Show ROUGHAGE USEFUL IN DAIRY DAIR Y RATION limited grain feed found to be most profitable prepared by the tha united d states department of agriculture c u alture many dalry dairymen men in their effort to increase the production per cow have acquired the habit of feeding too much concentrated grain feed says 0 E reed heed chief of the bureau of dairy industry of the united states department of agriculture more net profit per row cow can be made under some conditions he be says by feeding a limited grain ration or even a roughage ration in preference to a full grain ration to demonstrate this statement mr reed cites the results of an experiment by the bureau at huntley II mont in this experiment three plans of feeding were compared ten cows were fel fed over a three year period on each of tho following rations for one year 1 roughage alone consisting of corn silage roots alfalfa hay bay and irrigated pasture for another year 2 the same hages and it a limited grain ration of one pound of grain mixture to each of six pounds pound of milk produced and for still another year 3 the same hages and a full grain ration of oc one pound of grain to each three pounds of milk produced on the first ration when production was figured to maturity the cows averaged pounds of butter tnt fat on the second ration pounds and on the third pounds at the prevailing prices pric es for feed and for mill milk and butterfat the returns over cost of feed were per cow on the first ration on the second and on the thard the limited grain ration was therefore the most profitable with the roughage ration a close second |