830 Agricultural Gazette of N.S. W 



\_Oci. 2, 19U8. 



Indian Cane {Sacchanmi o/Jicinamjii) as a 



Fodder for Dairy ^Cattle. 



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A. H. HAV\V()(»J>, 

 ISelindigarljar Kxperinient Farm, (Iraftoii. 



Tins cane was j)r()l)ably first introduced to the Clarence by the Sugar Refining 

 Company. ( )\ving to its peculiar characteristics it has not been grown for sugar 

 ])r(iductii)n, Uut it lias been grown for fodder for some years by several i-iver 

 tai'uiei's who testify to its value. 



Its merits as a foddci- do not 

 ap[)ear to ])e known generally. 

 Ill rccoiunicnding cane to 

 daiiymm it must not be in- 

 ferred that it is as nutritious 

 or as desira-ble for the pioduc- 

 tion of milk as some otlicr 

 fodders; its greatest qualifica- 

 tion is that it is a\ailah!e all 

 the year i-ound and provides 

 gi-een succulent food at times 

 when other fefd is scaix-e. 

 (Statements have been made 

 that cane wlien fed to cows 

 jowei-s the fat percentage of 

 the nulk. The writers ex- 

 perience, extending over two 

 years, with daily tests by the 

 Babcock test of milk produced 

 by cows fed mainb' on lane, is 

 that the test is not afiected 

 an\- more than it is when fee<b 

 ing exclusively on anv other 

 single food, in which case the 

 Ik altli of theanimaleventually 

 sufiers and the test is thereby 

 lowered. Furthennore, feefl- 

 ing tests conducted at the 

 AX'oUongbar Experiment Farm demonstrated that a ration of cane aiul bran 

 was eaten by cows with greater relish and gave equal results in milk yield 

 and test as when fed on a ration of maize, silage, and bran. 



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Indian Cane I >iaci-li<ii-ii m ojjiciiinfuni) . 



