Studies in practical agriculture. Papers reprinted from the Agricultural experiment station reports now out of print

Front matter

Price Fifty Cents.

CORNELL UNIVERSITY.

STUDIES

Preface

The Agricultural Experiment Station at Cornell University was established in 1879. Since that date, reports of experiments carried on at the Station have from time to time been published. Those reports, being out of print, are not now accessible to the public. The frequent requests that come to the University have led to the belief that a real service would be rendered to the cause of practical agriculture by a republication of some of the papers that seemed to be of most general and practical importance. By reason of this belief, the following papers are now offered to the larger agricultural public.

C. K. ADAMS.

Cornell University, Dec. 10, 1886.

Contents

PAGE.

I. Cost and value of stable manure 7

Quantity and value of manure of milch cows 10

II. Feeding Experiments— Ensilage For Young Ca Ttle

By Prof. I. P. Roberts.

Two yearling heifers, one a thoroughbred, the other threequarters Holstein, were kept together from fall to January 13. They were of nearly the same age, and looked so nearly alike in all particulars that it was difficult for a stranger to distinguish one from the other. They had grown rapidly during the earlier part of the winter, on hay and a little meal. The following table shows the weight and dates of weighing. Dena, the thoroughbred animal, was fed from January 13 on 10 lbs; of hay, 22-^- oz. cotton-seed meal, 25 oz. of corn meal, and 9 oz. of bran ; Estelle was fed on ensilage alone, the first week, beginning with January 13, 20 lbs. per day ; the second week, 30 lbs.; after that, 40 lbs.

Date of Weighing. Dena. Estelle.

lbs. lbs.

" 20 530 540

" 27 540 562

" 10 500 538

" 17 564 564

" 24 580 570

" 10 610 612

" 17 620 620

From March 17 on, the ration of Estelle was the same as Dena's.

" 31 652 636

GAINS IN WEIGHT.

Dena, January 13 to March 17, 63 days, 80 lbs; January 13 to Mar. 31, 112 lbs. Estelle, " " " " " 75 " " " " " 9i "

1 1

III

THE EFFECT OF SUDDEN CHANGES IN THE h'ATWN OA OSITION OF THE 1///A'.

' .1 nali/sis by Mi: /•'. /.'. Furry.)

Thksk trials were made lor the purpose of ascertaining', if possible, liow soon a decided change in ihe fodder manifests itself in the composition of the milk. Three cows were included in the experiment, all being fed alike, and their milk was mixed together before the sample for analysis was taken.

Date.

lt A XI ON.

Dry

Albumin oids.

Jan'y i

1.23

3.01

12.97

1.18

3.01

Feh'y i liny ;

12 is

2.75

3.91

2.98

••

2. 95

1 Hay, ensilage, i km. ol rool s.

3.08

; 6 qts. cotton-seed meal, 6

; qts. corn meal perea. cow. ]

lost.

3.12

I

13.32

3.36

13 37

1 00

3.18

If,

; Hay ;

3.01 lost,

3.09

Hay, ensilage, n qts. cotton- |

1 1.71 .

d meal, 6 qts. corn ;

3.26

2.70 meal, i lmslie.1 roots.

lost.

3.58

March

I

3.20

(i

1 I

L2

1 18

13.31

1.02

3.32

3.85

3.26

12.52

2fi

2.91

'27 stalks, 12 imarts corn 1 j meal. |

12.28

3.18 ;.0'

1 Corn stalks, 8 quarts corn ! ( meal. ;

12.76

3.31

IB

Corn-stalks, ensilage, 1 qts.

13 30

3.76

3.31 licotton-seed meal, 4 qts.

:'. 37 com meal.

These figures show no important change in the milk, following immediately on a decided change in the ration ; but very great differences in composition sometimes appear in passing from one day to another while the cows are i'ad on the same ration — as, for instance, in passing from the 13th to the 16th of February, or from the 6th to the 12th of the same month, or from the 19th to the 22d. On the other hand, the slight changes in composition will be noticed when the very decided changes in ration were made on March 6 and March '2 7. The greater uniformity in respect to the proportion of protein, and the more gradual changes in the proportion are especially noticeable. Evidently there are disturbing causes independent of the feed, working sometimes powerfully on the composition of the milk, and affecting the proportion of dry substance and fat more than the albuminoid.'-.

While there is nothing specially new or unexpected in these results, they may serve to strengthen the principle that in milk feeding experiments a ration should be continued at least from twelve to twenty days before attempting to study its effect on the milk, and that even then all the milk of the last three or four days should be sampled for analysis, or that it is dangerous to depend on the analysis of the milk of a single day.

IV. A Comparison Of The Productive Effect Of The

SAME RATION WITH DIFFERENT

BREEDS OF COWS.

By Prof. G. C. Caldwell.

{Analysis by Mr. F. E. Furry.)

Two lots, of three animals each, were selected, of average quality, one of which consisted of native stock, the other of half-breed Holsteins. The make-up and composition of the ration, the weights of the animals at different periods, and the yield and composition of the milk are given below. The weighings were taken once during each of the. periods given in the first column, immediately after having been fed in the morning and before they were watered. Samples of all the milkings for the last four days of each fortnight by period were taken for analysis. The greater productive effect of the ration when fed to the grade cows is clearly shown in the yield of milk, its composition, and the weight of dry substance and fat per cow and day, in the last six columns of the table. But while the native cows maintained very nearly the same yield to the end of the period, there was a notable falling off in the case of the grade cows. Of course a single trial like this does not establish a principle ; without doubt a herd of native stock, selected with special reference to their milking qualities, might make a better showing than a herd of poor grade Holsteins. The results obtained here are offered only as a contribution to our knowledge of the subject, so far as it pertains to average stock, of the breeds tested. 1

■These feeding experiments that follow, suggested by Prof. C, were made possible only by the kind co-operation of Prof. Roberts.

The ration consisted of, in pounds per cow and day : hay, 2 ; ensilage, 40 ; oat straw, 4 ; corn-stalks, 2 ; corn meal, 2 ; cotton-seed meal, 4.

It supplied of crude nutrients, in pounds per cow and day: dry substance, 22.5 ; protein, 3.2 ; ether extract, 1.2 ; carbhydrates, 11.3.

It supplied of digestible nutrients, in pounds per cow and day : protein, 2.3 ; fat, 1.0 ; carbhydrates, 11.3. In respect to this last estimation it must be observed that we have very few and quite insufficient data upon which to base our calculations in regard to the digestibility of some of the kinds of fodder used ; that, as usual in such calculations, the portion of the fiber that is digested is allowed to compensate for the portion of the nitrogen- free extract or carbhydrates not digestible, the digested part of the fiber being regarded as genuine carbhydrates, and capable, therefore, of doing the same work in the animal economy ; but that Tappeiner's well-known conclusions, which have been accepted in all their significance by Weiske, indicate that the digested part of the fiber does not serve for the production of heat or fat, as the starch or sugar of the genuine carbhydrates does. Nevertheless, in order that these results may be compared with others of a similar character, in which the effects of a certain amount of digestible nutrients was tested, we have also followed the same plan.

The digestible nutritive ratio of the ration, expressing the proportion of protein or flesh-forming substance to the non-nitrogenous matters not capable of being converted into flesh or tissue of any kind, was in this ration 1 to 6. 1

The first set of results given in the following table refers to the native cows, the second to the grade Holsteins.

The rations were in all cases practically eaten clean.

1 Per cent, carbhydrates + per cent, fat y. 2.5 6.

Per cent, protein. ~ * '

is —

Results in Milk.

PEKIOD.

GUTS.

YIELD, i

COMPOSITION.

A verage

Per cent of

Pounds per cow and day of per cow

Dry

Fat.

Dry

Fat.

and day.

Substance.

Substance.

21.7

21 7 losl

3.9

0.84

" 16

3 1 1 8

20 12.7

3.8

2.5

0.76

20.6

Feb. - r , in.

19.9 12.7

:; in

2.5

0.69

'• 11 24,

12.7

3.56 in Milk.

PER

GHTS.

1 ll.ll..

COMPOSITION.

Per cent

. of

Pounds per cow and day of

Fat.

Dry

Fat.

ance.

Substance

Dec. 1

11.2

4.53

1.0

1.31

Jan.

4.5

14.2

1.12

" 11-24,

26.1

3.7

Mar. i

V

imph such ;is were suggested l»v the Professor <>(' Agriculture as in accordance with common practice; the the experiment was to test the fit-

ness of such a ration, made up without anj reference U> its chemical composition as a whole, and then to compare its composition with the I lards, so much

Five steers two years old were selected, of nearly the same weight. Their weights at the beginning of the feeding trial, December -29. were 1,112, 1,120, 1,066, 1,010, and 1,040 pounds. They had been ke]>i for six weeks on the ration specified in the first period below. They were weighed on the dates given in the table, and, as usual, just after eating their morning meal, and before drinking.

Date of Weighing and of Change of Ration if an v.

Ration per Steer and Day.

Total

Weight.

Dec. 29

Ensilage, 20 lbs.

Corn stalks, 5 lbs.

Corn meal, 3 lbs.

Cotton-sped meal, 5 lb-.

Ensilage, 20 lbs.

Poor clover bay. 10 lbs.

Corn meal. 3 lbs.

( '<n Ton-seed meal, 5 lbs.

No change.

May,

Corn meal, 4 lbs. 9 oz.

-seed meal, s lbs.

No change.

Hay, 20 lbs.

Corn meal, 6 lbs.

Cotton-seed meal, 5 lbs.

No change.

No change.

....

Jan. 27

"10

•• 17

Feb. 24

24 31

'• 16

The weights of the five animals were at the close, taken in the same order as at the beginning, 1,300, 1,324, 1,296, 1,190, and 1,210 pounds.

The total gain was 97'2 lbs., or, per day and thousand pounds live weight, 1.66 pounds.

The following table exhibits the proportion of the several nutrients, in pounds and fractions thereof , per day and thousand pounds live weight, and the nutritive ratio in the several rations given to these steers :

Protein. Fat. Carbhydrates. Nutritive Ratio.

The belter ration given ^ after the maintenance ra- > 1.64 0.61 7.77 1:5.7

tion of the 2d lot of steers, )

Wolff gives for a fattening ration the following, of digestible nutrients, in lbs. per day and 1,000 lbs. live weight :

Protein. Fat. Carbhydrates.

First Period 2.5 0.5 15

Hccond Period :i 0.7 14.8

Finishing Period 2.7 0.6 14.8

Oui- rations do not agree at all with these, except approximately as to the protein. That a ration more in accordance with Wolff's might give better results, is indicated by the gain of 4.4 lbs. per day and 1,000 lbs. live weight (see 2d Report of Cornell University Experiment Station) on a ration very nearly like that given by Wolff for the first or beginning period of the fattening.

VI. The Effect Of A Maintenance Ration

By Prof. G. C. Caldwell.

In another feeding trial four animals were put on an approximate maintenance ration, calculated on the basis of Wolff's standards, and from our analyses of the fodder used.

The ration per day and steer consisted of hay, \\ lbs.; corn-stalks, 13 lbs.; corn meal, 1J lbs.; cotton-seed meal, 9 oz. In the following table the dates are given when weights were taken, and the sum of the weights of the five animals :

Mch. 2,

22,

12,

3,

24,

14,

5,

26,

16,

7,

27,

17,

9,

29,

19,

10,

31,

21,

13,

Feb. 2,

23,

15,

5,

24,

17,

7,

26,

19,

9,

28,

21,

Here the trial with the maintenance ration ended, with a gain, estimated by comparing the average of the first four weighings with the last four, of a little over 1.1 lbs. per day and 1,000 lbs. live weight.

The last weights of the four animals, taken in the same order as the first, were 1,020, 924, 864, and 864 lbs.

For the next four weeks the steers were put on a better ration, as follows : Hay, 20 lbs.; corn meal, 3^ lbs.; and cotton-seed meal, 2yf lbs. The total weights at the end of each week were 3,702, 3,764, 3,810, and 3,834 lbs. A gain was made of about 1.53 lbs. per day and 1,000 lbs. of live weight at the start on March 21. The digestible composition of this ration is given in the table on p. 19.

Wolff's maintenance ration (I) and our own in this experiment (II) in pounds of digestible nutrients per day and 1,000 lbs. live weight are given in the following table :

T. IT.

Total dry substance 14.5 15.3

Protein 0.7 0.68

Carbliydrates and fat 8.25 8.6

Nutritive ratio 1:12 1:13.2

Our ration is therefore a poorer one than Wolff's, having a somewhat smaller proportion of protein to non-nitrogenous matter; but for all that there is a notable gain in weight. It is poorer also than the maintenance ration used in a similar experiment in L881-2 (Second Report of the C. U. Experiment Station, pp. 19, 20), and, as the theory would require, the gain in weight is less on this ration than on the earlier one, 2.2 pounds.

In regard to these standard rations, the results of the many tests to which they have been subjected at various places in the country 1 make it evident that, with such data, as we at present have at command, no ration can be calculated that will do the same work, or produce the effect for which it was calculated, in all cases, and perhaps not even in a majority of cases, and that sometimes such rations en-

1 See reports of the feeding trials at the New Hampshire Agricultural College, Pennsylvania Agricultural College, New York State Experiment Station, Wisconsin Agricultural College.

tirely fail to accomplish the purpose for which they are calculated and used. The individual productive capacity of the animals fed undoubtedly affects the result ; this is shown in a striking manner h\ a comparison of the results obtained with the approximate maintenance ration of 1881-2 with an ordinary fattening ration : the poor maintenance ration gave 2.2 lbs. increase of live weight per day and 1,000 lbs. live weight, while the undoubtedly much richer ration of L882— 3 gave only 1.66 lbs. This last ration also gave only a little better result than the very much poorer and cheaper ration of 1- lected for mere maintenance. Other illustra-

tions of this poinl found in the Second Report of

this Station.

Oi' many kinds of fodder included in such experiments not enough determinations of digestibility have been made to furnish a sound basis for making up a mixed ration, calculated according to digestibility ; and it has recently even been questioned vvheth of the results of the vast

amount of labor that has been spenl in the investigation of the subjeci of the digestibility of fodders are sufficiently relia ■■ < >l much use to us. 1

It, would ■ be of less importance to make further

iments on rations calculated according to the German standards than to make actual digestion experiments with such different rations as actual experience, in this country or elsewl wn to be most useful I'm- the particular

purpos y ace fed. Thus we may learn what

part of such rations, a- a whole, are actually digested and go toward iwth or milk ; with a mass of infor-

matioi mr possession we would then be in a

better position \<> calculate other rations made up of other mixtures. By such experiments, also, the value of Prof. Armsby's suggestion could be easily tested — that the effect due more to the total amount of digestible material contained in it than the precise composition of the digested matter, provided only that the ration contains a

'Araisby. Am. J. Science, 1885, p. 335.

reasonable proportion of the three nutrients, protein, fat, and carbhyclrates. Unfortunately there are very few places in this country where such digestion experiments can be carried on.