236 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



matured and husked, is used. The grain portion of the corn silage being 

 less hard than corn from the crib is much relished by the steer and more 

 easily masticated than is dry corn. It also differs in taste from dry corn 

 and thus furnishes variety, an important factor in economical feeding. 

 The succulent cornstalks fed in silage form tend to keep the body of the 

 fattening steer in a most healthful receptive condition for the nutrients 

 furnished by this and the other feeding materials supplied. Corn silage 

 is to the steer in winter what fresh grass is to him in summer time or 

 what roots would be. Many a stockman wishes he had roots for his fat- 

 tening cattle, but he does not grow them, holding that their cost is too 

 great for the returns secured. And he is right, as he can furnish a suc- 

 culent feed in corn silage at a cost less than half that of roots measurer! 

 by the nutrients furnished the cattle in the two feeds. 



The indifference of the beef producer to silage as a helpful factor in 

 his business has doubtless been fostered by several causes, one of which 

 was the fact that in the past this feed has been most used by practical 

 dairymen. The meat-maker seems to have thought that a feeding stuff 

 which was so good for dairy cows must of necessity be of little use in his 

 feeding operations, which he regarded as quite different from those of 

 the dairyman. Again, the claims for the silo have been exaggerated by 

 some of its foolish friends who were not content to state facts and reason 

 able possibilities concerning silage, but who drew the long bow whenever 

 occasion offered both in the press and on the lecture platform. Fortun 

 ately silage has outlived its fool friends as a feed for the dairy cow and 

 now is about to win its way in the feeding of steers. 



Silage will prove useful in a high degree for the summer feeding of 

 steers. The blue-grass pastures which supply ample grazing for streets 

 in May and June fail to afford sufficient succulent feed later on in the sea- 

 son. If not over-stocked there may be an abundance of half-dry grass, 

 but there is not the proper supply of real green feed. Then, too, our sum 

 mer drouths seem more frequent than in the past and often through the 

 month of August the steers on pasture make little or no gains because 

 of the scant supply of feed then available. The stockman who has a large 

 supply of silage on hand will find it possible in summer time to use this 

 material to great advantage just as many provident dairymen are doing. 

 Many dairymen now hold that the silo is a more useful adjunct in their 

 farming operations in summer time than it is in winter. With a good 

 feed of silage and some grain additional once a day in August the steer 

 should make use of what pasture is available and show steady satisfactory 

 daily gains. Those making "baby beef" or pushing their steers to the 

 utmost fully realize that not a day can be lost under their system of man- 

 agement. It will hardly do to make use of dry feed in midsummer without 

 either satisfaction or profit. To such feeders the silo offers a boon as yet 

 but little realized or appreciated. 



We have dealt with the silo as though its main use was for that period 

 when the steers are being finished for the market, It is more useful, if 

 possible, with cows suckling their calves and with young growing stock 



