717 



fatteninc: steers, the second to compare corn siln;2:e and corn fodder for 

 milch co^vs, and the third to conii>are corn silage and roots for milch 

 cows. 



In the first experiment six grade iShorthorn steers were fed like rations 

 during a preliminary period of 36 days, and then divided as nearly 

 as possible into two equal lots. Both lots received the same grain 

 ration at all times, namely, 5 jjounds of cornand-cob meal, 5 i)ounds 

 of bran, and 2 pounds of cotton seed meal i)er animal dail3\ iJnr- 

 ing the first period, January 24 to March 17 — 52 days — lot 1 received 

 silage and lot 2 field-cured fodder corn. During the second ])eriod, 

 March 17 to April 11 — 25 days — the feeding was reversed, lot 1 

 receiving field-cirred fodder corn and lot 2 silage. The amount of 

 fodder corn given was regulated by the appetites of the animals, and 

 the amount of silage given was such as to furnish an amount of dry 

 matter equal to that in the ration of fodder corn. The analyses of the 

 feeding stuffs used and the uneaten residues are given, together with 

 the amounts of food consumed and the fluctuations in live weight. 

 The latter are illustrated by a diagram. The conclusions of the author 

 are that "(1) the fodder and silage were eaten equally clean; (2) 

 the use of silage did not material]}' increase the total amount of water 

 consumed in food and drink together; and (3) the amount of food eaten 

 per pound of gain was substantially the same for botli rations." 



In the second exjieriment, in which corn silage was compared with 

 corn fodder for milch cows, two cows, '' neither of them very good ani- 

 mals," Avere fed during four periods. 



In all the ])eriods the grain ration was the same, namely, 7.5 iionnrls of bran and 

 2.5 pounds of cotton-seed meal for each cow per day. During period 1 the coarse 

 fodder consisted of the same rather poor quality of field-cured Burrill and AVhitman 

 corn fodder used in the previous experiment. The cows were fed as nnich of this as 

 they would eat. In period 2 the corn fodder was replaced by coarse silage made from 

 the same crop of corn which furnished the fodder. In period 3 the coarse silage was 

 replaced by silage made from the same quality of corn, but shredded and weighted 

 as described in the experiment on losses in the silo. In periods 2 and 3 the aim was 

 to feed the same amount of dry matter as in jieriod 1, and the differences in the 

 amounts actually eaten were not very great. Period 4 was a duplicate of period 1, 

 the corn fodder being fed in place of the silage of the two previous periods. 



Data relative to the composition of the feeding stuffs used, the food 

 and water consumed, the yield and comxiositiou of the milk, and live 

 weight are tabulated. 



As the result of averaging the two periods upon corn i'odder and the two upon 

 silage, the following general conclusions were arrived at: 



As regards the total amount of milk produced, more was produced by the silage 

 ration than by the fodder ration. The milk produced by tlie silage ration was more 

 watery than that jiroduced by the fodder ration, so that sliglitly more butter fat 

 Avas produced by both cows and slightly more total solids by one cow tipon the fodder 

 ration than upon the silage ration. 



As regards the milk produced per pound of food eaten, pound for pound of dry 

 matter eaten, more milk and more milk solids were produced by l)oth cows and 

 ir.ore fat by one cow on the silage ration than on the fodder ration. Pound for 



