APRIL 1903I BULLETIN No, 123. )4
t

/Id "

ALABAMA;'

Agricultura1 Experiment Station
OF THE

AGRICULTURAL AND MECHANICAL COLLEGE,
AUBURN.

Vetch, Cowpea, and SoyBean flay as Substitutes for Wheat Bran.

By J.

F.

DIJGGAR.

a31

OWN

PRINTING

CO., PRINTERS & BINDERS.

MONTGOMERY, ALA. 1903.

COMMITTEE OF TRUSTEES ON EXPERIMENT STATION. JONATHAN HARALSON .....................
Selma.

STATION COUNCIL C.
B.

C. THACH ....... B. Ross..

...........

President and Acting-Director. ...
.......
............

..................................

Chemist.

C. A. CARY............................ J. F.
DtGGAR ...... .....................

Veterinarian. Agriculturist.

E. M. WILCOX........................................Biologist. R. S. MACKINTOSH . ............................... Horticulturist. Associate Chemist.

3. T. ANDERSON.......... ...................... ASSISTANTS. *0. L. HARE .............................. A. MocB. T. BRAGG

First Assistant Chemist. Acting First Assistant Chemist. Second Assistant Chemist. Third Assistant Chemist.

RANsoN
.........

......

....... ............ ...................

J. C. PREnPS.....

T. U. CULVER...............
J. M. JoNES *On leave

..... will

... Superintendent of Farm.
Animal Industry.

of absence.

.....

............

Assistant in

The Bulletins of this Station be sent free to any citizen. of the. State on application to the Agricultural Experiment- Station, Auburn, Alabama.

VETCH, COWIVPEA AND SOY BEAN HAY AS SUBSTITUTES FOR WHEAT BRAN. BY J. F. DUGGAR.

SUMMARY. The object of the feeding experiments herein described was to ascertain whether hay made from hairy vetch, cowpeas and soy beans could be advantageously substituted for most of the wheat bran in the ration of dairy cows. The following values per ton were used in calculating the cost of foo'd : Wheat bran, $20.00; vetch hay, $10.00; cowpea hay, $10.00; cotton seed $12.00; cotton seed meal, $20.00; cotton seed hulls, Vetch hay proved fully equal in feeding value to a similar weight of wheat bran. By this substitution the cost of the food required to make a pound of butter was reduced 25 per cent., which is equivalent to a monthly saving of $22.20 in a herd of twenty cows. With the vetch ration the cost of food for one pound of butter averaged 10 cents in contract with 13.4 cents when wheat bran was fed. The waste in feeding vetch hay was, with most cows, about 6 per cent. of the amount offered and with cowpea hay about 16 per cent.; the latter residue, being unless, is charged as a part of the ration. That portion of the cowpea hay actually eaten proved fully equal in feeding value to a similar weight of wheat bran. Charging the cows with all the cowpea hay offered them, we find that cowpea hay had 86 per

$5.00.

52

cent. of the feeding value of wheat bran, one ton of this hay being equal to 1720 pounds of wheat bran. When wheat bran was worth $20.00 per ton cowpea hay was worth $17.20 and vetch hay $20.00. The monthly profits per cow were $4.65 on the vetch ration and $4.35 on the cowpea ration. One of the Jersey cows used in this test produced butter at a cost for food of only 8 1-3 cents per poun3, when fed on the vetch ration. Running cowpea hay through a feed cutter did not decrease the waste in feeding this food. Four and a half per cent more butter was produced with soybean hay than with cowpea hay, if we take account of the portion of each actually eaten; however a larger proportion of the coarse stems of the soybean hay was left uneaten. When corn hearts was substituted for wheat bran the yield of butter was increased by 8 per cent. The following combinations of food stuffs made satisfactory daily rations for Jersey cows weighing between 700 and 800 pounds and producing a little more than a pound of butter per day : (a) 4 lbs. cotton seed. 2 lbs. wheat bran. 11.8 lbs. vetch hay. Total 17.8 lbs. (b) 6.5 lbs. cowpea hay. 9.6 lbs. cotton seed hulls. 4.8 lbs. cotton seed. 2.4 lbs. cotton seed meal. 2.4 lbs. wheat bran. Total 25.7 lbs. (c) 6.6 lbs. soybean hay. 8.6 lbs. cotton seed hulls. 4.3 lbs. cotton seed.

53 2.2 lbs. cotton seed meal. 2.2 lbs. wheat bran. Total 23.7 lbs. Account was kept of the manure produced during certain periods, and it was found that this was produced at the rate of 1,749 pounds per month, or 3 1-2 tons per cow during a stabling period of four months. Almost exactly half of the manure was left in the barn during the stabling period of 16 hours and an almost exactly equal amount .was deposited during the 8 hours while the cows were in the lots.

T'HE

GENERAL PLAN OF

THE EXPERIMENTS.

The chief aim of the experimental feeding of dairy cows as conducted by the Agricultural Department of this Station during the past four years has been to ascertain the means by which the dairymen might reduce his expenditures for purchased food. The chief profits in live stock consist in using them as the means of improving the soil and of advantageously marketing the crops grown on the farm. Hence the larger the proportion of farm-grown food and the smaller the proportion of purchased material in the ration of an animal the greater the profit. The proximity of cotton seed oil mills, the relative cheapness of cotton seed meal and hulls, and the comvenience with which these by-products can be fed, have had the effect of making many southern farmers too dependent upon purchased foods. In Bulletin No. 114, issued in 1901 by this department, it was shown that at prices then prevailing a home-grown ration of cotton seed meal and sorghem hay afforded less butter, but at a lower cost per pound, than a diet of cotton seed meal and hulls.

54 The southern dairyman incurs considerable hexpense in the purchase of wheat bran. The experimental feeding of dairy cows during the past two winters has had for its object to learn whether the dairyman could advantageously reduce the amount of wheat bran often fed. Instead of wheat bran, we fed in 1901-2 In comvetch hay and the past winter cowpea hay. position these two hays are quite similar to, wheat bran, as may be seen in the table of composition below, giving the composition of the foods used as determined by the Chemical Department of this station.
In 100 pounds of food are: Protein Lbs. 15.19 13.62 17.15 12.19 10.75 10.56 Starch. etc. Lbs. 51.84 34.66 32.12 34.26 58.95 49.97 Fat. Lbs. 4.59 4.08 2.14 2.35 7.76 8.30 Fiber. Lbs. 12.00 25.62 22.50 35.12 9.84 13.55

Water. 9.21 Wheat bran .. 9.84 Cowpea hay ... Vetch hay .... **20.30 9.25 Soy bean hay.. Corn hearts .. 10.21 8.54 Rice meal ....

Ash.

sugar

I

II 7.17
12.18 5.79 6.01 2.49 9.14

*Starchy matter, etc. **Vetcih hay, when analyzed, (Ala. Bul. No. 105), contained more water than when fed.

In each experiment six thoroughbred Jersey cows have been employed, carefully divided into two nearly similar lots. Each lot has been fed (in addition to a basal ration which was the same for all) for half of the time on wheat bran and during the other portion of the experiment on either vetch or cowpea hay instead. The effort has been to make each lot of cows consume as nearly as practicable as many pounds of wheat bran during one period as of hay during the other period of each experiment. In other words hay of hairy vetch or of cowpea has been substituted almost pound for

pound for wheat bran. Each cow in each lot did not receive exactly the same amount of food, but so far as practicable it was the aim to make the total amount of food of one lot equal, or nearly equal, to that of the other lot. While the results have a very positive value, for the dairyman they should also convey to the grower of beef cattle suggestions of almost equal value. The details of the first experiment recorded below were under the immediate care of Prof. R. W. Clark. In the later ,experime nts the writer was assisted by Mr. J. M. Jones and by 'students. To the intelligent care and interest of all of these are largely due the satisfactory results obtained.
HAIRY VETCH VERSUS WHEAT BRAN.

This experiment extended over a period of eight weeks during the winter of 1901-2. The rations were reversed at the end of four weeks, so that the cows which at first received an extra quantity of wheat bran later had an extra amount of vetch hay. The first week of each period was regarded as a preliminary period and, as usual, excluded from the record. Every cow received daily a basal ration which averaged as follows: 4 lbs. uncooked cotton seed. 2 lbs. wheat bran. 5.2 lbs. vetch hay (average.)
11.2 lbs. total basal ration.

Besides the above, each cow in one lot received an additional amount of vetch hay, which varied with the appetite of the individual cow, and which averaged 6.6 pounds per cow daily, excluding the small amount which was offered but not eaten. The other lot of cows was fed, besides the basal ration, an additional amount of wheat bran, which extra

56 allowance averaged 7 pounds per head daily. The ratime reversed so tions of the two lots of cows were as to eliminate any possible inequality due to' the individuality of the cows. For the sake of simplicity we shall hereafter speak of the one as the vetch ration and of the other as the bran ration. The vetch ration consisted of a daily allowance of 17.8 pounds of food per day and the bran ration of 18.2 pounds. This gives slight advantage in the amount of food to the cows on the bran ration. The following prices for food stuffs are assumed as average local prices on :the farm for the last two, winters: 'Cotton seed, $12.00 per ton. Wheat, bran, $20.00 per ton. Vetch hay, $10.00 per ton. Cowpea hay, $10.00 per ton. The actual prices for a small portion of the food varied from this average; for example, the supply of home-grown peavine hay becoming exhau'sted before the conclusion of this experiment, it was necessary to buy a few bales at one dollar per hundred weight. The vetch hay was of good quality, though it con-

in

tained a small amount of coarse oat hay, it being nec-

essary to sow oats or other grain with vetc1h to hold the slender vetch plant off the ground.
The cows used were as

follows:
Breed.

Lot.

0

I I I A v. I
II

Ida........... ... Jersey ..... Hazena ............. do Hlypatia.............. do Average.................. ......
Lukie*................ do

.

6 3* 6 ......
3*

143 65 44 .8*5
108

766

831 653 813
699

1I
II

Susan.............

II

Ada....

..

do
do

4
10

68
99

672

.............. Average .

*Heifers with

first calves.

.......

92

734

831

57 Composite samples of the"milk were tested weekly by the Babcock test and the amount of fat thus found was converted into butter by the usual method of multiplying by one and one-sixth. From the table below it will be seen that the basal
ration
r

was the same for
l~~nl

every cow, whatever the extra

food consumed at the same time.

~

n

f17

Pounds food in 21 days.
0

Cows.
rd

In basal ration. Vetch flay Extra.
1 i _ i

Wheat Bran Extra.

r''cd

o
C)
v i i r

Dec. 19 to Jan. 9. I Ida ...... I Hazena ... I Hypatia .. Jan. l6 to II Feb. 6 . II Lukie ....... Susan..... II Ada ......... II . Total. 6 cows ...... I
II
II

157.6 61.1 195.6 74.6 166.1 179.6

84 84 84 84 84 81 504 159.6 92.4 176.4 126.0 168.0 168.0 890.4 84 84 84 84 84 84

42 42 42 42 42 42 253 42 42 42 42 42 42 252

108.4 108-4 108.4

231.4 234.4 234.4

834.6

108.4 234.4 108.4 234.4 108.4 234.4 650.4 .1406.4 129 255 63 189 126 252 84 210 122.5 245.5 126.0 252 650.5 1406.5

Ida

......

Hazena

...

II I I I Total.

ilypatia .. Lukie .... Susan .... Ada.......... 6 cows.......

504

cow was 10.3 The average daily cost of food ,cents for the veteh ration and 14 cents for the wheat bran ration at the price assumed as an average for wheat bran, namely $20.00 per ton. Hence the vetch ration was the cheaper by 3.7 cents

per

pier cow

per day or -$1.11 per month per cow.

At this

rate the saving through the substitution of vetch hay for wheat bran in a herd of 20 cows would be $22.20 per -month.

58 Only the vetch hay actually consumed is charged, for the reason that with most cows the amount of vetch hay left uneaten was very small. The percentages jected by five of these cows during the time when large amounts of vetch hay were fed were respectively 1, 3, 7, 9, and 9 per cent. of the amount offered. Hazena and Lukie, however, could not be induced to eat the desired amount of hay and hence were on rather "short rations" (with corresponding shrinkage in yield) ing the: time that they*were receiving the vetch ration. The greater _part of the waste consisted in the case of most cows of the coarser part of the oat plant, which was mixed with the vetch. If the average proportion rejected by five cows, 6 I.-Pt cent., be regarded as the usual waste and charged to the cows, it would change the relative results only

re-

dur-

by a small fraction of a cent per

day.

The amount of milk and of butter produced by each cow on both rations are recorded for' periods of 3 weeks in the following table : Mill, and batter in 21 days from nearly equal amrouants vetch and w;heat bran.

of

Vetch Hay Ration. t I I I II II II Total.

Wheat Bran Ration.
rac1.03 1t

Cow.
Ida. ....... Hazena .. Hypatia .
Lukie..

Milk
lbs.

Butter lbs. 16.15' 17.92 27.15 20.63 27.74 20.12II II 11 I I
I Total.

S

Cow.

Milk lbs

Butter lbs. 15.08 18.50 25.06. 62.39 29.00

266.4 280.3 430.9
298.2

381.4 Susan. .. 356.5 Ada . .. 6 cows, 121 days.f 2013.7 SPer cowl S per dayl 16.0

Ida. .. .... Hazena .. Hypatia . Lukie. .. Susan. ..
Ada .. . 6 cows,

245.6 262.8 373 2 338.5 398.8
377.8

.1

I21.76

129.71

1per day

21 days,, 1996.7 1131.79 Per cow

15i.8

11.05

59

practically of equal value, rations judged by the amount of milk or of butter 1Fether prnduced. During the entire period covered by the expe-ri liint and on both rations the average daily of bni ter exceeded one pound per cow. As u1iiinng that manure and skim milk bahance thc labor of caring for the cows and that butter is worth 25 cents per pound we have the following financial stah 'hment : Financial statement.
With vetch ration, Value of butter from 6 cows, 21 days............$32.43 Cost of feed, 6 cows, 21 days...................12.96 butter, cents............100 Cost of food per pound Daily profit per cow, cents.........................155 .15 Profit per pound of butter cents With bran ration.
$32.95

'Y two he

were

of

17.69 .134
.121

.116

By substituting vetch hay for wheat bran there was saving of 2.4 cents, or 26 per cent on the cost of each pound, of butter.

P.
as c
tni tI)fl.

Not
To

;mpared Uf
<<rofit

only does the vetch.

hay

pay a profit wh en fed,

with wheat bran, but it affordts an addiproduced at a lower cost thani $t( per

much

sum

up the whole comparison : Practically as butter and milk was afforded by 834.6 pounds

of

vetch hay actually consumed as by 890.4 pounds of wheat bran. Hence each pound of vetch hay consumed was slightly more effective than a pound of wheat bran. If we charge the cows also with the srml amount of that vetch hay that was fed, but not consumed, we wheat bran ;L1/Cn retch-hayI was equal to a ton a ton

of

of

find

fed to dairy COWS in the proportion employed in this periment.' Stated differently, vetch hay was worth $20 per ton when wheat bran cost $20 per ton. Every one of the six Cows produced butter at much less cost on the vetch than on the wheat bran ration. The cost of food for one pound of butter was as fob lows :

ex-

On vetch ration. On bran ration, Cents. Cents.
Susan........... .................... 8.3 Lukie.8.9 Hypatia. .......... ......... 9.0 Hazena. .......... ........ 9.9 Ada............ .......... ............ 11.6 Ida .......... ............ 13.9 COWPEA HAY VERSUS 11.1 11.6 13.2

11.6
14.8 21.0 BRAN.

WHEAT

This experiment extended from December 19, 1902, to March 6, 1903. In addition to the usual preparatory feeding there were two periods of 30 days each. The rations were at the proper time reversed, so that during one part of the experiment each lot of cows received cow
pea hay and during another portion of the test each lot received bran. The general plan was similar to

wheat

that of the preceding experinient, but on account of the larger amount of cowpea hay rejected (averaging about one-sixth of that offered) it was considered necessary to supply larger amounts of cowpea hay than of wheat bran. Foodstuff s were valued at, the same p'rice as the previous winter. Cotton

seed hulls

were priced at $5 per

ton and a fair quality of cowpea hay at $10 per ton.
A basal ration was

made up by weight as below

and

fed to every cow during the entire experiment : i~cotton seed (rawi) . T heat bran.

61 s cotton seed meal. 2 cotton seed hulls. Of this mixture each lot of cows-received practically equal amounts. The average quantity of this basal ration consumed daily per cow while eating cowpea hay 19.18 pounds, and when eating an extra amount of wheat hran 19.35 pounds of the basal ration was consumed. This amount contained practically 9.6 pounds of centrated food and an equal amount of hulls.

was

con-

In addition to the above, each cow received during one

period of the experiment cowpea hay, the average daily consumption of which was 6.5 pounds per cow. During another period each cow received wheat bran, the average daily consumption of which was 6.1 pounds per cow.
Sumnmary

of

daily

ration per cow.
Cowpea hay ration. 6.5**
.

Wheat bran ration. 6.1 9.6* 9.,6* 25.3

Cowpea hay.........
Wheat bran

...............

................
9.6
9. 6

Concentrated food in basal ration
Cotton seed hulls.....................

Total daily ration. average............25.7 *Approximate. **7.4 pounds cowpea hay offered.

The cows used were as follows :
Lot. I I I I Lukie .... ....... Susan ...... *Neura ........ Average . . Breed. Jersey Jersey Jersey Age years. 4 5 3 11 4 7 Weight Days since when test calving, began. 95 115 72 752 696 691

94
73 72 56 67

I

713
837 734 848 806

II Ada.............Jersey .... Jersey II Hazena .... II Hypatia "".". Jersey II Average .
*Heifer with

first calf.

62 The amount of the basal ration, common to every cow, averaged practically the same for each lot, whether the additional food was cowpea hay or wheat bran. Incidentally it was ascertained in this test that running the cowpea hay through a feed cntter,, so as to chop it into lengths of about two inches did not decrease the proportion of hay rejected.
Amo ant, kind, and cost

of food eaten.
owpea hay
eaten.

Pounds food in 31 days. o
,

(

Cow. 1 Dec. 26 to Jan. 25: I Lukie........ ........
I Susan ........
I Neura

Wheat bran,

Basal.

.........
..........
...........

166.2
197.5
149.5

........
March 6:
"......

642 642 604 542 482.5 540.5 3453.01 560 559 482 643 606 634.5

II Ada ........ Feb. 4 to II
II I
Hypatia..........

Hazena..........

....... ......

.......... ........ ..........

223.5 219.3 220

Total.j6 cows.......

.........
...........

J........

II
II

Lukie ...............

Neura .............. 22........ Ada......... .......... I 164.5 ........ Hazena...... ....... 2.......162 Hypatia.......... ...... 164.5........I Total. 16 cows ...... .......... 3484.51 f 1097 *1411 pounds of cowpea hay offered and charged against the cows.

II I I I

Susan........

202

22.. . . .

*1176.0
....

....

The

amount of wheat bran consumed by six cows in.30

days, in addition to the basal ration, was 1,176 ponnds. Adding also the portion of the hay which was unused, and which consisted of nearly worthless coarse stems, we must charge the cows with 1,411 p'ounds of cowpea hay. This has been done in the following table in calculating the cost of food required to make a pound of butter.

63 Including this wasted material, the average cost of food for one pound of butter were 12.3 cents with the cowpea ration, and 15.9 cents with the wheat bran ration. This is a difference of 3.58 cents per pound of butter, or a saving of 23 per cent. in the cost of food required to make a pound of butter due to the substitution of the cheaper- cowpea hay for wheat bran costing $20 per ton.

lk and butter in
Cow.
w~

of cowpea hay and
Milk lbs.
529.7

30 days from nearly equal amounts wheat bran.
wheat Bran Ration. Buter lbs.
a,

Cowpea Ration.

t ow. II Lukie.. II Susan. .. II Neura. ..
I

Milk lbs.
462.6

Butter lbs

Lukie. I Susan. I Neura.
I II Ada
..

..

..
.. .. ..

611.7 399.1
585.6

35.01 43.87
28.11 33.95

31.41

514.7I37.01
349.7I25.26 563.4 479.2 509.8 129.27

471.1 II Hazena II Hypatia .I 511.9 l cows30 3109.1 days.

6

32.61 31.27
204.82

I II Hypatia

Ada .. Hazena

.. .. .

29.72

31.70

30 days. 2879.4 1184.37

Per cow per day

17.8

1.13

Per

cow

per day

16.0 I

1.02

In the yield of both milk and butter the cowp'ea ration

was slightly superior.
In brief, the cows on the cowpea ration consumied 7 per cent, more of cowpea hay than the other lot did of wheat bran, but in return the former afforded 11 per cows that received wheat cent. more butter than did bran. So that the portion of the cowpea hay that was actually eaten was slightly more valuable than an equal weight of wheat bran. However, including the sixth of

the

the cowpea

hay

that was wasted, we

find

that

a ton

of

wheat bran was equal in feeding value to 2,327 pounds equal to 86 per of cowpea hay; a ton of cowpea hay cent. of a ton of wheat bran, or to 1,720 pounds of wheat bran.

was

64 in other words,, when wheat bran cost $20 per ton, cowpea hay in the barn was worth 86 per cent. of this amnount,. or $17.20 per ton. Financial statemnt.

f
With cowpea ration. Value of butter from 6 cows, 30 days ........ Cost of food (6 cows, 30 days), eaten........ . . ....... Profit from 6 cows, 30 days......... Cost of food per pound of butter ............
Daily

With bran ration. $46.012.8 92 9 -16.84 0.1!.59 0.0! 0.0191

$51.21 26.03 0.123 0.145 0.127

'profit,

per cow......................

Profit per pound of butter.................

Assuming that the value of the manure will pay for labor and that skim milk and the production of a calf will meet other charges, we have a monthly net profit per cow of $4.35 per month when a cowpea ration was fed.
The substitution of

cowpea

hay for wheat bran. ef-

fected a saving of 23 per cent. in the cost of producing a pound of butter when wheat bran was rated at twice the price of cowpea hay. In this experiment, as in the one made the previous winter, every cow produced butter at much cheaper cost when consuming large amounts of nitrogenous hay. Susan again afforded the cheapest butter, costing for food per pound of butter 10.4 cents when hay was fed. The cost of food per pound of butter was as follows:

With,
Susan
Hazena..........

cowpea

With bran

..................
.......... ...........

ration. 10.4
11.8

ration. 13.3
15.1

Lukie.............. Ada.......... ........ Hypatia......................... Neura ..........

................. ................ ...............

12.2 12.3 13.3 14.5

15.8 17.0 17.0 18.0

65
LIMITAIONS TO THE SUBSTITUTION OF HAY FOR WHEAT

BRAN. Viewing the results of the two preceding experiments together it is evident that the hay of hairy vetch is quite as valuable as an equal weight of wheat bran, and that a good quality of cowpea hay is worth 86 per cent. as much as wheat bran. This would probably not be true if we endeavored to support a cow in full flow of milk on hay alone, or alThese tests showed that in most entirely on hay.

rations containing 6 to 10 pounds of concentrated food (cotton seed, wheat bran, etc.,) about 6.5 pounds of hay
of vetch or cowpea was practically as effective as, and In future muct more economical than, wheat bran. larger amounts tests we hope to ascertain whether still of leguminous hay can be substituted for corresponding quantities of wheat bran. Readers are cautioned against assuming that equally favorab]e results would be obtained by the substitution of limited amounts of grass hay for wheat bran. The hay of vetch, cowpeas, crimson cover, red clover, and alfalfa is quite similar in composition to wheat bran and much richer in nitrogenous material than hay made from the grasses. These leguminous plants just mentioned, being rich in nitrogen, make not only rich food, but rich manure. Not least among the considerations which should impel the dairyman to displace wheat bran as far as practicable with foods grown on the form is the possibility that the wheat bran which he buys may be adulterated, even to the extent of being made up of 30 per cent. ground corn cobs. Still stronger reasons for supplanting wheat bran by leguminous hay are the reduced cost of butter and the

66 improvement in the soil where even the stubble of cowpeas, vetch, or other leguminous plants have grown.

AMOUNT oF FOOD

PER POUND

OF BUTTER.

Since the cost of food fluctuates so widely fromyear to year, we may with profit reduce the data obtained in both the preceding experiments to a more stable basis by calculating the amount of air-dry food required per pound of butter produced.
Air dry foodi per pound

of butter.
Hay ration. Lbs. Bran ration. Lbs.

1001-2.

Vetch hay eaten and

wasted......

6.82

vetch hay or bran consumed .... 6.43 Basal ration....................10.84 Total food consumed............17.27 1902-3.
Cowpea hay eaten and (16 per

6.76

10.67
17.43

cent.)
6.88
5.74

wasted.......................

Cow pea hay or wheat bran consumed
Basal ration (~ concentrated food. Total food consumed ............

5.95
18.19 24.14

16.86 22.60

Five the cows were used in the experiments of both winters. Each of thenm required a larger total amount of food for the second winter, chiefly .because the. basal ration that time contained -a large amount of cotton seed hulls, a m~atej'a1 havin~g very low nutritive value,

of

at

67
The effects of the rations on the live weights of the cows. On vetch hay the cows remained practically stationary in weight, while under the same conditions the average gain per cow per period was 13 pounds when wheat bran was 'fed. The next winter the cows on cowpea hay gained only 1 pound per head per period, while those getting wheat bran grew heavier by 16 pounds per head. This suggests a slightly greater tendency of wheat bran than of hay of vetch or cowpeas to increase the live weight, a doubtful !advantage in the case of the milch
cow.

MINOR TESTS. At the conclusion of the experiments just described the feeding season was too nearly past and the cows too far advanced in lactation to permit any further experiments requiring long periods. Hence in the two experiments described below it was necessary to adopt the short period sometimes employed, dividing each experiment into three periods and using the data only for the last ten days of each period, the earier part of the period being considered as preparatory. The natural shrinkage in the flow of milk was counterbalanced by averaging the results of the first and third periods, during which the same food was fed, and comparing this average with the yield of milk and butter obtained during the second or intermediate period. The ration fed during the first and third period of this experiment was the same as that fed to the corresponding lot of cows during the second period of the experiment previousy described. The same six cows were employed. The basal ration was the same as in the experiment comparing cowpeas with wheat bran.

68

'CORN HEARTS 'COMPARED WITH

WHEAT

BRAN.

For 7 pounds of wheat bran per head daily was substituted 6.8 pounds of corn hearts, a by-prodnct from corn obtained in the manufactnre of grits or hominy. Our supply came from the Western Grain Company, Birmingham, and cost, in Birmingham, $24.00 per ton in February, One cow failed to eat the corn hearts as freely as wheat bran.

Ala.,

1903.

Corn hearts

vs. wheat bran.

Raio.Milk

lbs. Butter lbs. SwRation.s, 3 10 days. 10 days. 31.9
28.9

I III II

Wheat

Wheat bran.......................474.2
bran......................449.5

Average........................461.8 Corn hearts ...................... 495.6

30.4 33.0

IDifference in favor of corn hearts

Evidently corn hearts a better food than wheat bran. The increase with the corn hearts ration as conpared'with the bran ration was 8 per cent. in butter,

was

33.8

2.6

and 7 per cent. in milk.

The basal ration consisted of the same materials as in

earlier experiments,-cotton seed and cotton seed hulls, with a small proportion 'of both cotton seed meal and wheat bran. In these tests corn hearts was worth as a food for production of butter $21.60 per ton, when wheat bran was worth $20.

Soy BEAN HAY

COMPARED WITH

COWPEA' HAY.

In addition to the basal ration, which was the same for both lots, soy bean hay was consumed at the rate of 6.6 pounds per cow daily, or cowpea hay at the rate of 7 po'unds daily.

69 In addition to the above amount actually consumed, 32 per cent. of the soy bean hay that was offered was rejected. This rejected portion consisted of the coarse stalks and some of the larger limbs. The corresponding waste with cowpea hay in this test was 22 per cent. of that offered. Soy bean hay vs. cowpea hay.
0

Ration.

Milk lbs.

Butter lbs.

I Cowpea hay....................... III 'Cowpea hay ...................... Average ..................... II Soy bean hay .................... IDifference in favor of soy bean hay

545.7 487.2 516.4 535.3 18.9

34.60 30.11 31.85 33.25 1.4

From the above table we see that the soy beans afforded 4~ per cent. more butter and 3 per cent. more milk than an equal weight of cowpea hay actually ocnsumed. However, the greater waste or greater residue with the soy bean fully counterbalances this, reducing the hay of these two valuable leguminous plants to a practical equality in feeding value. Soy beans are worthy of more extensive cultivation in the South. Their principal advantage over cowpeas consists in their easier curing, erect growth, and freedom from tangling. In our experiments they seem to require slightly richer soil than cowpeas. DIGESTIBLE MATTER IN RATIONS FED. In the following table are given the amounts in the daily rations fed of digestible dry matter; protein, or "muscle formers"; carbohydrates (chiefly starchy material); and fat. For comparison, the table also includes the figures showing what is generally regarded as the normal nutritive requirement of a cow in full flow of milk.

70
Digestible nutriments

in' rations fed.
Digestible nutrients.
0

Ration.

C)

O

cd

WA'olff-Lehmann
U
Standard............ Lbs. 29

I

z
Lbs. .5 Lbs.
1:5.7

Lb. s.
2.e

ILbs.

11.8 ,lbs. 4.0 lbs. 2.0 lbs. 17.8 lbs.

.vetch hay........ cotton seed .... ... wheat bran . .... total ........

15.80

2.14 26I7.581

.91

1:41

5

9.0 lbs. wheat bran.... 4.0.'lbs.. cotton seed hulls... .2 lbs. vetch hay..........

2771 16. 1191 2.2 I7.0091

.998 1 1:40

18.2

lbs.

total

..

....

6.5 lbs. cowpea hay....
.9,. lbs. cotton. seed

2.4 25.7 lbs. total.

2.4

4.8 lbs. cottonseed........
lbs. cottonseed lbs. wheat bran.......

hulls. ..
22.92
2.51

meal..

8.47

1.42

1:4.6

......

6.1 lbs. wheatbran........ 2.'4 lbs. wheat- bran ........

9. 6 lbs.

cottonseed

hulls... .

4'.8 lbs. cottonseed ......
2.4 lbs. cottonseed

25.3 lbs. total 9.2 8.6 4.3 2.2 24.3 6.8 2.1 8.,2 4.1 2.0 23..2 lbs. lbs. lbs. lbs. lbs. lbs. lbs. .lbs. lbs. lbs'. lbs.

......

meal.

...

22.51

2.55

8.35 j 1.51X1:4.6

wheat bran....... cottonseed hulls.... cottonseed........ cottonseed meal. total ............. corn hearts....... wheat bran. ottonseed:hulls.... cottonseed........ cottonseed meal. total...........

21.59

2.50

8.11

1.40 S1:4.5

20.62

2.35

7.77

1.33

1:4.3

71
Digestible nutrients. d Ration.
CS

7

lbs.

cowpea

hay

......

2.2 lbs. wheat bran

..

8.6 4.3 2.2 24.3 2.2 8.6 4.3 2.2 23.9

lbs. lbs. lbs. lbs.

cottonseed hulls. cottonseed8.7[2714 cottonseed meal.....: total ............. J
hay. ..... 11

2 1.69

2.40

6.6 lbs. soy bean

I

lbs. wheat bran.. lbs. cottonseed hulls .... lbs. cottonseed ......... lbs. cottonseed meal....? lbs. total.............

21.28[2.36

7.92

I

1.31 [1:4.6

All of these rations fall far below the German standard in. carbohydrates, andgreatly exceed itinfat.In the Gnlf States, by reason of the highprie ofcorn, it is customary to feed rations which much the same departures as above from- the standard-considered desirable in conntries where carbohydrates are fat, no digestcheap. In sprite of the large amonnt ive disorders resnlted.

present

of

AMOUNT OF MANURE PRODUJCED BY DAIRY; COWS...

The mannre dropped in the barn dnring ten nights 'by three cows w'as weighed for the perriod fro r:''Jannary 17 to 26th, 193. At this, time this lot 'of cows 'vas getting the cowpea. ration. They were in the stabl'e abont 16 hours per night.4, Dnring this time the average amonnt of solid andf liqnid manure per cow per night was 36.1 pounds, cxcinsivne of rye straw

nig(ht. Hence the total amount of manurc wTas 40.1 ponnds per night for cows averaging 713 pounds in live weight. This is' at the rate of 1,203 p'onnds of mannre dropped in the barn per month for each Jersey cow milked.

bedding,

which was 4 ponnds per

72 Again the manure collected by stabling the Cows at night, March 26th to 30th, was weighed, one lot of cows then getting the cowpea ration, the other the wheat bran ration. The average daily production of liquid and solid manure, free from bedding, vas*28.3 pounds. or, including fine straw bedding, 29.6 pounds, or 888 pounds per cow per month. During the next five days the six cows were kept in the stable continuously, except for the minutesretwice daily for watering, at which time they were watched to see that, no manure was lost. The ration was the shne as during the preceding five days, three cows receiving the cowpea hay ration and three the wheat bran ration. Under these conditions of continuous stabliug the

quired

few

average daily production of wamure was 56.8, exclusive

of bedding; the total, including pine straw bedding, was 58.3 pounds. Comparing these find that 50 per cent. of the net manure - aa dropped during eight amount during sixteen hours out of doors and an hours in the barn. This is in close agreement with previous tests made at this station and recorded in

amounts, we

equal

Bulletin No.

"This is important because the manure dropped on the
lots or pastures usually greater losses, and hence worth less than that collected while the cows

114:

are in the stable. However, the high value of manure from grain fed cows should prompt every dairyman to gather and protect the manure from the lot as well as that from the barn."
This is equivalent

i's

suffers

manure per cow per month, includling bedding, or to three and one-half tons during a stabling period of four
mnonths, half of which

to a

production of

1,749

pounds of

(dropped in the barn),

part of that, dropped in the lot, would be saved.
It is of interest to note that during the

and

a

by these tests each pound of dry food conumed resulted in the production of about two and pounds of manure.

time covered

one-half