The Effect of Soybeans in the Rations of Dairy Cows upon the Vitamin A Value of Butter

Abstract

It is well known that the vitamin A value of milk and butter is dependent upon the feeds fed the cow. In an earlier publication (1), it was shown that it is possible to maintain through the winter period, by practical feeding methods, the production of butter with the same vitamin A value as that produced by the cows when fed on pasture. Although good quality alfalfa hay was found to be effective in maintaining the quality of winter produced butter equal to that of pasture butter, soybean hay was somewhat less effective. No explanation was offered for the slightly lower efficiency of soybean hay as compared with pasture and alfalfa.