The Modern Silo. 



329 



The Position of Silage as a Food. 



Comparative Analyses. 



Californian Analyses d) 



Barley 



Clover 



Maize . . 



Oat . . 



Orchard grass . . 

 Average American Analyses C-^) 



Maize . . 



Sorghum 



Lucerne 



Grass . . 



Maize and Sorghum 

 Victorian Analyses, 190a(3) 



Maize, No. 1 . . 

 .. 2 .. 



Sorghum 



Water. 



74 

 72 

 75 

 72 



77 



79 

 76 

 72 

 G8 

 76 



75 



80 

 81 



80 



82 

 78 



Digestible Nutrients in 100 lbs. 



Protein. 



Carbo- 

 Hydrates. 



1-8 



2 



1-3 



1-5 



11 



09 

 0-6 

 30 

 19 

 1-6 



1 



0-9 



09 



1 



07 



12 



12-7 

 13-6 

 18-5 

 148 

 10-6 



11-3 



14-9 

 8-5 

 13 4 

 13 



146 

 10 



9-6 

 10-5 



53 

 113 



Fat. 



9 

 10 

 0-6 

 09 

 10 



0-7 

 0-2 

 1-9 



le 



0-7 



0-8 

 09 

 08 

 0-8 

 04 

 13 



(1) University of California, Bull. 132 



(2) Henry, p. 243. 



(3) Chemical Lab. Dept. of Agriculture. — In calculating the digestible nutrients 

 from the total amount of each constituent present, I have averaged the co-efficients of 

 digestion. — T C. 



It will be seen that silage is rich in sugar, Ijul poor in the tlesli- 

 forming constituents, with the exception of that made from the 

 legumitious plants. Hence it cannot be expected to keep cows in 

 first rate milking condition unless supplemented with drier food 

 containing a higher percentage of protein. Oaten, lucerne, or clover 

 hay is the readiest and most economical method for the farmer to 

 supply this requirement, and silage mixes well with grain of all kinds, 

 bran, oil cake, and other concentrated foods. It must also be 

 remembered that in the cold weather the cow requires something more 

 than bulky succulent food. Just as in the summer, the dry requires to 

 be supplemented with juicy food, so in the winter the silage should be 

 fed along with hay or similar material. The art of the farmer 

 consists not only in supplying the proper amount of food, but 

 in furnishing the animals with the food best adapted to their 

 requirements. 



From 30 to 40 lbs. a day is about as much as the average cow can 

 utilise to advantage. This amount furnishes about one-seventh of the 

 protein, and from one-third to one-half of the carbo- hydrates that the 

 cows requires when in full milk. Sixty tons of silage will supply 30 

 cows for four months, provided it is supplemeiited as .described 

 above. 



