AbstractsBiology & Animal Science

The last report of the United States Department of Agriculture shows that it costs $61.40 to raise a dairy heifer until two years of age. Most of this cost as shown by them is the feed, and of the feeds used those of a nitrogenous nature are always the most expensive. For the farmer of the middle west where corn and its products are the principle feeds, the protein factor is very essential. With the constant increasing demand for dairy cows throughout the United States and the high priced protein feeds, there seems to be a great need of a definite protein standard. The present standards for dairy cattle have been calculated from experiments with beef steers. The Missouri Experiment Station started an experiment to aid in determining the amount of protein necessary for normal growth of dairy heifers. In treating this subject, the work has been taken up more from a practical then a scientific standpoint. No attempt has been made to go thoughly into the chemical or physiological study of the problem. What is herin reported is merely a suggestion of what can and will be done later.