Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1889-03-08
DAIRY COLUMN.
Experiments of a Novice.

ABOUT llle ultllnel Oh letulllg gram ana
hay or rough feed To cattle, the question
is, whether it shall be fed together by
cutting the rough feed and mixing grain
OF whether they shall be fed separate,
and if So, at what time shall we feed
grain before OF after the other feed.
We are told by some if fed separate, the
grain goes direct To the third and fourth
stomach, but if mixed, the grain passes
with the rough feed into the ruman or
first stomach and is ruminated or re-
chewed, especially is this the case with
corn in the stock or oats or barley in
bundle, il is claimed that if they are cut
most of the grain will be re-chewed.
Last fall we saved seine barley in the
bundle at threshng time, Soon after
commenced cutting for the cows ex-
pecting to have most of the barley
ground by them, but was disappointed,
for the most of it was passed mground.
We thought there must be a mistake
somewhere; SO having IA slaughter house
near, we began experiments with cattle
that were to be slaughtered, by feeding
in various ways. Our first experiment
was with two hefers. We fed one cut
hay and grain mixed, and she was kill
led in an hour after feeding The other
we fed the grain first and uncut hay as
soon as the grain was eaten. She also
was slaughtered in an hour after the
fVt.a N-u fa1 Tho pnnal faI
to the first, had passed % inches into
the manifolds a little in the fourth
stomach. In the latter case the corn
meal had penetrated the manifolds
about2 inches and waslas thoroughly
mixed in the rumen as the first.
Our second experiment was to as
certain which was best fed: first hay
OF grain and also if by fasting whether
the grain, if fed separately, would pass
direct to the fourth stomach. We fast
ed two heifers for twenty four hours,
then fed grain and hay to the first and
hay and grain TO the second i'll the ord
er named, killing them in an hour after
The grain was eaten. In the first the
meal was found thoroughly mixed with
the hay in the rumen and not more
than inches in the manifolds. In the
second case was not as thoroughly
mixed in rumen as it was III the first,
but about the same in the manitOldS.
But in neither case was any found in
the fourth stomach. Our next expert
meut was TO ascertain whether there
was any advantage TO be derived from
cut or uncut feed in the production of
milk. So for one week we fed COW
grain, followed by cut hay and ensilage
and mixed with grain. The third week
we changed again to uncut feed. The
feed was weighed each week. At the
end of the first week. the cow had pro-
duced 233 lbs 10 on of milk The second
week productions were 2l5 lbs 3 Oh.
The third week. DIS lbs If Oh.
1t will be seen that for the first week
fed on uncut feed, she produced over
IS lbs more milk than for the second
while fed OH cut feed again, she incTeas-
ed nearly lbs, the third week when
fed on uncut feed fed grain first This
clearly demonstrates the superiority of
uncut feed over cut, especially when
we mention that the ensilage, the third
week was inferior III quality to any
previous feeding To be thorough we
took 10 lbs of droppinGs each week and
after careful washing we found the set
things or course PARTICLES which remain
ed to be as follows: First week, uncut
feed on; second week, cut o.: third
week, uncut / on. This weight was
after it was thoroughly dried. There
are many other tests we have made,
but shall mention one more. We doubt
ed the statement made by some of our
Professors. That grain fed separate
would be voided In from four TO six
hours. To test this statement, we fed
COW at $50 p m. grain, followed by
uncut hay, killed her at a. m. the fol-
lowing morning, Another COW was fed
at the same hour on cut feed mixed
with grain and killed at 10 a. m, the
following morning. In the first COW
we found most of the grain in the man
lfolds or third stomach, small amount
remaining III the rumen. In the second
COW no particular difference i'll the
position of grain, taking into consider
alton the difference in the time of
slaughtering.
This proves either that our learned
Professor is wrong. or that our cows
are not doing according to rule.
Pewaukee, Wis. j. H., Jr.