Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1912-05-21

The efficiency Of cotton seed meal as
food for dairy COWS has been thoroughly
Investigated during the past = years
Few foodstuffs have been subjected TO "A
greater variety OF tests. 1t IS all the
more gratifying. therefore. 20 learn that
the great majority Of the tests have sub
stantiated the highest claims made for
it. The idea that it viii produce sickness
and death in animals where nationally
fed was long snce exploded II is not
the cause OF abortion IN cows, as has
sometimes been suggested. like any 9TH
er rich concentrate. IL l. not so vel
adapted as some some others for the
nutrition OF very young animals The
best conditions for using cotton seed meal
are found where IL can be fed TO cows on
pasture during the summer. and to ena-
bic animals provided with siiage as the
principal source OF roughness in the win
ter. II can also be fed with satisfaction
where winter grazing crops are provided,
Since these may be grown in such great
variety ard profession throughout the
south. the small farmer and the city COW
owner can have an admirable substitute
for silaCe available at all times IL IS
better when feeding silage and cotton seed
meal TO COWS 20 provide a little dry
roughness Hulls are excellent for this
purpose. and FIVE 10 ten pounds may be
fed per day per head Corn slower may
also be utilized. or even mixed hay or
that derived from Iegumes. though the
cost OF the last two is ordinarily such as
To make their use unsatisfactory from an
economic point Of view
in tests made by the writer. silage,
wheat bran and cotton seed meal. when
fed I'm opposition to silage. alfalfa hay
and wheat bran. resulted in the produc-
ton OF a gallon OF milk at cost of SO
and So cents. respectively In other
words. the results were in favor of using
= cotton seed meal as a source OF protein
rather than alfalfa hay. Virtually the
same results were obtained when at at
tempt was made to substitute cowpea hay
for cotton seed meal. 1t is true. these ex-
periments were made several years ago.
and while the cost Of producing a gallon
OF milk may be somewhat higher now
than at that period. the relative differ
eF1ce in efficiency was undoubtedly es-
tabMshed by these tests Since the expert
ments in question were made. alfalfa hay
has increased relatively more in price
than cotton seed meal. and the difference
in favor OF cotton seed meal as a source
OF protein has been increased thereby.
In experiments made on the college
farm at Athens Ga, the following ra-
tons were fed NO roups of four cows
each: The first group received cotton seed
meal pounds, silage % pounds and corn
slower s pounds. The secondd group re-
ceived cotton seed meal pounds, bran
I pounds. silage 80 pounds and slower
pounds. The third group received bran
70 pounds. siIage % pounds and slower
pounds In this test the attempt was
made to demonstrate the relative EN-
cheney OF cotton seed meal as a concen-
trate in a ration for dairy cows when fed
I'm conjunction with wheat bran and In
direct opposition TO il. Note that the
same amount Of silage and slower was
fed all groups. The efficiency OF the ra-
ton is determined by the relative cost OF
a gallon OF milk and the cost Of the feed
per COW per day. The first group made
a gallon OF milk at a cost OF So cents
the second group made a gallon Of milk
at &C osgt Of rs cents. and the third
group made a gallon OF milk at a cost OF
10.T cents. The cost OF the feed per COW
per day was with the first group. u cents
with the second group. Is cents. and with
the third group. 1919 cents These figures
certainly show that at the prices pre-
vailing for foodstuffs when this test was
made. cotton seed meal clearly out