Live Stock Breeders' Association, 183 



cowpea hay, which is also a legume, we would hardly expect satis- 

 factory gains unless some protein concentrate is fed with corn. 



THE USE OF CORN-STOVER WITH CORN AND ALFALFA. 



From the experiments already described it is apparent that 

 a ration of corn and alfalfa is capable of producing large and 

 profitable gains, enough so to make corn bring more in the form 

 of beef than as a cash crop. But with corn there is also the stalk 

 upon which it grew. Do not these stalks, grown in such large quan- 

 tity on our corn land, possess sufficient nutritive value to make it 

 worth while to harvest them for feeding purposes? Left standing 

 in the field they become woody, and are useful only as winter 

 forage for stock cattle and horses, their value being estimated at 

 from 25 cents to $1,00 per acre, a price not to exceed 50 cents 

 per ton. When cut and put in shocks immediately after the corn 

 ripens they remain fairly green, retain in the leaves the nutritive 

 properties which they possessed when harvested, and are much 

 relished even by cattle on a full grain feed. For the purpose of 

 securing data upon the above question two experiments were con- 

 ducted in which the ration corn and alfalfa was compared with 

 corn, alfalfa and stover (stalks without the ears). The stover 

 was fed unshredded in racks provided with vertical slats wide 

 enough apart to permit the steers to enter their heads, thus pre- 

 venting the stalks from being pulled out and trampled under foot. 

 The coarse butts refused, approximately 40 per cent of the stalks 

 fed were thrown out for bedding purposes, but charged to the 

 steers as so much feed consumed. The stover was fed each morn- 

 ing in order that the steers might have the entire day to work 

 over the stalks, and the alfalfa was all fed at night. Following 

 is the record of the steers — ten two-year' olds in each lot — fed as 

 indicated ; 



