The record., 1912-07-04
FEEDING DAIRY COWS
Test Proves Great Value OF Cot
tonseed Meal.
Georgia College Establishes Efficiency
Of This Product in Securing larg
er Production of Milk at
Less Cost.

Literature has recently been distrib-
uted giving the results Of experiments
with cottonseed meal as feed for
dairy cows on the college farm at
Athens, Ga. One of the bulletins in
substance says that the efficiency OF
cottonseed meal as feed for dairy
cows has been established beyond
question. The best results are OBJ
tanned when cows are fed with meal
during the pasture season. or when
winter grazing crops are provided. 1t
is better when feeding silage and cot
tonseed meal to cows to feed a little
roughness also. For this purpose cot
tonseed hulls in quantities of five to
ten pounds per head per day are ex-
cellent.
In tests made at the farm by Prof.
A. NJ. Soule the cows were divided
into groups of four each. The first
group was fed cottonseed meal six
pounds, silase thirty pounds and corn
stover six pounds. The second group
was given cottonseed meal four
pounds. bran four pounds. silage thir,
ty pounds and stcver slx pounds.
The third group received: Bran ten
pounds. silage thirty pounds and sto-
Yer five pounds.
The first group made gallon OF
milk at cost of 5.97 cents. the Sec
ond group at a cost of rs cents and
the third group at a cost OF 1907
cents. The cost of the feed per COW
per day was IL cents for the first
group. 15 cents for the second group
and 1873 cents for the third These
figures certainly show thats at the
prices prevailing for feed when these
tests were made cottonseed meal
clearly outclasses wheat bran as a
source of protein for dairy COWS. In
ihese tests the cottonseed meal was
charged at $3.50 ton and the wheat
bran at $50 a ton. The same; relative
figures apply to.these two seeds today
Professor Soule said: "Having fed
cottonseed meal rs the principal con-
centrate to dairy cows for many years.
1t would appear that its nse ip the
quantities indicated resulted hotSonly
In the production of milk Sakmods
tretss COST 5fft It ot area
the health or iongevity Of the CONS
receiving 1t. In my own experience
cottonseed meal has been fed in op-
position to cornmeal, corn and cob
meal. chopped sowpea hay, alfalfa hay.
beet pulp and wheat bran. In every
instance It has proved the cheapest
source of protein and the most desir
able concentrate to feed to dairy cows.
Some have experienced dissatis-
faction from the use Of cOttonseed
meal, but such persons have in most
instances fed 1t in too large quantities,
or have not provided any succulent
food for the ration. such as silage or
good pasture may be made to furnish.
Persons who simply feed cottonseed
meal at random will not secure good
results from its use. 1t should be fed
according to the weight and size of
the animal and the quantity of milk
she Is giving. 1t is a simple matter
to buy a pair of scales and properly
gauged measure to enable one to do
this work quickly and economically.
The overfeeding Of cottonseed meal,
like any other concentrate. is likely to
produce digestive disorders, and may
even produce arrangement Of the
nervous system. This is only what
may be expected from careless feed
ing. But those having trouble of this
kind should attribute 1t to the proper
source and not charge 1t up to the
meal. Dairy industries can be con-
Quoted as successfully in the south as
elsewhere. Protein is one of the cost
ly elements in the ration of a dairy
cow. Cottonseed. meal furnishes 1t in
abundance and at a relatively low