 100 lbs. grain
3 parts corn meal Salt before her at all times
3 parts hominy Molasses fed with pulp
; 1 part cottonseed From the above it will be noticed
2 parts soy bean that she received approximately 1
3 parts oil meal lb. of grain to each 4.6 lbs. of milk
1 part ground flaxseed produced.

Page Eighty-two

Feeding Dairy Cattle
XVII. Feeding for Long Distance Records

IRST, we should define the term, long distance record.
The author likes to think that the champion long dis-
tance dairy cow is the cow that will make a creditable

seven-day record, follow it up with a good yearly record, and
continue this sort of work for several years, producing a calf
every year. The average productive life of a cow should be
at least five years, with five calves. The profit in the pure
bred business comes largely from the sale of the young stock,
and this means numbers produced and large records. The
cow should be tried out every year for a seven-day record in
the hopes that she may improve her previous record.

The fitting of a cow for a seven-day test each year gives
her a big start on her year’s record, even if she does not
improve her previous weekly record. Fifteen or twenty
pounds of fat a week on the start of a yearly record makes a
big ditference in the yearly total. The easiest time to get this
high production of fat seems to be about three weeks after
calving. A study of many seven-day records shows that
most of them are made at about that time.

THE FUNDAMENTAL PRINCIPLES

It is well to review at this time just what the food is used
for. A cow making a long distance record is going to be a
hard working animal all the time. After she freshens, she
is under a tremendous load producing milk. Soon she is
bred, and then to the work of milk production is added the
labor of growing a foetus. The work of milk production
demands a liberal supply of protein because the solids in
milk are nearly 27 per cent. protein. This protein can only
be derived from the feed that the cow eats. Then the growth
of the foetus demands a liberal supply of protein. All the
needs of the animal from a physiological point of view and
from a commercial point of view also point to a liberal sup-
ply of protein in the feed. This means a relatively narrow
ration, except when dry. The dry period is the time when
there is the largest demand for protein for the foetus. From
this standpoint, therefore, even when dry, the cow should
have a liberal supply of protein. Any excess protein can be
used for energy purposes. During the dry period the cow is
laying on fat. A liberal supply of protein will help in this.
The protein does not seem to be used in the actual forma-
tion of the body fat, but has a guiding influence in the nutri-
tion of the animal at this time, causing the animal to fatten
more readily with less expenditure of feed.

Page Eighty-three

Feeding Dairy Cattle

The carbohydrates of the feed are used for the manu-
facture of the milk sugar. The solids of the milk are about
one-third sugar. This may be made from the carbohydrates
of the feed or from the fat in the feed or from the protein,
when there is more protein or fat than is needed for other pur-
poses. Then the carbohydrates are used directly as a source
of energy, either for direct consumption or stored as fat to be
drawn upon later for energy purposes. Body fat in the young
foetus or in the mother, is made in large part from the car-
bohydrates. In this sense the carbohydrates are as essential
and as important as the protein, except in so far as the pro-
tein of the feed has special uses, and because of its nitrogen
has a high manurial value. A pound of protein and a pound
of carbohydrates have the same feeding value from the
standpoint of energy.

The fat of the feed may be used to form body fat or milk
fat or may be burned at once to yield energy. One pound
of fat in the feed has two and one-fourth times as much
energy as a pound of carbohydrates or protein. Therefore,
fat is said to be two and one-fourth times as valuable as car-
bohydrates or protein. The fat has no special functions
except as above outlined. A high amount of fat in a feed
would not make a higher percentage of fat in the milk.

The amount of ash or mineral in the feed of cows has
probably not received the attention that it should. This ques-
tion is being carefully and thoroughly studied at the present
time. Results of these studies will have an important bear-
ing on long distance feeding. The question seems to center
around the supply of lime and phosphorous. A large variety
in the ration and legume roughage will help to solve this
question.

FEEDING PRACTICE

Between lactations the cows on these long tests will go
dry eight to ten weeks. A good grain mixture to be fed at
this time with alfalfa hay and silage and perhaps a few roots,
is 30 pounds hominy feed, 30 pounds ground oats, 30 pounds
wheat bran and 10 pounds of oil meal. Feed liberally of this
mixture and get the cow to fatten somewhat. If she is only
dry for eight or ten weeks you cannot get her too fat.

Keep her on a rather light ration, using this same mixture
for three or four days after calving, when she may be put on
the test mixture and her allowance raised to the limit of her
appetite. Whenever she shows signs of going off feed she
may be fed a meal or two of the same mixture that has been
suggested for her when dry.

Page Eighty-four

Feeding Dairy Cattle
She must be fed alfalfa hay or clover hay if she is
going through two or three hard lactations. She must have
good corn silage. She must have table beets or mangels.
As a suggested grain mixture to be used as a test ration, the
following is used by one of the best feeders and breeders of
Holstein-Friesian cattle:
300 pounds distillers’ dried grains
100 pounds oil meal
100 pounds hominy
100 pounds cottonseed meal
100 pounds ground oats
100-200 pounds wheat bran
100-200 pounds gluten feed

Such a mixture with alfalfa hay would give an abundance
of protein. It may be modified in a hundred ways, but is
efficient as it stands.

If handled and fed as suggested, to the limit of her appe-
tite, a cow should produce heavily. She must be watched
carefully and kept hungry. Alfalfa hay, silage, mangels and
grain form the basis of the ration at all times of the year,
but advantage may be taken of pasture, if exposure to bad
weather is not allowed and the cow is pastured only when
flies do not plague. She must be pampered and protected
and watched. Care will be rewarded. Cows that are worth
while are entitled to all they will eat all the time.

XVIII. Summer Rations for Semi-Official Cows

HERE is not much difference between the summer
rations for semi-official cows and the rations fed at
at other times of year. The principles are the same,

plenty of succulent feed and a good grain ration. The cows
that have made the best semi-official records have not
depended very much on pasture, although many of them have
been allowed some pasture. Pasture is undoubtedly ideal
so far as the feed is concerned. The drawbacks are many,
however. ‘The cow must spend much energy in getting her
feed and in making a high semi-official record; she has not
the energy to spare for this extra work. Second, if she must
depend much on pasture, she is exposed to all kinds of
weather. This is not good for her. She must not be chilled.
Third, and worst of all, if she goes to pasture in the day-time,
she is open to the attack of flies. There seems to be no fly
remedy on the market as yet that is completely a repellant.
They will keep them off for a while but their effect will not
last for the full day.

Page Eighty-five

feeding Dairy Cattle

Therefore it seems best to depend on soiling crops and a
good grain ration. If the cows are turned to pasture at all
they should be carefully sprayed and watched so that as little
trouble can come from flies as possible. The cows should be
petted and pampered more or less and fed all they will
possibly eat all the time. Their individual likes and dislikes
may be studied to good advantage, and the cows pleased in
this way. The secret is in getting them to eat and keep in
good health. They cannot make the best use of this food
if they must use the energy for other purposes than milk
production or are distracted by improper stabling or
exposure to bad weather and flies.

The author happens to have at hand the detailed feed
records for May, June, July, and August, of two cows that
have made over 1000 pounds of butterfat in one year. The
feeding of these cows for these summer months must have
been good or they never could have made these high records

The first was fed as follows:

May, 1914. 17.5 lbs. grain daily of the following mix-
ture: 3.8 lbs. bran, 2 lbs. hominy, 3 Ibs. ground oats. 1 tb.
each, wheat feed, flaxseed meal, and oil meal; 4.5 ibs. dis-
tillers’ dried grains, 1.2 Ibs. gluten, 14 Ibs. roots, 46 Ibs.
ensilage, 10 Ibs. alfalfa hay, pasture one hour.

June, 1914. 15.5 lbs. grain daily of the following mixture:
5 parts bran and corn, distillers’ dried grains, 1.5 part hom-
iny, 4 parts ground oats, 5 parts cottonseed meal, I part each,
Bartlett’s sugar malt, Buffalo gluten, flaxseed meal and oil
meal; 3 lbs. beet pulp, 41 Ibs. ensilage, 10 lbs. green alfalfa,
and 11 lbs. alfalfa hay.

July, t914. 18 lbs. grain daily, same mixture as given in
June: 2 Ibs. beet pulp, 15 lbs. each, red beets and green
alfalfa; 10 lbs. sweet corn, 42 lbs. ensilage, 11 lbs. alfalfa hay.

August, 1914. 15.2 lbs. grain daily, 14 lbs. of the follow-
ing mixture with 1.2 lbs. oat feed added daily; 4 lbs. bran,
2.5 lbs. hominy, 3.5 lbs. ground oats, 5.5 Ibs. corn, distillers’
dried grains, 2 lbs. Bartlett’s sugar malt, 5 lbs. Buffalo
gluten, 1 lb. each, cottonseed meal, and O. P. oil meal; 2 Ibs.
beet pulp, 20 lbs. beets, 15 Ibs. each, sweet corn and alfalfa;
36 lbs. ensilage, 9.5 Ibs. alfalfa hay.

Another cow that made 1000 pounds of butterfat in one
year was fed as follows:

May, 1913. 10 Ibs. grain daily of the following mixture:
250 lbs. bran, 50 Ibs. each, hominy, cottonseed meal, and oil
meal; 100 Ibs. gluten, 3 Ibs. beet pulp, 2 lbs. molasses, hay
with pasture.

Page Eighty-six

Feeding Dairy Cattle

June, 1913. 19 lbs. grain daily of the following mixture:
250 Ibs. bran, 50 lbs. each, hominy, ground oats, cottonseed
ae and oil meal; 3 Ibs. beet pulp, 2 Ibs. molasses, green
eed.

July, 1913. 18 lbs. grain daily of the following mixture,
on Ist and from 11th to 31st; 15 Ibs. daily from 2nd to ith:
250 Ibs. bran, 50 lbs. each, hominy, cottonseed meal, ground
oats, and oil meal; roo Ibs. gluten, 3 Ibs. each, molasses and
beet pulp: corn fodder from rst to 15th; clover from 17th
to 3Ist.

August, 1913. 18 Ibs. grain daily of the following mix-
ture: 250 lbs. bran, 50 lbs. each, hominy, cottonseed meal,
and oil meal; 100 Ibs. gluten, 3 lbs. each, beet pulp and
molasses; corn fodder, alfalfa, clover, with pasture.

The first grain mixture is a little more complicated than
the second, due to the addition of sugar malt, not a common
feed, and it is doubtful if it made the ration any more
efficient because the record of the second cow is practically
as great as that of the first.

To show the kind of feeding practiced at Cornell Uni-
versity, the feeding of a young cow for the months of May,
June, July and August, is given. She made a yearly record
of 620 Ibs of butterfat, was dry eight weeks and then made a
seven-day record of 24 lbs. of butterfat, which put her in the
30-lb. class. Her 30-day record in this lactation was 2481.1
Ibs. milk, 94.129 Ibs. buttérfat.

Her feed record for May, June, July, and August, rors,
was as follows:

May. 15 lbs. daily of the following grain mixture: 300
Ibs. distillers’ dried grains, 200 lbs. hominy, 200 Ibs. wheat
bran, 200 lbs. cottonseed meal, 100 Ibs. gluten feed, 50 Ibs.
cofn silage, 11 lbs. of hay. The last of the month the hay.
was dropped and some green grass fed.

June. 12 Ibs. daily of the same grain mixture as in May.
All the green feed (grass, peas and oats, etc. ) she would eat.

July. 14 lbs. daily of the same grain mixture as in May;
50 Ibs. green alfalfa until July 17th; July 18 to 24. 30 Ibs.
peas and oats silage; July 25 to 31, 30 lbs. corn silage.

August. 9 to 14 lbs. daily of the same grain mixture as
in May; 30 to 35 lbs. daily of corn silage; some pasture and
hay.
hee three statements of actual rations fed show the
kind of ration, the feeds used, and illustrates again the need
for succulence, variety, plenty of bulk, and plenty of protein

in the ration.
Page Eighty-seven

Feeding Dairy Cattle

A study of many rations fed by many different feeders
will show that they do not depart widely from these
methods, and the feeds listed in these rations will cover those
‘generally used.

The following is suggested as a grain mixture for the

summer:
500 pounds hominy
500 pounds distillers’ dried grains
300 pounds wheat bran
300 pounds gluten feed
200 pounds oil meal
200 pounds ground oats

XIX. Feeding Fat Into Milk

VER since interest in high production records was stim-
ulated by the dairy breed associations, breeders have
looked for ways and means of raising the normal per-

centage of fat in a given individual cow’s milk for seven,
thirty, or longer periods of days, including semi-official and
official yearly records. The writer has never yet seen but
one way of doing this successfully. Many breeders have
been sure that they had a way, but no one way has been suc-
cessful enough to give that breeder any lead over others.
And so far as the writer is aware no method has ever been
tested out carefully and scientifically except one. That one
method is to fatten an animal before the testing period and
then feed her carefully so that she will lose her body fat and
put it into the pail. This method has been described in a
previous paper and is really so well known among breeders
who test that it is unnecessary to give it much more
consideration here.

And after all, what would the economic effect of a suc-
cessful method to feed fat into milk in a short time test
amount to? The partial success of feeding fat into milk by
means of fattening the cow before testing, has already
brought seven-day records into more or less disrepute as
real evidence of production. The law of conservation of
energy holds true no less with animals than with machines,
and if a method of changing body substance into milk fat is
found, the same amount of food must be used to produce the
body substance at some time in the course of the period
between the birth of two calves.

No, in the opinion of the writer, breeders who seek to
-find a method to increase the percentage of fat in the milk of
any individual for any period of time, short of the whole life
.of the individual, is not doing himself or the breed any real

Page Eighty-eight

Feeding Dairy Cattle
good. The breeders of the Holstein-Friesian breed had bet-
ter give their attention to the study of methods of breeding,
which may on the one hand increase the normal fat content
of the milk of the breed, if that is deemed desirable, and which
must be done at the expense of a less quantity of milk, and
on the other hand, to methods of breeding which will increase
capacity of the breed as a whole, to utilize feed above main-
tenance and change it into milk. Suppose a method should
be found which would cause a cow to test higher than her
normal inherited percentage for seven or thirty days or even
a year. What good would that do the breed? Until it was
established beyond doubt that a certain breeder was doing
something which was influencing the production of his indi-
viduals for short periods of time, of course he would make
money, but it would be a great boon to the breed if some way
could be found to enable a cow to turn more food into milk;
but it is the firm conviction of the writer that it is futile to
look for methods of this kind except through breeding for
greater capacity and production. This kind of work will
permanently better the breed.

To be sure of his ground, the writer has looked over
rather carefully the literature on this subject in recent years,
by consulting the Experiment Station record. The only
positive evidence that appeared was found in Bulletin 100,
by C. H. Eckles, of the Missouri Experiment Station.
Eckles’ work was wholly along the line of feeding the animal
previous to the beginning of the test and getting her fat.
When this was done the percentage of fat in the milk would
be high during the first part of the lactation period. The
effect persisted to a more or less extent through the whole
lactation period. This kind of feeding is to be advised,
because undoubtedly the capacity of the animal to produce is
increased in a perfectly legitimate and normal manner, and it
is a case of actually turning more feed into milk.

The experiments along the line of the specific effects of
different feeds have been very numerous, but any positive
effect of any one feed or combination of feeds is shown to be
short and slight. It is probable that in many cases the effect
could be shown to be within the limits of experimental error
if a careful study were made.

A number of experiments on the use of the extracts from
certain glands of the body, particularly the pituitary gland,
for the purpose of increasing the percentage of fat in milk,
and also for increasing the amount secreted, have given posi-
tive results for short periods of time, but these results usually

Page Eighty-nine

Feeding Dairy Cattle

have been followed by corresponding periods when the
amount and quality have been below normal.

Some positive results have been obtained by feeding a
large amount of oil and fat in the ration. These experiments
also have been attended without permanent results which
would influence one to recommend definite procedure even
for a short tine test.

In conclusion the author must confess that he sees little
hope for any method for really increasing the fat percentage
in milk, except through breeding and feeding to produce
cows nearer the ideal that is held for the breed in question.
The true method to get cows with high records is to breed
for size and capacity, and perhaps if that is the desire and
ideal of the breed, to select for a higher percentage of fat.

Page Ninety

Part Three—Feeding Calves

XX. Raising Calves on Whole and Skimmed Milk

HE raising of dairy young stock is a very important
fi problem for our farmers. The feeding and manage-
ment of stock is fully as important as the breeding,
although we are likely to say that breeding is more impor-
tant. It is in this sense, the animal must have the quality if
is going to do the work in the world that is expected of it.
First, after being well born, comes the necessity of being
well fed as a calf. This will be the subject of this and the
next paper. This paper will consider the growing of young
calves on milk.

There are three possible ways of growing calves on milk:

t. The use of nurse cows, good producers but of grade
breeding.

2. The growing of the calf on whole milk.

3. The growing of the calf on skim milk.

The growing of calves by means of a nurse cow does not
need any particular explanation. A good cow costing Sso
to $75 should be able to care easily for two calves and grow
them in the very best possible condition. This method lends
itself to practice in those places where there is abundant
pasture on cheap land, and it goes without saying that this
method would produce the very best calves. But as is shown
in a table a little farther on, this is of course a very expensive
method.

The second method is also expensive, but is the method
used by the breeders who are growing the best stock. This
method means the feeding of the calf on whole milk after
two or three days, while he is left with his mother. This
method is also expensive, but there 1s a bloom and finish put
on the calf that cannot be obtained in any other way. The
best breeders are not content with feeding in any other man-
ner. The details will not be discussed because all details
are practically the same as when feeding skim milk. This
method of feeding is the one on which, by far, the majority
of breeders must depend, and it will be discussed in detail.
It seems best to take up the discussion by weeks in order to
be definite.

Page Ninety-one

Feeding Dairy Cattle

The First Two Weeks.—After the calf is born he
should be left with his mother for two or three days. Per-
haps until the eighth milking. The writer has always con-
sidered the eighth milking “good” to save for home or
market purposes. The milk of the first six or seven milkings
is called colustrum. This is necessary to the health of the calf
because it is a laxative and has a good effect on the digestive
system. It has always seemed to the writer that the best
way for the calf to get the colustrum is by suckling the
mother. It is best for the mother, too. If the calf does not
attempt to suckle the mother by the time he is three or four
hours old he should be helped up and assisted in getting his
first meal.

He should get whole milk for at least ten days. Ii at all
practicable it is best to feed him for the first ten days, three
times a day, one and one-half quarts at a meal. After the
tenth day, if he is good and strong, he may be fed twice a
day and receive two quarts (four pounds) at a meal. The
temperature of the milk should always be at go degrees to
100 degrees F. A thermometer costs twenty-five cents.
Always try the temperature of the milk with a thermometer
and know that it is at the proper temperature when fed. The
temperature.is one of the most important points to have
correct in feeding. Beginning with the eleventh to the
fourteenth day the calf may be changed to skimmed milk.

The Third Week.—Take a full week from whole milk to
skimmed milk, changing at the rate of one pound per day.
The skimmed milk must be sweet, free from foam, and at a
temperature of 90 degrees to 100 degrees F.

The Fourth Week and Thereafter—The calf may now
have more milk as his appetite and condition demand. Do
not over-feed him. There is much more danger from over-
feeding than from under-feeding. Mix into each feeding of
skimmed milk a teaspoonful of soluble blood flour. This
blood flour may be obtained from your feed dealer. It is
simply dried ground blood and is a by-product from the large
abattoirs. Insist that the kind you buy be very finely
ground, because coarsely ground dried blood will settle out
when mixed in the milk, and it should stay in suspension.
Blood flour is expensive, but the amount fed is very small
and is worth many times its cost. Its particular usefulness
is twofold, it is a very good high protein in itself, and
secondly, it keeps the bowels of the calf in good condition and
overcomes any tendency to digestion troubles.

Roughage.—At four weeks of age the calf will begin to

Page Ninety-two

Feeding Dairy Cattle

eat food other than milk. The best roughage for him is
second or third cutting of bright, well cured alfalfa hay. (On
those farms where alfalfa hay is not available, the second
cutting of clover hay is best. With a little care practically
every farmer in the State of New York can put up a little
cutting of clover hay for his calves. If neither of the above
kinds of hay are available, use the best quality of hay that
can be secured. Let the calf have all the hay he will eat

After the calf is six months old he may have a little
silage.

The Grain Mixture——At about the time at which the
young calf will begin to eat a wisp of hay, he will eat dry
grain. The mixture that has given the writer much satis-
faction is the following: 30 pounds wheat bran, 30 pounds
ground oats, 30 pounds corn meal and to pounds oil meal.
The calf should be fed all he will eat of this mixture in a
box nailed to the side of his pen. Never feed a calf dry
grain in the pail from which he gets his milk, nor mix the
grain in with his milk. When three or four weeks old, after
he has finished drinking his milk, put some of the above mix-
ture in his mouth. He will soon learn to like it. At the
same time have some of this mixture in the feed box in his
pen. He will soon find the box and eat regularly. Feed all
the grain he will eat up clean after having his milk. Some
feeders keep feed before their calves all the time.

Care and Management Other Than Feeding.—Besides
feeding there are some other things in the care of the calves
that should be mentioned. More than all else is cleanliness
and dryness. The pens should be kept clean and dry. The
temperature of the stable may be rather low and the calves
will grow and thrive if kept dry and clean and are well fed.
The pens should be cleaned often and kept well bedded. In
warm weather particularly, the calves should have access to
clean water.

Many farmers turn their calves out to pasture when too
young. In New York, a good practice is, keep in the barn
during the summer all calves born aiter February Ist. These
young calves may be turned out at night pasture if one is
available. They are too young to pick their own living
without some extra food, so that it seems best to feed them
in the barn the first summer. In the pasture flies plague
them so that they do not grow well.

Dehorning Calves.—In herds where it is desirous that all
the animals shall be dehorned, the best time is to dehorn
the young calves before they are three weeks old. This may

Page Ninety-three

Feeding Dairy Cattle

be done by rubbing the little nubs of horns with a stick of
caustic potash. This may be purchased at any drug store.
When using it, precaution should be taken that it does not
come in contact with the hands. This is easily done by
wrapping in paper the end of the stick that is held in the
hand.

Clip the hair away from the button of horn. Dip the end
of the stick of caustic potash into water and rub the horn
hard with it until the skin all around the button is raw and
bleeds a little. This is necessary in order to wholly destroy
the horn tissue. Be careful that the caustic liquid does not
run down into the eyes of the calf.

This seems like a cruel practice, but in reality it is a most
humane one, because it does not hurt the calf very much,
and dehorning a mature animal is very painful and more or
less dangerous. Cattle that have been dehorned are more
docile, cannot injure each other, or the attendant, and are
probably more productive. The sores made by the dehorn-
ing process will quickly heal and need no attention. The
thing of greatest importance is to do a thorough job, mak-
ing sure that the horn button is absolutely destroyed. If
only a part is destroyed a stubby, misshaped horn will grow
and a poorly shaped head will result.

Much trouble is sometimes experienced from scours aris-
ing from indigestion. This trouble is to be prevented rather
than cured. It may be prevented by proper feeding. The
above directions have been followed in a herd of sixty calves
and the calves made an average gain of ten pounds and over
per week. Blood meal has been used religiously, and when
a little trouble has come the only treatment that has been
necessary has been to cut down the food at least one-half
and to add a pint of clear lime water for a feed or two. Then
bring the calf gradually to full feed again.

The following table shows the comparative cost of feeding

according to the three methods mentioned:
Pounds average Feed cost of 100

Food daily gain Ibs. of grain
SKIMMEG, “MTG go yscereie seus diss dae peel ave 1.5 2.26
WHE MilKi vii sasca sow caer ene 1.9 7.06
Running’ with, date: scnss.ceoe0sd 1.8 4.41

This table is from the actual results in handling a total of
forty-two calves divided about equally into three lots. The
feed cost would vary with the locality, but shows a compari-
son that might reasonably be expected. The comparison
shows that skimmed milk is by far the least expensive,
and a daily gain of 1.5 pounds will give a heifer that will be

Page Ninety-four

Feeding Dairy Cattle

so well developed that it will be very difficult to recognize
her from her sister, raised on whole milk, when both reach
the age of two years.

XXI. Raising Calves on Substitutes for Milk

N MANY farms there is need for method of feeding
calves with a small amount of milk. The breeder has
not yet reached the place in his business where he can

afford to feed his calves on whole milk, although this is by far
the best method for raising the calves to get that fine finish
desired by buyers of the best bred stock. Neither is there
available a supply of skimmed milk. The small breeder
must send his raw milk to market and if he is to raise the
herd and breed it up according to his own individual ideas,
he must breed and raise his own young stock. How can he
do this with a minimum of whole milk?

There are two general ways open to him: (1) He can pur-
chase and feed the commercial calf meals on the market.
(2) He can mix up his own calf meal. Both of these ways
have been tried out carefully on many farms and at several
experiment stations, so that we know that good dairy heif-
ers can be raised on substitutes for milk. In test of these
cali meals alongside check groups raised on skimmed milk at
two vears of age, it has been found that there is no difference
in development. The young calves do not grow quite as
fast at first but soon pick up after six months of age, and, at
two vears of age, there is no appreciable difference. In our
experience there has been no difference in productive ability
that can in any way be attributed to the fact that the calves
were raised on substitutes for milk.

The importance of this cannot be overestimated. We
must interest all our dairy farmers to raise and breed their
own stock. Many farmers do not raise their own stock
simply because they can not see any way to raise the calves
without milk. Therefore they maintain their herds by pur-
chase. It is a great gain for the industry of dairying every
time a farmer can be interested to improve his herd by his

own breeding.
COMMERCIAL CALF MEAL

Feed manufacturers in the past few years have greatly
increased the number of commercial meals on the market.
They are all much alike as to ingredients. It will not be
possible to name all the commercial calf meals on the market
or to give their ingredients. Each farmer in selecting his

Page Ninety-five

Feeding Dairy Cattle

calf meal must judge of its merits. Since we cannot name
them all and give results for each, it is only fair that we do
not name any. It is suggested that those meals will probably
give the best results which are made up from the ingredients
that we know to be suitable for feeding young animals. It
is required by law that all the ingredients be named. If
there seems to be any ingredients in the mixture that might
not be suitable do not feed that meal but buy another which
has suitable ingredients.

Feed the commercial calf meal that you select according
to the methods suggested by the manufacturer. In trials
conducted by the author, covering a period of eight years,
with several commercial feeds, the methods recommended
by the manufacturers have been followed generally with
good results. We have had no trouble in getting calves to
gain at least one pound per day with commercial calf meals,
and gains of 1.5 pounds per day have been common. No
. one should be satisfied with a gain of less than one pound
per day. All the precautions and methods of supplementary
feeding, to be used with skimmed milk, must be scrupulously
carried out with commercial calf meals, because these meals
are a much more artificial way of feeding than skimmed milk
and more likely to cause trouble. Extra care must be taken
not to over-feed.

The one thing that the author would emphasize with the
commercial calf meals, is that fact that they are too high in
price. They cost from $60 to $70 or more per ton retail,
whereas a good home-imnixed calf meal has given better
results than the average commercial meal at a cost of $40 to
$50 per ton.

A HOME-MIXED CALF MEAL

The Purdue University Experiment Station has used
extensively a home-mixed calf meal, simple in its make-up
and within the reach of all. Any feed dealer can procure
the ingredients, if you insist that he get them for you. You
should be able to mix it at present prices of feeds. for $50 or
less per ton, with the ingredients purchased at retail. The
mixture is equal parts, by weight, of linseed oil meal, hominy
feed, red dog flour, and soluble blood flour. The table below
suggests the method of using the home-mixed calf meal.

Table showing the daily amount of milk, calf meal and
water required by calves of various birth weigits and various
ages:

Page Ninety-six

“IeoA & UL HIIU “Sq[ 000‘0g eAOoge
VIML ‘Sposeiq [[B@ JaAO Jeonpoid uordweyo asunisIp SuoryT

VEeLyVOTV ATTIL

Spar [PE TAO WOrdiTeyO "“19TING "Sl VUGLSGI—pPloat S.tva A
OVILNOd V1134a

*}89) SCI S302 ‘1USIA A SAT 88 92 OF UOJ
S.tPAN ME Taonpo.td YET UoOldwUeyo S p[toM “q[-voOO'LE Snoureg sp1odat ABP-L INOY ‘Sl O6ZT OF ONOT Worl Splodd.t aradt Ino
LOAdSOYd APLYALAld SIDAS Pe 3AMYNEA SSAG HOOUS ONIYdS

<] ae o eee

Z Y Vdd
HET LOO PIETERTJE
At 2 years—20.22 lbs. butter in 7 days. World’s champion in her class.

GLISTA ERNESTINE
The only cow to make above 380 lbs. butter in 7 days, seven different years. She
nroduced over 800 nounds milk in 7 davs two different vears. Cnanditinnad ana tactaa

Feeding Dairy Cattle

‘ Daily ration | Daily ration Dai rat i i i i
Birth |)" ast y aily ration Daily ration Dail
ecient ae days at 7 days at 20 days at 30 days sik to ne
f age of age of age of age
calves Wk ae a
the: Milk Meal|/Milk Meal Water|Milk Meal Water] Meal Water
S Ibs. oz. | lbs. oz. lbs. | lbs. oz. Ibs. OZ. Ibs.
40 5 6 2 4.5 8 2
3 2 J 8 5 14 6
He e 6 2 4.5 8 2 1 13 5 14 6
a : 7 2 [ad 9 28 | 1 14 6 15 7
0 6 i 3 | 5.0 Cees an ee 6 15 7
an 7 39155 10 2 1 15 7 16 8
130 ‘ 8 3 5.5 10 3 1 15 7 16 8
6 : 9 : d 6.0 lal 3.5 1 16 S 17 8
alf to be) Begin adding If calf is doing
taken from|water to the well, discontinue
poe as oe ie after ten milk feeding af-
ucket}day f ; i
ai tie ane s of age ter this age.
This table is taken from Purdue University, Department
of Agricultural Extension bulletin No. 44, published in

January, 1916.

This table may be followed in detail or a simple rule used
by the writer, which checks almost exactly with the table, is
to mix one pound of dry meal with eight pounds of water at
100 degrees Fahrenheit and use this gruel just as one would
skim milk, taking five weeks for the complete change from
milk to gruel.

The one thing to be careful about in using this method
of raising calves is not to over-feed. Several lots of good
looking calves have been raised by the author and no trouble
has been experienced in getting the calves to grow at least
one pound per day per head. Much better gains may be
made with Holstein calves when the feeder uses care enough
and makes pets of his charges.

XXII Feeding and Management of Yearlings and
Two-Year-Olds

ROM the standpoint of the best development of the
heifer at the least cost, fall-dropped calves are pre-
ferred. But this is not possible for all calves since it is
necessary and wise to control the breeding of the herd so
that the milk flow is maintained at about the same rate for
the herd through the year. When a farmer can turn out
about so much milk per day through the whole year, he can

Page Ninety-seven

Feeding Dairy Cattle
command a better market because of the uniformity of the
amount of his product.

It is not wise to pasture during their first summer, calves
dropped after January or February first. Flies bother the
young calves too much. Calves that are born before Janu-
ary first seem to stand their first summer on pasture all right
and make good gains. Therefore, the cost of raising a
heifer dropped during the fall is likely to be less than that of
one dropped later because of the greater utilization of
pasture. Pasture is very cheap feed any way it is computed
unless one has to give a greater valuation than $50 per acre
to the land.

If skimmed milk is available it may be used to good
advantage until calves are a year or more old, although it is
not at all necessary after eight months. It will probably give
greater returns, fed to younger animals, than to those over
eight months. When calves or other young stock are on
pasture there is no greater pleasure to them than a cool,
dark basement, into which they may run during the heat of
the day and get rid of the flies. If the basement is made
rather dark the flies will leave them.

If any of the herd of calves seem a little unthrifty it is a
very good thing to arrange matters so that these can have a
little grain to supplement the pasture. Of course there are
any number of feeds available for this purpose. A mixture
that is a favorite one with the author for all young stock is
the one already mentioned in feeding calves, 30 pounds
hominy, or corn meal; 30 pounds of ground oats; 30 pounds
of wheat bran, and 10 pounds of oil meal. If pasture is good
perhaps no grain will be needed during the best months.
The amount of grain necessary for heifers is about four
pounds per day up to the time of calving, of such a mixture
as the above. -\ll the good clover hay and silage that she
will eat, and four to six pounds of grain, will keep the heifer
in good growing condition and put her in the right shape for
dropping her first calf. There are many other feeds and
mixtures as good as the one given above. Space will not be
taken to give other mixtures. Distillers’ dried grains, gluten,
cottonseed meal after one year of age, brewers’ dried grains,
malt sprouts, barley, buckwheat middlings, etc.: all make
excellent ingredients and may be used for rations for grow-

Page Ninety-eight

Feeding Dairy Cattle
ing stock. Some high protein feed should always be
included in the mixture to enable the animal to make satis-
factory growth. Experience and observation prove that the
animal which grows the most regularly and rapidly during
the first two years of her life will make the most satisfactory
producer.

Many times it is said that feeding fattening foods is to be
avoided, and much fat on a heifer is considered wrong by
many. It is the writer’s impression that there is little dan-
ger from getting a heifer too fat. Keep her growing and in
good condition all the time. In this paper the amount of
grain has been placed at four to six pounds. It seems to the
writer that this is a good plan in feeding, to allow them to
fix the total amount of the ration by feeding all the silage
and hay that they will eat.

The time at which heifers should be bred is an important
point to be considered in the management of heifers.
‘There is a tendency among purebred breeders to breed at
20 months of age or even later. A few figures from a good
pure-bred herd on this point gives a good reason for early
breeding.

Thirty-three animals produced their first calf before they
were 30 months old. Their two-year record was 6026 pounds.
Their three-year record was 6780. Eighteen animals that
produced their first calf at 36 months or a little later made
an average of 7460 pounds of milk in their third year. The
first lot has produced at the end of their year almost 13,000
pounds of milk against 7500 for the second lot. In later
years the second lot did not appear to do any better than the
first lot. Until she becomes a milk producer the heifer
yields no income. There are 4 good reasons for breeding early
in addition to the above: (1) Constantly recurring periods
of heat are as much a check on the heifer’s growth as the
development of the foetus. (2) Reproductive organs may
become deranged if breeding is put off. (3) The condition
of pregnancy has a marked stimulative effect upon the young
animal during the first months. The assimulative functions
are increased provided the heifer is furnished with an abun-
dance of food. (4) It seems to be easier to develop a milk-
secreting capacity when the heifer produces young at an early
Page Ninety-nine

Feeding Dairy Cattle

age. If put off sometimes the heifer shows a tendency toward
beefiness. On the whole it seems best to have the heifer
drop her first calf at 24 months. In conclusion, this paper
is a plea for liberal feeding of heifers and early breeding

Page One Hundred

Part Four—Miscellaneous Articles on
Feeding

XXIII. Feeding Dry Stock

LL authorities on dairying agree that cows shouid have
A a rest between lactation periods. Opinions differ as
to what the length of that period should be. Pure-
bred breeders who do much advanced registry testing are
often accused of milking their large seven-day-record cows
only six months in the year. ‘This criticism is for the most
part unfounded. A cow needs to make a big yearly record.
From reliable sources of information it seems that two
months is about the correct length of time for a cow to rest.
From data on 496 cows in a cow testing association, those
cows dry for two months produced more butterfat and made
a larger net profit per year than those which were allowed to
rest only one month.

Eckles, of Missouri, regards a period of six weeks long
enough unless the cow is thin in flesh. So far as there is
available data it seems to make no difference in average
annual returns per cow, whether the lactation period is nine,
ten or twelve months long, so long as there is a rest period
of six to eight weeks between lactation periods. It is usually
best, however, to plan the breeding of the herd so that each
cow will produce a calf once a year. Whether all the cows
will be bred to come in in the fall or spring must depend on
the market for milk and the market for stock. A little atten-
tion to time of breeding will enable a breeder to keep the
amount of milk produced daily uniform for the year. His
particular market may be better for his surplus stock at one
time of year than at another. For the greatest success all
these points must be considered in fixing the time for
breeding each cow. -

There are some cows that it is difficult to dry off. All
cows should be dried off gradually. If the cow is giving a
lot of milk when it comes time to begin the rest period, her
concentrate allowance should be withheld, and if necessary,
her roughage limited to timothy hay, although it is seldom
necessary to go to this extreme. Milk her once a day for
several days, then but once in two days and so on, gradually

Page One Hundred One

Feeding Dairy Cattle

lengthening the period between milkings. When she pro-
duces ten pounds per day or less milking may be entirely
discontinued with safety, although the cow must be carefully
watched to see that the milk becomes re-absorbed.

After the cow is dry she should be fed liberally on rough-
age. Alfalfa hay and corn silage are good at this time.
Scientists, notably Forbes of Ohio, are beginning to study
carefully the amount of the different minerals removed in
the milk. The amount of lime is particularly large and the
ration fed during the lactation period does not seem to sup-
ply enough lime in such a form that it can be easily assimi-
lated. Therefore more lime is removed in the milk than is
assimilated from the feed during a given lactation period.
This lime can only come from the skeleton of the animal.
She must restore this amount while dry. This, then, is one
very important reason for feeding leguminous roughage.
Legumes furnish a large amount of lime in a form more
easily assimilated.

Succulent feed is important at this time, as at all times. in
feeding dairy cattle. It is healthful, cooling, and keeps the
animal in the very best condition.

The grain ration may be made up from various feeds.
Variety is not so important nor is bulk at this time. The
mixture may be made from any feeds fattening in nature, for
the aim now is good health and vigor and some added fat.
The author has used the following mixture of concentrates
most successfully in feeding dry cows:

600 pounds hominy feed
600 pounds ground oats
600 pounds wheat bran
200 pounds linseed oil meal

This mixture will put the cows in first-class physical con-
dition and will insure proper growth of the foetus. Another
mixture used for two-year-old heifers soon due to freshen
for the first time, and to dry mature cows, was:

500 pounds gluten feed
500 pounds ground oats
500 pounds hominy feed
400 pounds wheat bran
100 pounds oil meal

Oil meal, though usually relatively expensive, is particu-
larly valuable at this time to put the cows in good condition.
The exact makeup of the mixture will depend, as so often
said in this series of articles, on the feeds available at home
and the relative cost of total digestible nutrients in those con-
centrates that must be purchased. The principles on which

Page One Hundred Two

Feeding Dairy Cattle

the above mixtures rest are relative cost of digestible nutri-
ents, a good amount of high protein feeds and the rest
fattening feeds with a little oil meal as a conditioner.

It is a common statement among the most progressive
dairymen that the grain fed at this time brings in the great-
est returns of any, and that means a larger, stronger calf, a
cow in stronger, better condition to stand the strain of
parturition and a good send-off into a new lactation and a
good high production. he fat on her back while dry, by a cow
of good dairy temperament, will all eventually return to the
milk pail, in that she will lose in weight during a period of
four or five weeks after calving and her milk will be richer
in fat during this period than it otherwise would. Both of
these facts are borne out by the results of careful
experiments at the Missouri Experiment Station.

The amount of concentrates to be fed daily will depend
on the roughage. With a liberal supply of the best rough-
age, when grain is not exceedingly high, four pounds a day
should be fed. With valuable cows, when records are in
view, ten to twelve pounds would not be excessive.

In conclusion, it may be interesting to note some of the
rations fed to dry cows in a country where the cows are just
“roughed” through the winter. Monrad says that in Norway
cows are often wintered on small farms on straw, birch leaves,
reindeer moss and horse dung, cooked and given as mash
with straw and leaves. Herring, fish offal and seaweed have
been used in the same way. The annual yield of milk under
such conditions was 1600 to 1800 pounds. The cow has
always responded wonderfully to every improvement in the
method of caring for and feeding her since these primitive
dairy methods were in operation.

PERTINENT INFORMATION

Criticism of purebred breeders, tending to show that they
milk large record cows but six months ina year, is unfounded.

Two months is about the correct length of time that
cows should rest between lactation periods.

The time when cows should freshen is dependent upon
the market for milk and the market for stock.

A little attention in time of breeding will enable a breeder
to keep the amount of milk produced daily uniform through
the year.

All cows should be dried off gradually.

Leguminous roughage should have a large place in the
ration of dry cows. It furnishes lime in a form easily

assimilated.
Page One Hundred Three

Feeding Dairy Cattle

Expenditures for grain to be fed to dry cows bring in the
greatest return. They mean a larger, stronger calf, a cow
better able to stand the strain of parturition and a good
send-off in a new lactation period of high production.

A cow always responds wonderfully to every improvement
in methods of caring for and feeding her.

XXIV. Feeding and Care of the Dairy Bull.

UCH is written and said about the feeding and the care
for the dairy cow. Sometimes a short paragraph or
two is written about the method of leading or exer-

cising the bull, but very few men have a true appreciation
of the importance of the bull in the herd, and he does not
come in for his share of the study of feeding, exercise and
care. In feeding the dairy cow the results are at once
apparent. In feeding and caring for the bull the results are
not at once apparent, and oftentimes the bull is dead before
his real value is known. ‘The writer has in mind the care of
a very prepotent bull, that was the sire of several thirty-
pound daughters, but his value was not recognized and he
was not kept. He was sacrificed early, not because he was
poorly fed or cared for, perhaps, but this may have had some-
thing to do with it. If he had been properly cared for and
kept in the best condition it perhaps would not have been
so easy for the owner to sacrifice him, and he would have
been kept longer and his value, through his daughters,
recognized before it was too late.

In breeding and managing purebreds we cannot put too
much attention on the bull. He is so important. At pres-
ent, in raising pure-bred cattle, we are taught that nearly ali is
in the breeding, and that the good or ill that there is in the
offspring is purely the result of heredity and that nothing can
be acquired during the life of the individual that can be trans-
mitted. Undoubtedly this is all true, except perhaps in one
particular, that is, in size and capacity. Feeding and care
and management do have an effect on size and on constitu-
tion, and in the opinion of the writer, there is some trans-
mission of these characteristics to the offspring. Good
envronment and liberal feeding will aid judicious selection
very materially in increasing th esize and capacity of the
indviduals iin any given family.

If this is true, then how great is the importance of prop-
erly growing the males that are to be used for service, aud
how great is the importance of properly feeding, exercising

Page One Hundred Four

Feeding Dairy Cattle
and caring for them during their use in the herd. The
individual female in a given herd of twenty animals influences
the outcome of only one mating in any single year. The
individual bull puts his influence into twenty matings every
year and stamps his individuality on twenty offsprings, where
an individual cow affects only one offspring. ‘The care, feed-
ing and management in this herd, then, of the bull, is as
important from a breeding standpoint as the care and man-
agement of all the cows put together and twenty times as
important as the care and management of any single female
of the herd. We do not wish to exaggerate this point and we
do not think we have. We are only trying to emphasize and
drive it home. The income from the breeding of the herd
is always more important than the income from milk, and in
many of our best and largest herds the milk is practically a
by-product.

THE YOUNG BULL

For the first six months of his life the young bull will be
treated as his sisters are treated. Skimmed milk, or whole
milk in some cases, with good hay, a little silage and all the
grain he will eat, and an opportunity to grow and exercise
some, is all that he will require. Calves born before Janu-
ary first may be pastured the first summer if grained a little
to secure maximum growth. If born after January first, it is
better to keep them up, at least during the day, to be rid of
the fly nuisance. A good grain mixture is three parts of an
equal mixture by weight of hominy feed, wheat bran, ground
oats, with one part of oil meal. Good legume hay, silage
and four to six pounds of the above grain mixture should be
very liberal feeding for the second six months. Perhaps the
above suggestions are too liberal. Maximum growth is what
is wanted and if that can be attained with less feed, that is
all that is necessary.

The bull at twelve months is not to be considered mature
by any means, but he should be ringed and taught that the
one who controls him is master. If he has not been taught
before, he should be taught to lead and be handled every day.
If this is done and he knows who is master, a bull will rarely
become ugly or hard to manage. At ten to twelve months
he can be used for light service.

From now on exercise is the all important thing. Unless
there is a particular reason for it, all animals, males and
females, should be dehorned as calves. The sooner this
becomes the fashion and it becomes the recognized thing, a
Page One Hundred Five

Feeding Dairy Cattle

great thing for the comfort of our animals and their care-
takers will have been accomplished. When this has been
done bulls may be turned together and they will get a great
deal of exercise pushing and ramming each other around and
will be much quieter and easier to handle.

I;xposure to the weather will do no harm and is a positive
factor for good if the exposure is not undue. Practically all
that is needed, except in very severe climates, is a shed closed
on three sides and open on the warm side to the paddock,
where the bulls may run.

In herds where only one bull is kept, additional means
must be provided to secure more exercise than the bull will
take of his own accord. Then in herds where sales are going
on all the time, and it is necessary to keep the herd bull in
more or less of a show condition, he must be regularly exer-
cised in a more artificial manner. A tread power will do this
or he may simply be led or driven. The important thing is
exercise and plenty of it. One of the most valuable bulls of
the Holstein-Friesian breed is given two miles every day on
the road. The owner considers that the time thus spent is
more valuable than the same time spent in any other way.

The feed that the bull is given must be commensurate
with the service and his condition. He should not be too
fat, but must be in good rig. Clover or alfalfa hay, ten to
fifteen pounds of silage, and two to ten pounds of grain, is
indicated. The silage should be restricted or he may
become too paunchy to reach the cows. ‘The grain mixture
may be the one given above or a similar one, or may be the
regular grain mixture given the herd. It should not be fat-
tening, but should be rather bulky with plenty of protein,
with at least a pound a day of oil meal.

In conclusion, we again call attention to the great value
of the bull, value lost sight of because it is not so apparent
each day as is the daily milk yield of the cows, but there,
nevertheless; and to the great necessity of exercise for the
aged herd bull every day, and then more exercise.

Page One Hundred Six

Part Five—The Sources of Feeds

XXV. The Sources of Feeds

HERE are three main lines of study in learning more
T about feeding dairy cattle.

1. We should learn all we can about the principles
of nutrition which underlie all our practice.

2. We must learn all we can about what Dr. Armsby calls
the “Materials of Nutrition’, the feeds.

3. We must learn all we can about the practice of feeding
itself.

It is with the second paragraph that this series of articles
on the source of feeds will deal. We will try to teach some-
thing about the feeds that may be used in the feeding of
dairy cows and attendant young stock.

RELATIVE VALUES

It is impossible to teach about feeds unless something is
said about relative values. Whether one will use much
gluten feed in his ration or whether he will use cottonseed
meal depends largely on the relative value of these two feeds
for producing milk. The price per ton will not tell this
exactly even with these two feeds because there is less food
in one than in the other. In one ton of gluten feed there are
1614 pounds of total digestible nutrients and in one ton of
good cottonseed meal such as is on the market today, there
are 1496 pounds of total digestible nutrients. Therefore if
these two feeds both cost $66.00 per ton the advantage is
with the gluten feed because we would get more total diges-
tible nutrients for $1.00 in that feed. However, if one is
looking for protein to supplement other feeds and the prime
reason for buying the feed was to get the protein then he
might wish to get the cottonseed meal because in buying. a
ton of cottonseed meal one gets 632 pounds of digestible
crude protein while in buying a ton of gluten feed one gets
only 432 pounds.

Therefore, one needs to study feeds carefully from two
or three points of view. ;

1. From the point of view of the total digestible nutrients
because these are the measure of the total food value of the
particular feed in question. So long as there is enough
protein in the ration one pound of digestible crude protein
Page One Hundred Seven

Feeding Dairy Cattle
is worth no more than a pound of digestible carbohydrates
and only one half as valuable as a pound of digestible fat.

2. As a supplement to home grown feeds, roughage and
grain, there is usually the question of an added protein sup-
ply. Under this condition the digestible crude protein has a
value greater than its value simply as one of the total diges-
tible nutrients. It is customary when one is buying a feed
for the protein in it to compute the cost per pound of protein
just as if other nutrients were valueless, and the purchase
were made for the protein alone. In the example of the
gluten feed and cottonseed meal at $66.00 per ton cited above
the protein in the cottonseed meal would cost $66.00 per ton
divided by 632 or about 10 cents per pound and the digestible
protein in the gluten feed would cost $66.00 divided by 432 or
about 15 cents per pound. Therefore, cottonseed meal is a
cheaper source of protein than gluten feed if the thing sought
is the protein alone. Both the cost of digestible nutrients
and the cost of digestible protein must be considered how-
ever because rarely is a feed purchased for the digestible
protein alone.

3. New ideas are coming up every day in regard to the
value of feeds and it is no longer safe to look at a feed simply
as a source of nutrients and protein. Feeds must be studied
also as a source of different kinds of protein and as a source
also of some illy defined substances about which we know
but little but which are of great importance in the growth
and well being of animals.

So much for an introduction. We will study the feeds
available by plants, that is, we will take up one plant at a time
and see what we get from it, how we get it and relatively
what it is worth compared with other feeds.

THE CORN PLANT AND THE FEEDS IT FURNISHES

We naturally turn to the corn plant first for two reasons.
First, one only has to watch the market for a short time to
find the king of feeds. It has been said that cotton is king
in the United States but I think that corn is the real king in
this country from many standpoints, but particularly from a
nutrition standpoint, both human and animal. When the
supply of corn is big and it is running evenly, feeds are more
reasonable in price except perhaps the high protein feeds.
The demands for these to suppement the corn oftentimes
drives them up above their normal as a source of total
digestible nutrients because of their high value as sources

Page One Hundred Eight

Feeding Dalry Cattle
of protein. Second, studies at Wisconsin have established
as for no other plant. the supremacy of the corn plant as
food for animals. In this test at Wisconsin it was demon-
strated that in rations using all parts of the corn plant ani-
mals can be completely nourished, will grow as they should
and reproduce in a healthy, normal way. The wheat plant
and the oat plant could not do this and lines of animals fed
on rations made up from feeds whose only source was the
wheat plant or the oat plant failed to survive. (na mixture
of foods from the three plants the factor which made for
normal growth was the corn, and growth and reproduction
went on only in proportion to the amount of corn foods in
the ration.

Therefore corn is the king source of dairy cattle feeds.
We get from corn these foods:

ROUGHAGE

Corn silage

Corn fodder

Corn stover
CONCENTRATES

Corn meal
Hominy

Corn feed meal

Gluten feed

Gluten meal

Corn bran

Corn oil meal

Distillers’ dried grains

We will take up first a brief study of the roughage feeds
derived from corn. Many times has the value of corn silage
been praised. Very little can be added. However, it is
worth while again to make some comparisons. Its value as
a source of succulence has been discussed. It is not a feed
that furnishes protein cheaply. Therefore the value of corn
silage lies in the amount of total digestible nutrients in it of
the nature of carbohydrates to furnish large amounts of
energy and to make the rest of the ration succulent and
palatable.

In one ton of silage there are 354 pounds of total diges-
tible nutrients. Eight dollars a ton is a reasonable price to
pay for a ton of heavily eared silage. At this price per ton,
one hundred pounds of total digestible nutrients cost $2.26
per hundred pounds. This compares favorably with the cost
per hundred pounds of total digestible nutrients in concen-
trates at average prices. Eight dollars per ton for corn silage
is high. Now generally speaking a pound of total digestible

Page One Hundred Nine

Feeding Dairy Cattle

nutrients is worth as much in corn silage as in any kind of
food. Compared with clover hay at $24.00 per ton the value
of 100 pounds of total digestible nutrients in silage at $8 is
as $2.26 for the silage and $2.35 for the one hundred pounds
of total digestible nutrients in the hay. In a ton of red
clover hay there are 1018 pounds of total digestible nutrients.
It is common practice to estimate the value of silage at one-
third the value of hay. This price of $24.00 per ton for good
clover hay is relatively no higher than is $8.00 per ton for
corn silage. This shows how closely this practice is based
on the principle that the food value in it is one-third the food
value in the hay. However, a yield per acre to be compar-
able would require a yield of 3 1-3 tons of clover to Io of
corn silage. I think it will be agreed that we get Io tons
of silage per acre much oftener than we get 3 1-3 tons of good
clover hay.

Average alfalfa hay yields 1032 pounds of total digestible
nutrients per acre and on account of its high protein content
and other exceptionally good qualities,,coupled with the
fact that we can get two crops per year, the comparison
between corn silage and alfalfa is a very close one. Total
digestible nutrients are as valuable in one as in the other.
The best way to dispose of this comparison is to say that the
ideal is to have both alfalfa hay and corn silage as the source
of the principal feed in the ration.

This paper is a study of the source of feeds. I think
enough has been said to show that with the one exception of
alfalfa hay the corn plant as a whole preserved as in silage
is the best source of feed that we have. The cost of 100
pounds of total digestible nutrients in corn silage, clover and
alfalfa hay is about one half the average cost of 100 pounds
of total digestible nutrients in concentrates. Therefore, one
can easily see the saving there is in feeding when there is a
good quality of roughage furnished as a source of feed with
which to combine a good mixture of concentrates.

The other roughage products of the corn plant, corn
fodder and corn stover, are valuable in their way only when
one doesn’t have a silo. A good Holstein breeder, however,
needs a silo about as badly as he needs a pure bred bull. I
think that most of the readers of the WorLD have pure bred
bulls. Some of them, however, do not have silos. I hope
those may see this article and see that a silo is as valuable
nearly as the bull. Corn fodder is only a makeshift crop.
According to the technical definition of the books corn fodder

Page One Hundred Ten

Feeding Dairy Cattle
is the entire corn plant harvested with the ears on, if there
are any ears. It used to be grown sown broadcast, but few
farmers would do that in modern times. A variety should
be chosen that is reasonably sure to mature so that the grain
and stover may be obtained. Immature corn fodder with
half grown nubbins has practically no more value than corn
stover from which the corn grain (ears) has been removed.
Comparative analysis shows the total digestible nutrients in
corn fodder to be 1074 per ton and in corn stover 932 per ton.
Therefore, one should be sure to choose a variety suited to
one’s climate in order to grow all the grain in the plant
possible and if the plant cannot be put into a silo pick off the
best of the ears for husking and feed the rest as fodder.

Right here let it be urged that the field is no place to
house corn stover. The more soluble digestible nutrients
and much of the palatability of the plant is washed away by
this treatment and this material washed out is of no use to
the soil since it is largely carbohydrate in nature. ‘Therefore,
preserve the corn fodder under a roof as soon as it is cured
enough so that it will not mold too badly in storage in order
to have as much total digestible nutrients in the fodder as
possible.

XXVI. Concentrates Derived from the Corn Plant

KERNEL of corn is a most useful bit of food from
either the human or animal point of view. A study
of its analysis in comparison with other foods will

show that it is low in mineral matter and low in fiber. The
first must be overcome by proper combination with other
foods in order that the proper mineral elements may be
found in the ration. The fact that corn is low in fiber is a
very useful thing in that this is one of the principal factors
that gives corn its great value as a food for hogs. The upper
‘limit of fiber in an ideal ration for hogs seems to be about
6 per cent. although hogs can handle a ration with 10 per
cent. fiber but they will not do so well.

Corn is low in protein and the proteins need to be sup-
plemented with feeds from other sources and of course corn
grain must be supplemented by foods in the ration from the
leafy portions of plants which are derived from the roughage
parts of the ration. The palatability of corn and its great
amount of easily digestible carbohydrates (starch) give it its
high place among all of our grain feeds.

Page One Hundred Eleven

Feeding Dairy Cattle
A MODERN CORN MILL
In milling the corn kernel is divided into the hard and
soft starch, the bran and the germ. The process of corn
milling gives us the following feed:
FEEDS FROM A MODERN CORN MILL

= = 2 wz

< ss oo E As

= eS - os Py Er

s 2 28 Ge 2 vB

100 Ibs. feed é 7 = 7B = = EZ

Corn meéal., sccemsaceswe 1.3 9.3 2.3 72.0 3.8 6.9 83.8
Corn and cob meal..... 1.5 8.5 7.9 67.6 4.1 6.1 78.1
Corn feed meal........ 2.6 10.6 4.4 64.3 8.0 7.0 84.6
Hominy feed .......... 2.6 10.6 4.4 64.3 8.0 7.0 84.6
Corn germ oil meal.... 2.7 22.6 0 46.0 10.8 16.5 82.5
Corn: bran. sac ssccavae 24 9.7 9.8 62.4 5.7 5.8 Tot

In the modern milling of corn as compared with a few
years ago one of the great differences is the recovery of
corn oil. The corn miller cannot afford to grind his corn to
cracked corn or corn meal for feed the way he did. He must
recover this oil. Therefore, our modern corn mills are put-
ting in machinery for degerminating the corn to get out the
oil. The oil in corn is found principally in the germ. If
the germs are entirely separated from the kernel it will be
found that they are about fifty per cent. oil.

In the modern corn mill the degerminating process is not
as complete as in the starch and glucose factories because the
degerminating process that is used 1s practically dry and does
not get out the germs so well. This wet process of degermi-
nating corn will be described more fully when we come to
discuss the manufacture of gluten feed.

Of course in modern milling a large amount of corn is
made into straight cracked corn and corn meal for feeding.
But for table meal, for grits and for poultry feed only the
hard starch is desired and consequently the corn for these
purposes is first degerminated and the germs used for the
manufacture of oil.

The corn to be degerminated is first tempered, that is, a
small amount of water is added and steam turned into it
which heats the corn up and brings the moisture content up
to about 20 per cent. This tempered corn is then cracked
by a special mill called a Beall Mill. This mill breaks the
corn up in such a way that the germs come out by themselves
to a large extent and may be separated for the oil presses.
The soft starch can be separated out and the bran. The soft
starch and the bran go to make a part of the hominy feed.

Page One Hundrd Twelve

S

oe

SIR PIETERTJE ORMSBY MERCEDES
One of the breed’s greatest transmitting sires.

OAK DE KOL OLLIE HOMESTEAD
Grand champion, National Dairy Show 1916 and 1917.

Feeding Dairy Cattle
The hard starchy portions of the kernels are used for differ-
ent purposes. They may be polished up and all the fine
‘ stuff separated off and the finished shined material used for
hominy grits. The waste goes into hominy feed. Or this
shined material may be used in poultry feed or be reduced
to a finer meal for human consumption. In any case the
waste material separated out goes into hominy feed.

The corn germs go to rotary presses which take out the
corn oil. The material left is called corn germ oil meal.
This is ground and goes into the hominy feed.

HOMINY FEED

Thus it is seen that in the modern mill hominy feed arises
from the (1) corn bran, (2) the soft starch portions of the
corn kernel, (3) the waste from the screening, polishing and
further grinding of the hard starch portion in the manufac-
ture of fancy cracked corn, grits, table corn meal and all of
these modern products, and (4) the residue of the germs after
the oil is pressed out.

All of the by-products are ground up into the uniform
product which we know as hominy feed. Hominy feed is
mostly white because more white corn is milled for table
products. Yellow hominy feed arises in the same way when
yellow corn is milled. Modern hominy feed is a little poorer
in feeding value than that of even a few years ago, because
formerly the corn oil was not extracted from the germ and
consequently hominy feed contained more fat than it does
now. The analysis of hominy given in the table above is
probably too high in fat. Hominy feed is one of the very
best of our feeds as is shown in the table. It contains more
protein than corn meal and the amount of total digestible
nutrients is just a little greater than the amount of corn meal.
Tt is lighter than corn meal and therefore more desirable
for feeding dairy cattle. In all tests so far as the writer is
aware, hominy feed has shown up as well as corn meal both
for hogs and for cattle. It will keep better in storage; prob-
ably because it is somewhat drier and somewhat lighter.
Hominy feed will store all right in bulk where it is not wise
to store corn meal in this way. The official definition for
hominy feed is as follows: “Hominy feed, hominy meal or
hominy chops is the kiln-dried mixture of the mill run bran
coating, the mill run germ, with or without a partial extrac-
tion of the oil and a part of the starchy portion of the white
corn kernel obtained in the manufacture of hominy, hominy
grits and corn meal by the degerminating process.” The
Page One Hundred Thirteen

Feeding Dairy Cattle

official definition for yellow hominy feed is exactly the same
as that for hominy feed except that it is made from yellow
corn instead of white corn.

CORN FEED MEAL

The official definition for corn feed meal is as follows:
“Corn feed meal is the by-product obtained in the manu-
facture of cracked corn with or without aspiration products
added to the siftings and is also the by-product obtained in
the manufacture of table meal from the whole grain by the
non-degerminating process.’ By comparing this definition
of corn feed meal with the definition of hominy feed given
just above it will be noticed that there is practically no differ-
ence with the exception that corn feed meal would contain
all of the germs without any of the oil having been taken out.
Therefore, pound for pound it will be seen that corn feed
meal should be somewhat more valuable for feeding than
hominy. It will be noted in the table that I have given
exactly the same analysis for corn feed meal and hominy
feed. In the last edition of Henry’s “Feeds and Feeding”
there is no analysis given for corn feed meal. Corn feed meal
is practically always yellow because it is in the main the
by-product obtained in the manufacture of cracked corn and
yellow table meal. Both hominy and corn feed meal in my
estimation are better for feeding dairy cows than straight
corn meal. The writer has also felt that the modern table
meal that we buy in grocery stores is a very poor product
for human consumption. Manufacturers have refined it to
such an extent in order to make it look better that it has lost
a great deal of the substance which makes the old fashioned
water ground meal of greater nutritive value. What human
beings have lost in the modern table meals our animals have
gained in corn feed meal and hominy.

CORN BRAN

Corn bran is not found on the market to any great extent.
As will be noted by consulting the table corn bran is an
excellent light feed. It does not have as much digestible
protein as wheat bran but the total digestible nutrients in one
ton of corn bran are about 200 pounds greater than in wheat
bran. Corn bran used in a ration having plenty of protein
from other sources is a most excellent feed.
CORN GERM OIL MEAL
Very little corn germ oil meal appears on the market.
Practically all of that corn germ meal which arises from corn
mills which extract the oil from the germ in the ordinary mill-
Page One Hundred Fourteen

Feeding Dairy Cattle
ing process, run all of this corn germ meal into the hominy so
that the only corn germ oil meal that we have on the market
as such comes from the glucose process which is explained a
little later. Mixed feed manufacturers know the value of
corn germ oil meal, consequently in the eastern portion of the
United States particularly it is carried by very few feed
dealers. It is an excellent medium protein feed having fully
the value of gluten feed, although it does not run quite so
high in protein as gluten. Experiments at the lowa Experi-
ment Station have found it a very fine supplemental feed for
hogs. It has been found there that corn germ oil meal can
be used to save a part of the tankage which it has been
thought necessary to feed with corn to supplement the corn.

Corn meal, corn and cob meal and cracked corn do not
need any particular discussion. These are straight corn
products of the corn kernel and all of us are very familiar
with them already.

GLUTEN MEAL AND GLUTEN FEED

A very large amount of corn is ground up each year for
the manufacture of starch and glucose sugar. In this case
the corn is first steeped in a solution of water and sulphur
dioxide. The wet corn is then ground up in-a special mill
called a Foos Mill which breaks up all of the corn kernel
except the corn germ. This grinding puts the corn kernel
into such condition that the corn germs are separated out in
an unbroken condition. ‘The germs are then dried, warmed
and the oil pressed out of them. This leaves behind corn
germ meal which is marketed as such from the glucose and
starch manufacturing plants.

That part of the corn kernel that remains after the germ
is taken out is subjected to several separations which yield
corn bran, starch and gluten meal. The starch is refined
into several different brands of commercial starch or the
starch is changed into several different grades of sugar. The
official definition for gluten meal is “Corn gluten meal is that
part of commercial shelled corn that remains after the separa-
tion of the larger part of the starch, the germ and the bran, by
the processes employed in the manufacture of cornstarch and
glucose. It may or may not contain corn solubles.” Some
gluten meal is sold as such and if one will study the defini-
tion closely and will stop to realize what has happened to
the corn kernel he will see what kind of a product is left in
gluten meal. The corn bran is gone, most of the starch is

Page One Hundred Fifteen

Feeding Dairy Cattle

gone, the germs are gone, therefore, gluten meal must he
very high in protein.

Gluten feed is gluten meal mixed with the corn bran and
the material which is dried out from the “steep” water that
the corn was originally steeped in before grinding. The
official definition of gluten feed is “Corn gluten feed is that
portion of commercial shelled corn that remains after the
separation of the larger part of the starch and the germs by
the processes employed in the manufacture of cornstarch
and glucose. It may or may not contain corn solubles.”
In order to bring out the differences, the following analyses
are given.

5 =
fe = 2= a SS,
= es a oe é mE
= SE = Te s Bo st
= me = ze e a] Ez
Gluten meal .......... Ie 35.5 2 47.5 AT 30.2 84.0
Gluten feed ........... 2.1 25.4 71 52.9 3.8 21.6 80.7
Dis. dried grains ..... 2.6 30.7 11.6 36.3 12.2 22.4 88.9

This table clearly shows how the addition of the corn
bran to the gluten meal gives gluten feed. Comparison
with the first table in the paper shows the differences
between the corn milling processes and the glucose starch
processes, and therefore, the difference between hominy
feed and gluten feed. Gluten feed has more protein and
less carbohydrates and less fat because in the practically drv
milling of the corn mill more starch is left in the by-product
but a great deal of the protein goes into the main products.
More fat is found in the hominy feed because in the first
place all of the germs are not separated out and in the second
place the germ oil meal goes back into the hominy feed. In
the wet processes which give rise to gluten feed a very large
proportion of both the hard and soft starch goes into the
main product but all of the gluten or protein is left behind in
the by-product. None of the germ is left in the by-product
consequently gluten feed is high in protein but only medium
in carbohydrates and low in fat. However, so closely do
these differences offset each other that the amount of total
digestible nutrients in one ton of hominy, 1692 pounds, is
only slightly larger than the amount of total digestible
nutrients in one ton of gluten feed, 1614 pounds. The amount
given for the hominy is probably too high because most of
the analyses for hominy given in “Feeds and Feeding,” from
which these analyses are quoted, are for hominy containing

Page One Hundred Sixteen

Feeding Dairy Cattle
all the germ without the extraction of the oil. Gluten feed
is one of the very finest of the high protein feeds just as
hominy is the ideal low protein feed for milk production.

DISTILLERS’ DRIED GRAINS

This feed is practically gone. Dairymen will gain from
prohibition particularly if they all hold together and boom
milk as the great natural health drink but they have lost one
of the best high protein feeds. Little space will be taken
here for discussion of distillers’ dried. grains but it is of
interest to mention them because of the principles in their
manufacture. In manufacturing alcohol from corn nothing
is taken out except the starch so that in distillers’ grains we
have left the corn bran, the gluten or protein, and all the
germ. Therefore, distillers’ dried grains from corn are high
in protein, low in carbohydrates and high in fat. The large
amount of fat left in them causes them to run high in total
digestible nutrients. The starch is so much more completely
separated out in the process of distilling that the protein
runs higher than in gluten feed and the fiber is also some-
what higher. A thorough fundamental understanding of
every feed can be had if we stop to think of the analysis and
makeup of the original cereal with which we start and then
think out what part is taken out in the manufacturing
process and what parts are left in the by-products.

A NEW BY-PRODUCT FROM CORN

Maltose syrup or sugar is being manufactured from corn.
As I understand the process, although I have not visited a
factory as yet, the germs will all be left in this case and
nothing but starch taken from the corn kernel. If this is
the correct understanding then the by-product from maltose
manufacture will closely resemble distillers’ grains from corn.
I have seen a sample of this by-product and it resembles
distillers’ grains quite closely.

Distillers’ grains have one quality which gluten lacks;
namely, a fine mechanical bulky condition. This new corn
maltose by-product has that good quality of bulkiness.
Gluten manufacturers might well try to turn out gluten feed
in this bulky condition.

This completes the discussion of the feeds derived from
the corn plant. It is the greatest plant friend of the dairy
farmer and I hope this description may help others to under-
stand just a little better some of the products we get from
corn.

Page One Hundred Seventeen

Feeding Dairy Cattle

XXVII. Barley and Its Products

ARMERS have a very favorable crop in barley. I
sometimes think that its value as compared with corn
for feeding purposes is not realized so well in this

country as it is in the old countries. Probably this is true
because corn grows so easily and under ordinary circuni-
stances the difference between the price of barley and the
price of corn is not great. When there is a difference in
price considerable money can be saved in feeding if one has
taken advantage of the barley market.

In feeding pigs ground barley is particularly valuable.
It isa close competitor of corn. One experiment at the Wis-
consin Experiment Station in the past year or two has shown
that ground barley and whey appear to supplement each
other exceedingly well in the growing and fattening of pigs.
While we are thinking of barley particularly as a food for
dairy cattle yet it is worth while to call attention to its value
for other animals as well as for the cow in milk.

Ground or rolled barley is a very valuable feed for horses
and it can be made one of the ingredients of a very success-
ful growing ration. As a mixture it would be hard to beat
equal parts of ground barley, ground oats and corn meal with
IO per cent. by weight of oil meal to put good healthy growth
on calves.

In regard to its value for dairy cattle an interesting trial
at the Wisconsin Agricultural Experiment Station may be
reported here. Two groups of six cows each averaging
about 1000 pounds in live weight were fed for two periods
of six weeks each. Sixty per cent. of the grain mixture fed
to the first lot during the first period was ground barley.
At the same time the second lot was getting a grain mixture,
sixty per cent. of which was ground corn. The ingredients
of the rations were otherwise the same. At the end of the
first six weeks period the rations were reversed, the first lot
getting the corn ration and the second lot the ration contain-
ing the barley. The rate of feed was one pound of grain daily
for every pound of butterfat produced in a week by each cow.
All the cows were fed alialfa hay and corn silage for rough-
age. The proportion of silage to hay was three pounds of
corn silage to one pound of alfalfa hay fed daily for every
roo pounds of live weight.

The ground barley mixture was made up of 600 pounds
of ground barley, 150 pounds of wheat bran, 100 pounds of

Page One Hundred Eighteen

Feeding Dairy Cattle
brewers’ dried grains, 75 pounds of cottonseed meal and 75
pounds of linseed oil meal. In the second mixture corn meal
was put in place of the barley in the same proportion. The
average daily ration eaten by the cows in both groups was
9.07 pounds of hay, 31 pounds of silage and 7.4 pounds of
grain. The same average amount was fed to all cows irre-
spective of whether they were getting ground barley or the
corn meal. The cows fed the barley ration did not do quite
so well as the cows fed on the ration containing the corn
meal, but there is so little difference between the yields of
the two groups that it is not possible definitely to say that
the corn meal was superior to the barley as an ingredient
of a good milk ration. Both groups averaged about 25
pounds of milk, testing 3.6 per cent. butterfat.

There was some difference in live weight which was in
favor of the barley ration. During the time that they were
fed those cows which received the sixty per cent. barley grain
mixture apparently gained 1.9 pounds per head. Those cows
that were fed on the grain mixture containing sixty per cent.
of corn meal apparently lost 1.6 pounds per head per day
while being so fed. However, these differences in live
weight like the milk and fat production are too small to be
given very much consideration as proving the barley to be of
greater value than the corn meal. This much can be said,
it seems to me that the rations were practically equal in value
and from the results of this test we must conclude that the
ground barley was fully as effective as the corn meal in a
ration for milk production.

I feel that this test and the tests that are somewhat older
but which point to the same results show that barley is a
very good feed. Now that we have national prohibition in
the United States, it seems to me that there should be a
greater quantity of barley available for feed.

THE BY-PRODUCTS FROM BARLEY—MALT SPROUTS, BREWERS’
DRIED GRAINS

Naturally barley is a low protein feed in the same class
with the other cereal grains such as wheat, rye, corn and
oats. In the process of malting and brewing, the substance
which is needed for the production of alcohol is the starch
of the barley grain, the same as in each case where alcohol
is produced from vegetable material. Consequently the
carbohydrates are used up for the production of alcohol and
the proportion of protein in the residue is larger. There-

Page One Hundred Nineteen

Feeding Dairy Cattle

fore, we would expect to find brewers’ dried grains and malt
sprouts to be feeds high protein in nature. This is exactly
what we do find.

Briefly the process of the manufacture of beer from bar-
ley is as follows: The first stage of manufacture is the malt-
ing. The barley is moistened and put into a warm room on
the floor in a layer a few inches thick. The moisture and the
warmth causes the barley to sprout. The sprouts are allowed
to grow until the experience of the malster tells him that
all of the starch in the barley grain has been transformed
into malt sugar. This takes a number of days. The sprouted
barley is then kiln-dried and run over screens which take out
all the dirt and break off the small sprouts. The screened
barley is the commercial product which we know as malt
and practically all of the starch in this barley grain has been
converted into maltose sugar. In the process of screening
the malt sprouts are all broken off and this gives us the
commercial teed that we know as malt sprouts.

The malt is then brewed which takes out the malt sugar
and this is used in the manufacture of beer. This
process of manufacture leaves as a residue of the barley
kernel, the ash, the protein and the fiber and the fat. There
is also considerable carbohydrate matter which was not
transformed in the process of malting. This residue is kiln-
dried and comes on the market as brewers’ dried grains, a
high protein feed having a great deal of value.

THE FEEDING VALUE OF MALT SPROUTS

Malt sprouts contain 26.4 per cent. protein. Therefore,
they rank as a high protein feed. In 100 pounds of malt
sprouts there are 20.3 pounds of digestible crude protein and
in one ton of malt sprouts we have 1412 pounds of total
digestible nutrients. On the basis of total digestible nutri-
ents malt sprouts would have in them somewhat more diges-
tible material than wheat bran and about the same amount as
in ground oats. Besides malt sprouts are high in protein
and will help in a ration in which there is a necessity for pro-
tein. This protein in malt sprouts is, however, not so
valuable as the protein found in other grains.

Malt sprouts having been dried in a kiln and because of
their nature absorb water very rapidly. Therefore, if one is
going to put into his ration more than two or three pounds
of malt sprouts per day, he is likely to have digestive troubles
‘with his cows unless the malt sprouts are soaked before
feeding. A very good way to use malt sprouts is to soak

Page One Hundred Twenty

Feeding Dairy Cattle
them up with water and feed the rest of the grain dry on
top of the malt sprouts. Three or four pounds of soaked
malt sprouts per day per animal makes a very valuable suc-
culent feed in case one does not have silage. Personally I
have not liked malt sprouts very well as a dairy feed, but
there is no reason why they should not be very valuable
when properly used.

THE FEEDING VALUE OF BREWERS’ DRIED GRAINS

Brewers’ dried grains in my opinion are more valuable
pound for pound in dairy rations than wheat bran or ground
oats. They are particularly valuable because of the high
protein which they contain. There is in 100 pounds of
brewers’ dried grains a total of 26.5 pounds of protein, of this
21.5 pounds are digestible. In one ton of brewers’ dried
grains there are 1314 pounds of total digestile nutrients, a
little less in value according to computation than in one ton
of malt sprouts. In my opinion pound for pound brewers’
dried grains are more valuable than malt sprouts. Here
again I have had some personal idea that I would not like
brewers’ dried grains very well as a dairy feed, but then the
price is such as to warrant their use. JI know that brewers’
dried grains are more valuable than oats but they are less
valuable than the other high protein feeds such as gluten
feed, oil meal and cottonseed meal. I look upon brewers’
dried grains as a very valuable feed for adding bulk to a
ration otherwise too heavy.

BARLEY FEED

During the war some barley was used for the manufac-
ture of barley flour for human consumption. As I remem-
ber it millers took out about 45 per cent. flour leaving 55 per
cent. of the barley kernel in the form of what was known
commercially as barley feed. Good brands of barley feed made
up of 50 per cent. of the kernel would be more valuable it
seems to me than wheat mixed feed and if I had an oppor-
tunity to buy barley feed as cheaply as I could buy wheat
feed, I would choose the barley feed because I think that the
percentage of the nutrients would be greater than in the
wheat feed.

XXVIII. Rye and Oats and Their Products
N THE rye crop we have a crop which will give us the
earliest green feed in the spring. Rye seeded in Sep-
tember and October in the climate of southern New York
and northern Pennsylvania will give a cutting of green feed
surely by the 15th of May. No other crop will do as well as

Page One Hundred Twenty-one

Feeding Dairy Cattle

this. Rye is often used as a winter cover crop because a good
amount of green material may be turned in from this crop
earlier in the spring than with any other, so that rve makes
an excellent soiling crop or crop for green manure.

The green rye crop may be used as early pasture for hogs
or for cattle. This green feed is practically the only way
that rye can be utilized as a roughage due to the toughness
of the green rye straw. The rye plant is rarely used for hay.
The same applies to rye straw from which the grain has been
thrashed. The straw is so tough that it is not palatable and
cannot be used to good advantage by the animals. There-
fore, we must put the rye plant down as one of the poorest
plants that we have for production of roughage except for its
usefulness as a very early green crop to be used as a soiling
crop or for pasture in the spring.

RYE GRAIN

Rye has been used as a grain probably as widely as any
plant that we have. It is known in all countries and is a
good crop because it will grow on many different soils. This
grain, sometimes called “Grain of poverty,” thrives in general
in cool regions. It is said that one-third of the people of
Europe obtain their bread from rye. Rye is fed commonly
to all animals all over Europe and Asia. It is not so well
known in America and due to the fact that it is not well
known many farmers have aversion to it for feeding. I
think that the dangers from feeding rye to animals is over
estimated.

As a feed for dairy cows ground rye may be used in
rations just as one would use ground oats or ground barley
or corn meal, that is, to form a part of the grain mixture with
proper bulky feeds like wheat bran or ground oats and proper
high protein feeds like gluten feed, oil meal or cottonseed
meal. Probably it is not advisable to grow rye for feeding
dairy cattle unless there is something about the soil on a given
farm which seems to demand the use of the rye in the rota-
tion. I doubt if ground rye is as valuable as ground barley
or corn meal for dairy production, but a good dairy farmer
should always be on the lookout for a bargain in a grain, and
if it is possible to purchase rye relatively cheaper, it will be
found to be a valuable addition to the grain mixture.

In comparison, ground rye does not differ materially from
ground barley. According to average analyses ground rye
would contain 1620 pounds of total digestible nutrients per
ton. A ton of ground barley would have in it 1588 pounds

Page One Hundred Twenty-two

Feeding Dairy Cattle
of total digestible nutrients. Compared with corn the rve
is less valuable. A ton of corn meal will have approximately
1676 pounds of total digestible nutrients. Therefore, on the
basis of digestibility as shown by the number of pounds of
digestible nutrients, rye would come about half way between
ground barley and corn meal.

There is some prejudice against the feeding of rve to
horses in this country. It is possible that many of the bad
results laid to rye is due to grain of poor quality or grain
containing impurities. To be perfectly safe it seems to be
well to avoid the feeding of rve in large quantities to horses.
From what data we have it seems probable that ground rye
ranks about the same as ground barley as a suitable food for
the production of pork.

RYE WILL NOT PRODUCE ABORTION

One of the things attributed to rye for which I think it
is not to blame is the accusation that rye used as a feed for
dairy cattle will cause abortion. I think that this is not in
any way to be proven by any evidence that I have ever seen.
I think that no dairy farmer who has an opportunity to buy
rye at a good price should hesitate to use it for his dairy
because I do not think that it is possible to produce abortion
in cattle in this way.

RYE BY-PRODUCTS

The by-products in the manufacture of rye flour, are rve
bran and rye middlings. ‘These by-products are not usually
sold separately, but are combined and sold as rye feed.
Rye feed according to analysis has in it about 15.3 per cent.
total protein as compared with 16.8 per cent. total protein
in wheat feed. One ton of rye feed will contain about 1490
pounds of total digestible nutrients where one ton of wheat
feed will contain about 1340 pounds of total digestible nutri-
ents to the ton. The comparison of these two analyses shows
that rye feed will carry somewhat less protein than wheat
feed but that there are more total digestible nutrients per ton
in the rye feed, making the rye feed somewhat more valuable
than wheat feed as an ingredient in a grain mixture carrying
plenty of protein from other sources. I should feel that
where it is possible to buy rye feed that it would be found
to be fully as valuable as wheat feed and can be used in the
grain mixture in the same way.

Page One Hundred Twenty-three

Feeding Dairy Cattle

OATS

When we come to this feed we come to a feed which is
used possibly as widely as any feed with which farmers have
todo. Oats are grown the whole country over by large and
small, and rich and poor farmers. It comes pretty nearly
being the universal feed for horses in the United States.

As a roughage oats are utilized both as green feed, as
hay and the straw is probably the most useful straw for
feeding of any of the straws from the cereal grains. Oats
grown with Canadian field peas make one of the very best
of our soiling crops and a useful crop in that the seeding
time and harvesting time may be spread over a consider-
able number of days by making successive plantings and
in this way securing a succession of green crops through the
early summer. Oats and peas both have the advantage of
getting started early in the cool spring months and thus
making it possible to get a green crop rather early in the
year from a spring seeding of the same year.

Oats cut in the milk stage make a satisfactory hay.

Oat straw according to its analysis has nearly as high a
value for feeding as straight timothy hay. I very much
doubt if horses could utilize oat straw to anywhere near as
good advantage and get as much out of it as they could from
timothy hay, but if one is forced to the feeding of timothy
hay to dairy cattle, particularly if the timothy hay is late cut,
I am of the opinion that he would make more money if he
would utilize oat straw to considerable extent, to supply the
necessary roughage and sell the timothy hay, because timo-
thy is not utilized to good advantage by dairy cattle and
straight timothy is not much more palatable than oat straw.

However, I do not think that we need to use up any
valuable space discussing the feeding value of any kind of
straw before an intelligent audience of dairy farmers, because
no farmer who is on to his job is going to force his
cows to eat either timothy hay or straw of any kind for rough-
age. ‘he only decent roughage for a dairy cow and the
only kind that her owner should ever put before her is a
good variety of legume hay. The place for straw in a real
dairy barn is not before the cows but under them.

OATS AS A GRAIN FEED
Oats used as a grain makes up one of the most useful
feeds that we have on the dairy farm. We do not need to

discuss the value of oats for horses. Almost all people,
Page One Hundred Twenty-four

Feeding Dairy Cattle

farmers and others as well, look upon oats as a natural grain
feed for horses.

One of the best uses which can be made of oats on a
dairy farm is as an ingredient of the growing ration. The
writer has found very useful as a mixture for growing young
stock of all ages the following: ;

30 pounds ground oats or rolled oats
30 pounds wheat bran

30 pounds hominy or corn meal

10 pounds oil meal

I have always liked rolled oats better than ground oats
and I think there is a real danger in having oats ground too
finely. The writer has had indirect experience with the feed-
ing of a car of heavy oats ground very finely, so finely that at
a distance away a bin of these finely ground oats could
hardly be distinguished from a bin of hominy feed from
white corn. In every case where these finely ground oats
were fed to dairy cows or to calves the animals would scour
and while it is hard to believe that the ground oats would
cause this trouble yet when these finely ground oats were
taken out of the ration this trouble disappeared. To be sure
this is only a single instance but it seems to the writer that
rolled oats would be more palatable and would serve every
purpose for which ground oats could be used and on a whole
would be more advantageous and more palatable to most
animals.

Once or twice I have taken occasion to make a rough
survey of a number of the feeders of many advanced regis-
try animals with creditable records. In practically every
case I have found that ground oats with wheat brani and
oil meal makes up the fitting ration, not always the combina-
tion given above for growimg stock but of approximately
that combination. Most of the men fitting their animals
for advanced registry records seem to prefer a little larger
proportion of oil meal. Several cows have made 30-pound
records to the knowledge of the writer who have had the
above mixture of the equal parts of oats, wheat bran and
hominy with 10 pounds of oil meal used as the sole mixture
fed when cows were dry.

A grain mixture composed of rolled oats alone does not
make up a bad mixture for young calves and growing stock.
If rolled oats and milk are good for children and babies,
rolled oats and milk should make an excellent ration for

ing milk-producing animals.
a Cround Bae isa ea favorite feed in the rations of those

Page One Hundred Twenty-five

Feeding Dairy Cattle

who are making creditable advanced registry records.
Rolled oats is particularly valuable as a bulky feed to sup-
plement wheat bran in rations nowadays when we no longer
have distillers’ dried grains to add the bulk that we want in
our best dairy feeds. Dairy farmers will do well to see to
it that they have a good acreage of their land devoted to the
raising of oats for their young stock and to put into the dairy
ration.

BY-PRODUCTS OF OATS

Rolled oats is without question one of the best known
of our breakfast foods and is used universally by all classes
of people. This of course has given rise to a great industry
in the milling of oats and since only the groats are used for
this purpose there arises from the oat meal mill thousands of
tons of what is known as oat meal mill by-product.

In the process of the manufacture of oat meal, to
describe it in a brief way, the oats are first dried or tempered.
so that the hull can be readily separated from the groat,
the oats are then milled to separate the hulls from the groat.
In the process of milling there necessarily is an amount of
middlings and what might be called oat bran separated from
the oat groat as well as the hull. Therefore, the oat meal
mill by-product is made up of oat hulls, oat middlings, oat
bran and oat dust. These are all mixed together and sold
as oat meal mill by-product. It takes 320 pounds of oats
to make 200 pounds of oat meal. Therefore, about one-third
of the oat is hull and there would be a yield of oat meal
mill by-product from any given mill of about one-third of the
total oats used in the manufacture of oat meal, thus it can be
readily seen that there is an enormous quantity of this
by-product manufactured every vear.

This material is reground and sold in the market as oat
feed. Most of it is sold as an ingredient of mixed feeds.
The amount of total digestible nutrients in one ton of oat
feed is about 1100 lbs. In my opinion this is a very liberal
rating of digestibility. The amount of digestible protein is
not over 7 per cent. For comparison, wheat bran has 1218
pounds of total digestible nutrients per ton and red clover
hay has 1018. Therefore, it will be seen that oat feed has a
value not much, if any, above that of roughage.

In mixed feed manufacturing oat feed is used to give
bulkiness to a feed that would otherwise be too heavy. There
has been little demand for this feed as such and oat feed
is not generally on the market as a separate ingredient.

Page One Hundred Twenty-six

Feeding Dairy Cattle

Farmers as a rule do not care for it and feed dealers do not
find it profitable to stock it.

BARLEY, OATS AND PEAS

We have discussed the feeding of barley and in this
paper we have said something about the usefulness of oats.
It seems to the writer that this is the proper place to just say
a word about the use of Canadian field peas. Field peas
analyze 22.9 per cent. protein and are highly digestible.
One ton of field peas yields 1524 pounds of total digestible
nutrients.

One of the very best home grown grain mixtures would
be a mixture of barley, oats and peas. A good seeding mix-
ture is 7 pecks of oats, 3 pecks of barley and 1 peck of peas.
This mixture has given good success in New York State and
I know of one farmer who harvested this year 1500 bushels
of this home grown grain. I just want the readers of the
HOLstein-F’Rrestan Worwp to think about how this man is
fixed with a herd of 50 purebred cattle and attendant young
stock, who to my knowledge has in his barn a good supply
of alfalfa hay, a couple of silos full of good corn silage and
1500 bushels of barley, oats and peas as a starter on his ration
for the coming winter. I rather think that he is not worry-
ing very much about car shortage, the high price of feed and
things of that kind. The only thing that concerns him is to
see to it that the Dairymen’s League gets him a good price
for his milk, and as a fitting end to this short article on the
merits of rye and oats, I take pleasure in calling attention
to this example as the highest type of home grown ration
that I have come across in my experience.

XXIX. Wheat and Its By-Products

ORN is always king in America from the cattle feeders’
standpoint. On account of the offal produced from
milling, wheat runs a close second because of the

immense amount of the by-product produced which is first
class material for feeding animals. The principal by-product
of wheat, the bran, is of particular importance to feeders of
dairy cattle because of the bulk it gives to the ration as well
as because of the nutrient present. All of the by-products
of wheat are of particular importance this year because they
are relatively cheaper. This is to me emphasized more and
more as the year goes on because oats, practically the only
other source of bulk in the dairy cow mixture, are going to
Page One Hundred Twenty-seven

Feeding Dairy Cattle

be scarcer and scarcer as the feeding season advances. First
let us look into the value of wheat as a roughage, then
examine the value of wheat itself as a food for animals and
lastly study the by-products.

WHEAT AS A GREEN CROP

The wheat plant does not stand very high as a source
of feed in the form of roughage. In only one place does it
stand out. Asa soiling crop it is early in the spring. Only
one other crop can be cut earlier and that is rye. For the
few farmers who depend wholly on soiling crops with no
pasture a small acreage of wheat will give them a green
crop for use early in the spring following rye. This crop
of wheat will fit in well and help out with alfalfa and clover
to get a succession of soiling crops up to the time when
the first crop of peas and oats is ready. It has the further
advantage of being a crop that has a value for grain if it
is not all used up as a soiling crop.

WHEAT AS A FEED

Ordinarily wheat is too valuable to be fed as a grain
in the same sense that one feeds corn or oats or barley.
If, however, for any reason the wheat is unfit for milling
or if one can buy a lot of wheat reasonably it has ar
excellent feeding value when ground and mixed with other
feeds for a ration. In this respect it is probably fully equal
to corn or barley for feeding dairy cows or other animals.
Ground wheat is not so palatable as corn or oats or barley
because when ground up it forms a sticky mass in the mouth.

Salvage wheat is the name given to wheat that has been
damaged by fire or water in elevator fires or wheat that has
been damaged in the holds of ships when transported by
water. This salvage wheat is nearly as valuable for feeding
as the best of wheat and sometimes very good bargains in it
may be had by farmers who are alert in buying in the larger
cities where there are grain elevators. Wheat is particularly
valuable for poultry.

An experiment carried on at the Wisconsin Experiment
Station has demonstrated that animals cannot be grown in
a satisfactory manner on the products of the wheat plant
alone. A group of cows was fed on wheat straw and a
grain ration made up of wheat and its by-products. Another
group was fed on a ration made up entirely from the oat
plant and another ona ration made up entirely from the corn
plant, and a fourth group was fed on a ration made up from
feeds selected from all three plants, corn, wheat and oats.

Page One Hundred Twenty-eight

Feeding Dairy Cattle
The group fed on the ration from the wheat plant did the
poorest of all. Therefore this teaches us that wheat feeds
must be supplemented with feeds from other sources.
Itis probably not worth while to try to make use of wheat
straw in feeding any kind of animal,

THE MILLING OF WHEAT

The main reason wheat is grown is to furnish flour for
human consumption. \Wheat could not be grown economi-
cally as a feed for animals when there are plants such as
corn, oats and barley that can be grown to furnish feed.
People over the world demand white bread, consequently,
a great industry has been built up which furnishes white
flour for this purpose and we get the offal for feeding
animals.

It takes about 274 pounds of wheat, four and one-half
bushels, to make a barrel, 196 pounds, of white flour. ‘hat
leaves us approximately 78 pounds of offal for animal feed.
This is about 71 per cent. extraction as it is called. During
the war this extraction was raised to about 73 per cent.
which decreased the amount of by-product available for feed-
ing during that time. The consumption of wheat in the
United States is about four and one-half bushels of wheat
per person per year, to say nothing of the flour that is milled
in this country and exported leaving the offal here. ‘This
shows what an enormous quantity of wheat by-product there
is for our animals and what a factor it is in the feed supply.

The offal or by-products from the milling of wheat con-
sists of wheat bran, standard wheat middlings, flour wheat
middlings, red dog flour, and low grade flour. The process
in brief is this. ‘The wheat is not ground but is run through
rolls that break, it. There are several of these pairs of rolls,
the rolls of each pair being somewhat closer together than
the pair preceding. After the wheat passes through each
pair some of the flour is taken out. Thus the manufacture
of wheat flour is a gradual reduction process until all of the
flour has finally been separated from the bran and middlings.
In war time not quite so close a separation of flour was
allowed, consequently “war grade” flour contained all the red
dog and low grade feeding flour and a higher percentage of
the wheat was thus utilized for human consumption. Patent
flour means flour from which all possible by-products have
been separated and is the highest grade of white flour made.
Page One Hundred Twenty-nine

Feeding Dairy Cattle
WHEAT BRAN

Wheat bran is the commonest of the wheat by-products
and is the most bulky and coarse. It should be flakv and
sweet. The bran is made up of the three outer coatings
of the wheat berry and is comparatively rich in digestible
protein, carries considerable digestible carbohydrates and
fat and is not very high in fiber. Wheat bran weighs about
one-half a pound to the quart and because of this bulkiness
and its high feeding value it is one of the finest dairy feeds
that we have. Some years ago the writer had one of his
students write to the feeders of the forty highest record cows
in all four dairy breeds and ask them for the feeds in their
rations. Twenty-two persons answered. The only feed
used in the ration by all twenty-two feeders was wheat bran.
This shows that wheat bran is the universal dairy feed liked
by all the advanced registry men as well as the plain every
day feeders of the land.

Wheat bran is mildly laxative due to a phosphorous com-
pound in it and not entirely to its bulky nature as is thought
by most persons. This quality adds much to its great value
as a feed. This laxative quality makes it a very desirable
feed for convalescing animals when fed as a hot mash pre-
pared with hot water. Bran is one of those feeds that is
neither a roughage nor a concentrate. It is generaliy classed
as a concentrate but like a roughage an animal can gorge
herself on wheat bran and suffer no ill effects. Therefore it
can be used in any quantity in a ration but because of its
bulk and because it is not as highly digestible as other con-
centrates, if for no other reason, it cannot with profit be
made the sole grain fed. It finds its greatest usefulness as
an ingredient of a mixture composed of about four or five
feeds in all.

Wheat bran lacks lime although it is high in phosphorous.
Therefore it makes an ideal feed to be fed in a good grain
mixture with alfalfa or clover hay which have the lime the
bran lacks. Good legume roughage with heavily eared
corn silage and a good supply of bran form a fine foundation
for any ration.

Bran is particularly fine in a ration for growing animals
with legume hay. For years my standard mixture for grow-
ing animals has been; 30 pounds wheat bran, 30 pounds
ground oats, 30 pounds hominy or corn meal, 10 pounds oil
meal, with legume hay and corn silage. So fine a growing
combination is wheat bran and alfalfa hay that I once heard

Page One Hundred Thirty

Feeding Dairy Cattle
Joseph E. Wing say that such a ration when fed to pregnant
ewes caused the unborn lambs to grow such large bone that
the ewes had trouble at lambing time in giving birth to such
large lambs.

A good bran should analyze 16 per cent. protein, 4.4 per
cent. fat, 53.7 per cent. carbohydrates other than fiber, and
not to exceed 9.5 per cent. fiber, and should contain at least
1218 pounds of total digestible nutrients per ton. These
figures are the average of the analyses of 7,742 samples.
Therefore one should always find out the analysis of his bran
particularly if it contains screenings and check up and see if
it is up to the average standard.

Bran from local country mills is likely to be fresher and
more palatable than bran from large western mills because
it has not been milled so long and because it is likely that
more flour is sticking to it because it may not be so closely
milled.

WHEAT FEED, MIDDLINGS AND RED DOG

What has been said of bran applies to wheat mixed feed.
Wheat feed is supposed to be the mill run of all the wheat
by-products mixed together in the same proportion as they
come from the wheat. Because the other finer by-products
are mixed with the bran mixed feed contains more digestible
matter per ton and is therefore a more valuable feed than
bran. It can be used in the ration anywhere that bran can
. be used.

As we go down in fineness through the different grades
of middlings to red dog and low grade flours the amount of
digestible nutrients per ton increases and with this the feed-
ing value but there is a loss in palatability and bulkiness.
But all of these feeds can be used to good advantage in the
dairy ration if combined properly with other concentrates.

The middlings have a very high value for feeding hogs
to supplement corn. One of the best hog men in the middle
west uses middlings to supplement alfalfa for a growing
ration for pregnant sows and growing pigs in the same way
as suggested above in the use of bran with alfalfa for growing
young cattle. His mixture to be fed with skimmed milk is
made of 56 pounds corn meal, 48 pounds ground barley, 32
pounds ground oats, 136 pounds flour middlings, 50 pounds
alfalfa meal.

In summer on pasture the alfalfa meal is cut out of the
mixture, Thus it is seen that middlings are considered a

Page One Hundred Thirty-one

Feeding Dairy Cattle

good protein supplement with corn, barley, oats and alfalfa
in a growing ration.
SCREENINGS

In cleaning up wheat for milling a large amount of
by-product called screenings is secured. This may have con-
siderable value for feeding if it contains a large amount of
broken wheat and valuable weed seeds. Screenings are
variable however, on account of the dirt and chaff that they
contain. They should always be thoroughly ground before
feeding in order to destroy ail weed seeds and make sure that
they will not get back on the land through the cow.

In order to get rid of the screenings to good advantage
millers have adopted the practice of grinding these screen-
ings and mixing them with the bran or middlings and selling
the product as “wheat bran with screenings not exceeding
mill run” or “wheat bran with mill run of screenings” This
means that ground screenings in quantity not exceeding that
in the wheat from which the “bran i is derived, have been mixed
with the bran. The same applies to mixtures of wheat
middlings and screenings. Bran or other wheat by-product
mixed with screenings is subject to state license and inspec-
tion in most states and one should always know the analysis
of the wheat by-product that he is buying and see that it is
up to the standard.

All things considered the wheat plant gives us a wonder-
ful series of foods valuable to us as humans both as food
directly and indirectly as food to us through our animals.

XXX. Buckwheat and Its By-Products. Rice and Its
By-Products. Sorghums and Millets

N PREVIOUS articles all of the common cereals and their

] main by-products used for feeding dairy cows and dry

stock have been discussed. There are some plants more

or less resembling cereals or used like them that should have

some discussion in this series of papers on the “Sources of
Feeds” The first of these common feeds is buckwheat

BUCKWHEAT AND ITS PRODUCTS

The buckwheat plant is not as useful as a plant to be pas-
tured or as a green soiling crop. Its whole use is through
the grain that it bears. From the fact that buckwheat will
produce a good crop on relatively poor land it is grown on
parts of farms that otherwise would not produce much grain.

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Feeding Dairy Cattle
Buckwheat is useful as a grain for dairy cows and young
stock when ground but the buckwheat shucks or hulls have
no feeding value so that compared with the cereals, oats.
barley and corn, ground buckwheat is much less valuable.
It in a case of the valuable part of the seed being diluted with
a worthless part so that the whole is rather low. To reduce
the value to comparative terms I would say that ground
buckwheat is probably a little more valuable than wheat bran
and less valuable than ground oats for feeding cows. The
number of pounds of total digestible nutrients in one ton of
ground buckwheat is 1268, compared with 1218 pounds in a
ton of wheat bran and 1400 pounds in a ton of ground oats.
There is more protein in the bran so that possibly the wheat
bran is just as valuable as the ground buckwheat pound for
pound when we consider the extra protein in the bran.
Ground buckwheat is to.8 per cent. protein, 8.1 per cent.
digestible, and wheat bran is about 16 per cent. protein, 12.5
per cent. digestible. So we can see that the use of bran in
place of ground buckwheat would increase the protein in the
grain mixture and add more bulk to the mixture than the
ground buckwheat. ‘Therefore, it has been my suggestion
to farmers having buckwheat to grind, that they sell the
buckwheat and buy wheat bran whenever they can make the
exchange at the same price. They have to go to town to
get the buckwheat ground at a cost of 15 to 20 cents a
hundred so that at the same price per ton the exchange is in
favor of the wheat bran.

BUCKWHEAT HULLS

Before going into a discussion of the by-products of buck-
wheat I think it will be well to get a clear understanding of
the comparative feeding value of buckwheat hulls. The
quickest way to get this is to make a comparison to wheat
straw. No dairyman would think of feeding wheat straw.

Wheat Straw Buckwheat Hulls
Crude protein .........-.++- 3.1% 44%
Fiber: ace sswia waco row eocis sae d 37.4 43.7
Nitrogen free extract........ 44.4 38.5
Mate os cient osicnes i Sap Sk RE Raa 1.5 1.0

When we study the digestible analysis we see an even

less comparative value for the hulls.
Wheat Straw Buckwheat Hulls

Digestible protein ........--++++++- 0.7%, 0.4%
Digestible carbohydrates........---- 35.1 13.9
Digestible fat ..........eeseeee eres 0.5 0.7

Total digestible nutrients in one ton 788 lbs. 318 lbs.
Therefore it is seen that ground wheat straw would be
twice as good to mix with buckwheat middlings to lighten
Page One Hundred Thirty-three

feeding Dairy Cattle

them up as wheat straw. This shows conclusively that the
hulls are not worth drawing home.

BUCKWHEAT FEED

Buckwheat feed is a mixture of buckwheat hulls and
buckwheat middlings and is valuable in proportion to the
amount of middlings which it contains. A buckwheat feed
is subject to the feed inspection law and must be licensed in
New York State and should be subject to the same law in
any state as any manufactured feed. In many places small
millers are selling the buckwheat feed without license and
without guaranteeing the analysis or naming the ingredients.
Mixing in such worthless hulls with the middlings is bad
practice. The only way for farmers to combat it is to refuse
the feed and demand the clear middlings unmixed with the
hulls. Sometimes mixing of the hulls is somewhat covered
up by regrinding the hulls so as to deceive the purchaser as
to the amount of hulls present in the feed.

BUCKWHEAT MIDDLINGS

There is no feed much better for milk production than
good buckwheat middlings unmixed and undiluted with hulls.
The amount of digestible protein in buckwheat middlings is
about 24 per cent. as compared with 21.6 per cent. in gluten
feed. The total digestible nutrients in one ton of buckwheat
middlings is 1532 and in gluten feed 1614. so it is seen that the
buckwheat middlings are well up to the value of gluten feed.
When made in a good local mill the value is likely to be fully
as high if not higher than these figures represent.

A study of the analyses of buckwheat feeds as given in
the last Geneva Experiment Station bulletin on Feed Inspec-
tion shows a tremendous variation in the composition of
buckwheat feed. One guarantee is as low as 5 per cent.
protein whereas on the other end of the variation we find a
feed guaranteeing 20 per cent. protein. Others guaranteed
18 per cent. with one or two at Io per cent. Good straight
middlings apparently run about 30 per cent. total protein.
It seems to me that the best practice for millers is to throw
the shucks away and sell good straight buckwheat middlings.

RICE AND ITS BY-PRODUCTS

Of course very little rice will ever be used as such for
animal food because of its great value as a human food, but
there seems to be some rice bran and rice polish on the mar-
ket, both of which are good feeds and desirable to buy if one
has the opportunity. Rice bran is low in protein and differs

Page One Hundred Thirty-four

Feeding Dairy Cattle
‘from wheat bran in this regard but is fairly digestible when
of high grade and has about 1316 pounds of total digestible
nutrients to the ton. It should be used in the place of corn
meal, ground oats or ground barley instead of as wheat bran
because of its low protein content. Rice polish could be
used as one would use a fine flour middling but here again
the rice polish would need more protein supplement than the
wheat middlings.

Rice hulls are comparable to the buckwheat hulls, the
analysis of which is given above only worse. In 2000 pounds
of rice hulls are found only 284 pounds of total digestible
nutrients. The hulls are unpalatable and should never be
fed to animals. In buying rice bran one should see that
there are no hulls in it. Here as in all cases, the analysis
should be studied with care and the statement as to ingredi-
ents studied well to know that only rice bran is present and
nothing else.

MISCELLANEOUS GRAINS—SORGHUMS AND MILLET

The sorghuins are used for both forage and grain. They
are of two general types the sweet or saccharine sorghums
and the non-saccharine sorghum. The sweet sorghums are
grown for forage and the non-saccharine types for both for-
age and grain. The principal use of sorghum is as a substi-
tute for corn in localities of insufficient rainfall to guarantee
a crop of corn. It is probably not worth while in this
article to spend much time on these as most of the readers
of the Worbp will depend on corn. I think it is safe to say
that there is no reason to try to grow any of the sorghums
when corn will mature. Amber forage is a sweet sorghum.

There are three principal types of the grain sorghums,
kafir with compact erect heads, durra heads compact and
pendent and the broom corn type, heads loose and spreading.
There are many varieties coming under each of these three
types. “Milo maize” and “feterita” are of the durra type.
“Shallu” and “kaoliang”’ are varieties in the broom corn
group. All of these sorghums are grown more or less in the
semi-arid parts of the United States, where it is too dry for
corn and their value is proved by the great increase in
acreage in the past few years.

The millets are rapid growing annual plants which may
be used as hot weather catch crops. ‘The most common type
is the “foxtail millet” or “common millet”. “Hungarian”
millet and “German” are coarser larger yielding varieties
which sacrifice in quality of forage and earliness what is

Page One Hundred Thirty-five

I’eeding Dairy Cattle

gained in quantity. Japanese millet, or “billion dollar grass”
and “‘teosinte” are millets of little value. Where some millet
is indicated as a forage catch crop probably the best. results
will be obtained by sticking to the “common” foxtail millet,
sowing it thickly and cutting it early.

XXXI. The Oil Meals
Cottonseed, Linseed, Cocoanut and Soy Bean

HE oil meals most used for feeding at the present time

» are cottonseed oil meal, linseed oil meal, peanut oil

meal and copra oil meal. In connection with these it

is well to discuss some of the other by-products of these and

closely allied industries. We will first take up cottonseed
products.

In May, 1918, the value of the by-products from cotton-
seed of an annual cotton crop of 11,500,000 bales was given
at $413,540,000. The oil from this cottonseed was valued
at $246,340,000; the meal was valued at $111,238,000; the
hulls and the linters would bring the remainder which
amounts to $55,873,000. These prices serve to indicate what
a tremendous business it is and also shows that the meal
represents only about one-third of the total value of the
cottonseed.

In the preparation of cottonseed meal the first step is to
treat the seeds. The clean seeds then go to linter machines
and here most of the cotton which still clings to the seeds is
removed. The seeds are next hulled by passing them through
revolving disks in which knives are set and the seeds are
separated into the hulls and meats. The hulls are sold as
such by most oil ‘mills, but may later be mixed with the
cottonseed meal for feeding.

The meats or kernels are next treated to extract the oil.
‘The main process used in this is to cook the kernels with
‘live steam and then the oil is pressed out, the seeds being
‘kept hot during the pressing process.

After the cottonseed cake comes out of the press it is
either broken up or ground up into a fine meal which we
recognize as cottonseed meal. This meal contains a certain
proportion of hulls and varies with the mill as to the amount
-of hull mixed in with the meal, and it varies with the mill
whether the hulls are mixed in with the kernels before press-
‘ing, and thus become a part of the cake, or whether the cake
is pressed free from hulls and then the hulls added afterwards.

Page One Hundred Thirty-six

Feeding Dairy Cattle
; Whatever the process of manufacture, the resulting meal
is graded into three grades. The first grade, choice cotton-
seed meal which is defined as follows: “Choice cottonseed
meal must be finely ground, not necessarily bolted, perfectly
sound and sweet in odor, yellow, free from excess lint and
must contain at least 41 per cent. protein.”

The second quality of cottonseed meal contains more
hulls than the first and consequently less protein. This
second quality is called prime cottonseed meal and _ is
defined as follows: “Prime cottonseed meal must be finely
ground, not necessarily bolted, of sweet odor, reasonably
bright in color, yellow not brown or reddish, free from
excess lint and must contain at least 38.6 per cent protein.”

The third quality of meal is called good cottonseed meal
and is defined officially as follows: “Good cottonseed meal
must be finely ground, not necessarily bolted, of sweet odor,
reasonably bright in color and must contain at least 36 per
cent. protein.”

Thus it will be seen that no by-product of the cottonseed
industry can be called a meal and be sold as such unless it
contains 36 per cent. protein. Any by-product of cottonseed
sold for feeding purposes must be designated cottonseed feed
if there is less than 36 per cent. protein in it.

In tentative definitions it has been proposed to change
the name of the two lower grades of cottonseed meal to
medium and lower grade cottonseed meal instead of prime
and good cottonseed meal. There is a feeling that cotton-
seed meal containing only 26 per cent. protein and thus a
large number of hulls should not be called good cottonseed
meal.

To show the amount of hulls which may be incorporated
into these three grades of meal the following result of analy-
sis is given. A choice cottonseed meal containing at least
Al per cent. protein may contain 9.2 per cent. hulls by weight.
Prime cottonseed meal running between 38.6 per cent. and
41 per cent. protein may contain 13 per cent. hulls. Good
or low grade cottonseed meal may contain as high as 27 per
cent. hulls and still have 36 per cent. protein in it. There-
fore, it will be seen that when a farmer buys good cottonseed
meal, so called, he may be buying as high as 27 per cent.
hulls, or one-fourth of his meal may be hulls. Cottonseed
hulls are about the poorest material that we can think of for
feeding our animals. Since there are so many hulls to be
gotten rid of, the amount of cottonseed meal on the market
the past year has been almost entirely of the 36 per cent

Page One Hundred Thirty-seven

Feeding Dairy Cattle

variety. Cottonseed meal may contain as high as 50 per
cent. protein.

When one sees that a good cottonseed meal containing
36 per cent. protein may contain as high as 27 per cent. hulls
one easily realizes what a cottonseed feed is made of which
is usually guaranteed to contain 20 per cent. protein. Such
cottonseed feeds may contain as high as 80 per cent. hulls.
The ground hulls have so much the appearance of the meal
that it is impossible for one who is not expert to recognize
the difference between a good cottonseed meal and a cotton-
seed feed containing only 20 per cent. protein. I do not
believe that cottonseed feed is ordinarily sold as cottonseed
meal, but I do believe that the higher grade meals are the
less expensive meals to buy.

In order to get a comparison of feeding values it may be
said that an average sample of choice cottonseed meal will
have in it about 1564 pounds of total digestible nutrients,
prime cottonseed meal 1510 pounds of total digestible nutri-
ents and good cottonseed meal 1496 pounds of total digesti-
ble nutrients to the ton. Therefore, the 36 per cent. meal is
only about seven-eighths the value of the choice cottonseed
meal. Cottonseed feed containing 20 per cent. protein has
in it only 1154 pounds of total digestible nutrients to the ton
which makes it little better than good hay for feeding.

THE MANURIAL VALUE OF COTTONSEED MEAL

To illustrate the value of the high protein feeds as sources
of fertilizing materials to our farms, we will call attention to
the value of choice cottonseed meal. If a farmer should
buy a ton of choice cottonseed meal and spread it on his land
he would be putting on his land the equivalent of 171.4
pounds of ammonia, 53.4 pounds of phosphoric acid and 36.2
pounds potash. At the current values of fertilizing ingredi-
ents one ton of cottonseed meal used as a fertilizer would
have a value comparable to commercial fertilizers of similar
nature.

Suppose that instead of spreading this cottonseed meal
directly on the land we feed it to cows. According to FE. O.
Fippin’s estimates, Cornell University bulletin 127, entitled
“Farm Manure”, it is estimated that the cow would return in
her manure 30 per cent. of the ammonia, 50 per cent. of the
phosphoric acid and 40 per cent. of the potash. Therefore,
after it has served its usefulness as a feed the resulting ma-
nure would have a fertilizing value equivalent to 51.4 pounds
of ammonia, 26.7 pounds of phosphoric acid and 14.5 pounds

Page One Hundred Thirty-eight

Feeding Dairy Cattle

of potash as purchased in commercial fertilizers. There-

fore, when a man purchases a high protein feed, such as

cottonseed meal or oil meal, he can make a substantial reduc-

tion from the first cost price of the manurial value of these

high protein feeds when the manure and urine are properly

conserved. :
FEEDING COTTONSEED MBAL

Cottonseed meal is a valuable source of protein and about
the cheapest source of protein that we have during most
years. This feed is particularly valuable for feeding dairy
cattle, because when used in reasonable quantities in the
mixture no harm seems to come from it. I usually advise
that the cottonseed meal in a given mixture of concentrates
for dairy cows should not exceed 40 per cent. of the mixture
by weight. If gluten feed is being fed in the same mixture.
I would not have the gluten and the cottonseed together
exceed 40 per cent. of the mixture of concentrates by weight.
There is a feeling that cottonseed meal feeding has a bad
influence on the udder and that animals fed highly on cotton-
seed meal are predisposed to garget and other udder troubles.
Also there is a feeling that high protein feeding, par-
ticularly of cottonseed meal will produce a harsh feeling
hide, poor handling qualities and rough stary coat. How-
ever, admitting all of these criticisms to be more or less true,
I still feel that we must make a large use of cottonseed meal
in our dairy cow rations.

I would not feed cottonseed meal to horses, to hogs or
to cattle under one year old. It is of great value as a pro-
tein supplement in rations for beef cattle. The general
effect of cottonseed meal in feeds is constipating, and cotton-
seed meal is not advised if linseed meal is as cheap when
there is no silage in the ration.

LINSEED OIL MEAL

One of the most useful feeds to the American farmer is
oil meal from flax. Flax itself is too valuable for the oil it
contains to be used as such for feeding although a small
amount of ground flax seed is sometimes fed to calves.

In the manufacture of oil the flaxseed is ground, warmed
up and the linseed oil pressed out leaving the cake behind.
Most farmers like their oil meal ground up. European
farmers who import much oil meal like it best in the form of
the slabs just as they come from the press and break up these
slabs in their own way. This is a sure way of not getting
adulterated meal. This oil cake broken up into nut or pea

Page One Hundred Thirty-nine

Feeding Dairy Cattle

size is very palatable and in this size is preferred by lamb
feeders to use as a supplement to corn.

At one time the linseed oil was extracted from the flax
seed by another process, the oil being dissolved out with
naphtha. ‘The residue from this process was called new pro-
cess oil meal. Only occasionally is such a meal encountered
now. ‘The new process oil meal contained less fat and was
not as palatable.

The healthful qualities of old process oil meal add to its
value. Itis one of the finest high protein feeds we have and
in addition it is laxative and stimulating to appetite and milk
flow. There are 1558 pounds of total digestible nutrients to
the ton in oil meal which shows its high value as a feed com-
pared with all other feeds. Oil meal contains about 33 per
cent. total protein of which 30 per cent. is digestible. On
account of its valuable properties I should consider oil meal
in a mixture of concentrates fully as valuable pound for
pound as choice cottonseed meal or gluten feed. It makes
a fine combination with these feeds. The manurial value
of linseed oil meal would be somewhat less than that of the
higher grade cottonseed meals because of a less protein
content.

Linseed oil meal can be fed in any quantity to any animal
provided that animal does not scour. Oil meal is laxative,
and therefore, the amount that can be fed is limited. This
feed is very useful in mixtures used for fitting cows for test.
Here as high as 25 per cent. is often used in the mixture.
In rations for milking cows or in production rations 20 to 30
per cent. can be used very well. It is a particularly fine feed
for all growing animals and is fine for. young calves with oats,
bran and hominy. ‘This feed is so good as a conditioner that
it is often used as the base of so-called stock feeds and condi-
tion powders where a very high price is paid for it under a
fancy name. Well animals, with a little oil meal with other
good foods in their ration, do not need any stock feeds or
condition powders and it is a waste of money to buy them.

OTHER FLAX PLANT BY-PRODUCTS

Flax feed consists of flax screenings and is not generally
found on the market except as a component of mixed feeds.
Flax plant by-product contains some of the stem, some

of the pods and some of the broken or immature flax seeds.
It has little if any feeding value and should be avoided as
such or as a component of mixed feeds. Sometimes the oil
may be extracted from the unscreened flax seed giving us
Page One Hundred Forty

Feeding Dairy Cattle

what has been called “laxo” meal. Its value would of course
be less than that of oil meal on account of screenings present.

PEANUT BY-PRODUCTS

; Peanut oil is being used more than ever. It is another
indication of the world shortage of fats. The extraction of
oil from peanuts gives us two by-products, peanut oil meal
and peanut feed. The difference is whether the peanut
shucks are in or not. In the peanut oil meal the peanuts
have been shelled before pressing. Peanut oil meal is a very
high protein feed containing as high as 47 per cent. total
protein. It is a highly digestible desirable feed, palatable to
practically all animals.

The peanut feed is made from the unhulled nuts and the
shucks reduce the protein to about 23 per cent. and raises
the fiber to about 27 per cent. The peanut shucks are very
poor feed and practically worthless. Therefore, one should
be very careful of the price in buying this feed. Peanut
shucks are sometimes used as an adulterant but feeding stuffs
laws are gradually eliminating this sort of thing.

COCOANUT OIL MEAL

The demand for vegetable fats for nut butters and other
uses has very greatly increased the production of cocoanut
oil. Cocoanut oil is derived from the dried cocoanut meats.
These dried cocoanut meats are produced in large quantities
in the Philippines and other Pacific islands. The com-
mercial name for dried cocoanut meats is copra. This has
given rise to another name, copra oil meal’ which is synony-
mous with cocoanut oil meal.

Cocoanut oil meal is a clean, fine, finely ground meal of
pleasant odor and taste which is palatable to dairy cows.
It is probably a little less valuable pound for pound than
gluten feed and can be used very much like gluten feed.
Cocoanut oil meal contains about 20 to 23 per cent. total
protein of which 188 per cent. is digestible. There are
about 1580 pounds of total digestible nutrients in a ton.
You will remember that the total digestible nutrients in a ton
of gluten feed is 1612. One of the things which has been
urged against cocoanut oil meal as a feed has been the fact
that it will not keep in storage. I have kept in storage in
southern New York nine tons of cocoanut oil meal for eigh-
teen months in an ordinary storage shed that was dry and
hot. During the summer the cocoanut oil meal did not get
at all rancid but it did become somewhat lumpy. However,
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Feeding Dairy Catile

it was not much trouble in crushing the lumps with a shovel.
This is a new feed which is likely to increase in quantity and
farmers should make themselves familiar with it so that it
can be purchased whenever there is a price advantage.

SOYBEAN MEAL

A little soybean oil meal comes on the market occasion-
ally. It is the by-product of the manufacture of oil from
soybeans. The by-product when available is one of the very
highest of the desirable high protein feeds. It will run
about 40 per cent. protein of which 38 per cent. is digestible
and there is about 1660 pounds of total digestible nutrients
in a ton. Soybean oil meal is supposed to have an extra
value on account of the vitamines contained in it. It is
doubtful, however, for general feeding whether it would be
worth any more than choice cottonseed meal.

Other oil meals of somewhat the same value would be
the palm nut oil meal and oil meal from sunflower seeds.
These, however, are of so small a quantity on the market
that it is not worth while to go much into discussion. When
available they would be used in much the same way and have
much the same value of the oil meals that have already been
described.

VELVET BEAN MEAL AND FEED

The acreage of velvet beans grown in the South is gain-
ing and more and more we are having velvet bean meal and
velvet bean feed available for feeding dairy cattle. The
oil is not extracted from velvet beans so that velvet bean
meal is the whole ground bean. The amount of fat in velvet
beans is not high so it is not likely that velvet beans will
ever be used as a source of oil. Velvet bean meal should be
a very good feed of about 20 per cent. total protein with
about 1600 pounds of total digestible nutrients to the ton.
Velvet bean feed is made by grinding the beans, pod and all
together after they have been thoroughly dried. Of course
the pod is not so valuable as the bean and this gives us a
product with less protein, having only about 17 per cent.
with more fiber. The pod is not so digestible as the seeds,
consequently the amount of digestible nutrients is lowered
to something less than 1500. This makes velvet bean feed
about the same value and usefulness as wheat feed.

This finishes the description of the oil meals and one or
two of the meals derived from some of the legume seeds.
This whole class of feeds makes up one of the most valuable
of our sources of feeds for feeding dairy cattle.

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