Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1913-01-30
The St1awpile
cheapenins tte Dairy Ration.


high prices Of grain feeds. as prevail
ing during the past winter, they must
cast about for cheaper substitutes to
replace these grains and, if needs be-
even experiment with new feeds, says
a dairyman writing to the Northwest
Agric ulturist.
1t was when wheat bran climbed to
S1.5O to SLIGO per cWt that j decided
TO experiment with alfalfa meal as
substitute 1t is generally con-
ceded that good alfalfa approaches
very closely wheat bran in nutrient
content and for this reason from AN
economical standpoint should not be
fed together, especially when alfalfa
is generally SO much cheaper, pound
for pound IN
/ was feeding, herd of over 100
COWS on grain ration consisting OF
three parts corn chop and one part
wheat bran by weight. The bran
was used more to tighten up the corn
chop, which was ground rather fine
than for amy other reason.
replaced the bran4 by an equal
amount Of aHaast meal by = weight
and fed this rat1jn osNSks COWS IL
as when the fSfan wax used. The
meal was really OF Esther inferio,
quality. and was bought at SIS cents
per cwt. at iightened UP the chop
far better than did the same weight
Of bran. When fed to the herd for
one month, no appresiabie decrease
or increase in milk ftw. or variation
in fat content OF the milk was notice
able. At the end ofasA month's feed
ing Of the meal. returned to bran
for another month wiki scarcely any
change in quantity or quality Of milk
produced. In Individual cases there
was a slight rise in production Wit!
the return to bran, but not sufficient
to warrant feeding it at the relative
prices. The rises seemed more prev
alent among cows well advanced ir
their period of lactation.
/ next tried feeding larger guam.
titles of the meal by mixing three
parts of chop with two parts Of meal
The meal is very bulky for its weigh
and therefore made the grain ration
bulky. The cows were fed alfalft
hay al libitum at racks out Of door:
and so did not relish their grail
ration in such a bulky form. They
did not refuse it, but 1t was notice
able that they did not clean it up a;
eagerly as the less bulky ration fec
/ formerly
Altho we did not weigh the daily al
| lowance of hay. it seemed that tn
cows ate less hay. This would seen
| entirely possible, considering tina
some of the cows were getting as hisl
as fifteen pounds Of this grain mixtnr
| Il =, ~ g
than ten or twelve days, as l could no
| tice a falling off in milk flow with tn
herd in general. I accordingly reduce
the proportion of meal to one lnslea
Of two parts to the three OF chop.
believe the decrease in flow was Larger
due TO an insufficient amount OF enc
in the ration. and apparently too niue
bulkiness of the grain. so that II wa
rot entirely relished.
I was satisfied with the results on
tanned with the one part OF meal an
so continued to feed it instead
bran. 1 could buy a good qualtv
meal at 81 per cwt. Corn chop no"
ever, scared to $1.75 per cwt. an
so it was high time to search LOT som
cheaper substitute for this great GAR
feed. Barley was equally high price
and could scarcely be bought because
was not on the market. ! turned
dried beet pulp which could be nousr
at $3.50 per cwt. replaced one part
corn with the pulp, making the nlAeul
two parts chop, one part pulp. ana or
part meal The pulp was thorousn1
mixed with the chop and meal ana ~
mixture fed dry. The results wei
gratifying. The COWS reAsheo .he
ton. and with individual members
the herd a slight rise in milk no"
could be noticed after feedins
some time. This mixture was fea y
nearly a month, and intenoeo AT "
. close of the month to add another pa
of the pulp, making 1t two parts Pun
and one part meal: / was unapie
carry out my Intentions. however .n,
the interference of the Medicai MI
Commission which considered are
pulp as an Objectionable FEED In
production Of certified milk such a.
were producing under their cer.inc'
ton. I could detect no unoe"o
flavor in the milk, nor did the pas.e.
. in the milk increase. believe mr."
that under the sanitary tconoll!ol
which we employed In the proauctN
I of milk, no objection should pe i's'
J. against dried pulp.
= From what limited experiment.
{ work I did, believe that 20