December, 1956] KHALID T. ALI ET AL.
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in the mixtures had to be based on estimates of the composition of some of the ingre-
dients. The protein percentages of the regular non-date mixture and both the 25
per cent and 50 per cent date mixtures should provide more than enough protein
for cows receiving legume soilage. In the last trial, the lower protein percentage-
was planned deliberately to see if the usual level of production could be maintained
on a lower level of protein in the concentrate. From Table IV it can be seen that
the difference was in favour of the non-date mixture but the difference was not
statistically significant. Because of the high protein content of alfalfa there would
be reason to expect that a lower protein concentrate mixture would be satisfactory
for milk production. The use of high protein alfalfa permits the use of low protein
high-energy date feeds. It may be possible to reduce further the protein of the con-
centrate mixture without serious detriment to milk production; thus, dates may
have their greatest value when the roughage is high quality legume.
The results obtained with feeding dates and date pits should encourage greatest
use of these feeds in dairy cow concentrate mixtures. According to the prices pre-
vailing during these three trials, the cost of a ton of macerated dates or ground date
pits was less than half the cost of a ton of barley. Since these feeds are lower in
protein than barley it is necessary to provide more protein-rich supplement and
that increases the cost somewhat; but even so the ingredients in the 25 per cent
date mixture cost 83.6 per cent of those in the non-date feed ; the ingredients in the
50 per cent mixture cost 77.2 per cent and the ingredients of the date-date pit mixture
cost 65.4 per cent. The results with the last mixture suggested that lower protein
combinations may be used successfully when high quality legume roughage is fed,
thus effecting even greater saving in the purchase of the protein-rich supplements.
Trial with water buffalo
During the summer of 1955, a feeding test with lactating buffaloes was carried
out in co-operation with a herd owner in Baghdad. Due to the fact that the Experi-
ment Station had no herd of buffaloes, it was necessary to seek the co-operatoin of
a private owner in carrying out a rather crude feeding test. During the summer of
1955, a buffalo owner in Baghdad agreed to co-operate in a short trial. The plan
followed was to feed first for one week a mixture made up of equal parts of barley,
wheat bran, and wheat screenings. The mixture was poured over barley straw and
the buffaloes were allowed to eat all they wanted. The average consumption of
concentrates was about 32 lb. per buffalo per day. Unfortunately there was no way
to feed each buffalo individually. Green alfalfa was fed at about the rate of 10 lb.
per buffalo per day. Production was recorded by one of the authors who visited the
herd twice daily at milking time. On the seventh day samples of milk were taken
from each buffalo and tested for fat.
The method of feeding used in the first week appears to be fairly typical of what
may be found in the Baghdad area, except for the use of a higher fat concentrate.
Buffalo herdsmen insist that a high-fat concentrate such as whole cottonseed or
rice bran will increase the yield of gemmer (buffalo cream). In the second seven-day