The corn by-products (gluten feed and distillers grains) contain only a trace of potash. The money valuations are based on current market prices, namely: nitrogen, 18.5 cents; potash, 4.25 cents; and phosphoric acid, 4 cents a pound. The fertilizing elements in the several feeds are in as desirable a form as those in the best grades of unmixed fertilizing stock. Bran is shown to contain fertilizer ingredients equal to 54 per cent. of its cost, and cotton-seed meal is fully equal to its cost; the others are considerably in excess of the bran.

It is not to be inferred that after the several feeds have passed through the animal their fertilizing ingredients have as high a money value as before they were consumed. In fact, some 20 per cent. has been retained by the animal, more or less loss has unavoidably occurred in the manurial residue, and they are in a much more bulky condition, which requires considerable additional labor to apply them. Nevertheless, the figures show clearly that the combined fertilizer ingredients in bran have noticeably less value than in any of the other by-products.

Conclusions.

1. Wheat bran contains noticeably less total as well as less digestible protein than any of the other nitrogenous byproducts.

2. The total digestible matter in bran is likewise less than in the other prominent concentrates; thus, cotton-seed meal contains 24 per cent. more, gluten feed 44 per cent., distillers' grains 21 per cent. and corn meal 38 per cent.

3. For several years past the cost of a pound of digestible matter in bran, cotton-seed meal, distillers' and brewers' dried grains has been about the same; it could be purchased in the form of gluten feed, corn and hominy meals for some 20 per cent. less.

4. A pound of digestible protein in wheat bran cost 100 per cent. more than in cotton-seed meal, 80 per cent. more than in gluten feed and 50 per cent. more than in distillers' dried grains.

5. Because of its relatively low protein percentage, the

fertilizer ingredients in bran have from 10 to 50 per cent. less money value than those contained in the other byproducts.

6. The nutritive material and especially the protein contained in wheat bran must be regarded, therefore, as relatively expensive. Because of its palatability, its laxative effect and its desirability as a diluter or distributer of the heavy concentrates, it will continue to be used by many farmers as a portion of the grain ration for dairy stock. See practical deductions as to the use of bran, on page 114.

(5)

Wheat Bran v. Corn Silage as a Distributer of the
Heavy Concentrates.

EXPERIMENT I. SPRING, 1903.

Object of the Experiment. Wheat bran has been shown to be an expensive feed, judged solely from the amount of nutritive material it contains. The present experiment was undertaken to see if silage would not serve as a distributer equally as well as bran. Such being the case, the farmer could use home-grown corn, or corn and cob meal, in place of an equal amount of bran, and, by feeding in addition a few pounds daily of cotton-seed meal and malt sprouts or flour middlings, get along with a minimum quantity of purchased grain.

Plan of the Experiment. - The cows, ten in number, were high-grade Jerseys. Eight had calved early the previous autumn, and two, Pearl and Red 2d, the preceding December.

The animals were divided as equally as possible into two lots of five each, and both herds fed for two weeks upon the so-called bran ration, consisting of silage, hay, cotton-seed meal, flour middlings and wheat bran. In the second period, lasting five weeks, one lot of cows, known as Herd I., continued to receive the same ration; and the other lot, Herd II., was fed the so-called silage ration, consisting of silage and hay, cotton-seed meal, flour middlings and corn and cob meal. In each of the two periods one week was considered preliminary.

In interpreting the results, it is proposed to note the weekly yields produced in the second period by both herds on different grain rations, as compared with the weekly yields of the first periods, when the two herds received the same grain ration, thus ascertaining the comparative efficacy of the two different grain rations fed in the second period. The yields obtained in the first period are to be used simply as a basis for comparison.

General Care of the Animals. The experiment was carried out in the station barn, especially set apart for such work. Each animal was kept in a roomy stall, well carded, and turned daily into a yard for exercise. The cows were in good condition, and quite contented.

Method of Feeding. The cows were fed twice daily, and water was before them constantly. In case of the bran ration, the several grains composing it were carefully mixed, and fed just before milking. The grains used in the silage ration cotton-seed and corn meals and flour middlings were likewise mixed, and the resulting combination quite thoroughly mingled with the silage by means of a four-tined fork, and fed previous to milking. One quart of the bran ration weighed .80 of a pound, and 1 quart of the grain ration fed with the silage weighed 1.4 pounds, the former being naturally much more bulky.

Character of the Feed Stuffs.-The bran was from spring wheat, the other grains were of the usual good quality. The silage, made from rather poorly eared corn, was of average quality. The hay was largely Kentucky blue-grass, with some clover.

Weighing the Animals. The animals were weighed on three consecutive days at the beginning and end of the second period.

Sampling Feeds. The coarse fodders were sampled three times during the second period, dry matter determinations made immediately, and composite samples analyzed. Small samples of the grains were taken daily and placed in glassstoppered bottles.

Sampling Milk. The milk of each cow was sampled twice daily for five consecutive days of each week of the two periods, and preserved with formaline in tightly corked bottles. The method of sampling consisted in mixing the freshly drawn milk with an especially constructed mixer, and immediately removing a small dipper full.

Average Ration consumed by Each Cow Daily (Pounds).
First period: both herds, bran ration.

I.,

II.,

I.,

II.,

HERD.

Second period: Herd I., bran ration; Herd II., silage ration.

Herd I. received practically the same quantity of grain and roughage daily in each period; the same can be said of Herd II. Herd II. needed and received slightly more than Herd I. during both periods.

Average Dry and Digestible Daily Nutrients consumed by Each Cow

I.,

II,

Herd II.: first period, bran ration; second period, silage ration.

Herd I. received the same quantity of digestible nutrients during both periods. Herd II. received more total digestible matter in the first period than did Herd I., but the nutritive ratio of the fodder groups was the same. In the second or silage period Herd II. consumed rather more total digestible nutrients than in the first period, but less digestible protein, the nutritive ratio being somewhat wider (16.5, instead of 1: 5.4). This increase of digestible matter consumed was due to the higher digestibility of the corn and cob meal.

Weight of Animals at Beginning and End of Second Period (Pounds).

Each herd made a slight gain during the period. The

difference is unimportant.