722 



Agricultural Gazette of N.S.W. 



[Oct. 2, 1920. 



In Montana* chopped green sunflowers about one third in bloom are claimed 

 to be equal to chopped green corn in the roasting stage as a soiling crop for 

 dairy cows. Although relished to some extent by cattle as green fodder, 

 sunflowers would seem to be more essentially a silage crop, and it is in this 

 form that they have recently come into favour. 



Over thirty years ago sunflowers began to attract attention as a silage crop 

 in Canada. At that time only the sunflower heads were used in a mixture 

 (known as Robertson's mixture), obtained by growing 2 acres of corn and 

 horse beans to ^ acre of sunflowers. At the present time the whole plant is 

 mostly used for silage, but usually in a mixture with maize in about equal 

 quantities of each. 



All analysis of sunflower silage in comparison with maize silage is given 

 by the Idaho Agricultural Experiment Station as follows : — 



Water. 



Ash, 



Protein. 



Crude hibre. 



Xitrogen-free 

 Extract. 



Ether 

 Extract. 



Sunflowei silage 

 Maize silage 



810 

 73-0 



22 



1-7 



2-4 

 21 



4-6 

 0-3 



8-9 

 15-4 



11 



0-8 



The following digestible nutrients are given by the Montana Agricultural 

 Experiment Station j": — 



Digestible uutrients in 1001b. sunflowtr 



silage .. 

 Digestible nutrients in well matured maize 

 in immature maize... 



Drv Matter. 



Crude 

 Protein. 



Crude Fibre and „.^ 



Nitrogen-free c. !"^'" 



Extract. | Extract. 



I 



21-4 

 26-3 

 21 



1-24 



11 



10 



1013 

 1500 

 11-40 



0-37 

 0-70 

 0-40 



These flgures show that sunflower silage (made from a crop that is about 

 one-third in bloom) compares favorably in total digestible nutrients with maize 

 silage made from immature maize, and entirely disprove the idea that 

 sunflower silage is too wondy. It is also claimed that ar.imals have been fed 

 for thirty days on sunflower silage only, with no apparently harmful results, 

 and that no objectionable flavour or odours have been found in the milk 

 from cows on soiled or siloed sunflowers. 



In a previous bulletin by the same station J it is stated that an average 

 daily consumption of 34 lb. sunflower silage resulted in a .saving of 9 lb. 

 clover hay, and at the same time increased the milk and butter yields. On 

 the ftther hand, it has been reported from other sources that sunflower silage 

 is not relished as much as maize silage, and that, although it has nearly the 

 same feeding value as maize silage, it is not quite as good for milk produc- 

 tion. Even if this he the case, it must be allowed that there are few plants 



* .Montana Agr. Expt. Sta.. Hull. 1:^1 (1919). 

 t .Montana As,'r. Kxpt. ,Sta., Hull. 131 (1919). 

 t .Montana Agr. Expt. Sta., Hull. 118 (1917). 



