Nov., 191 2. 



Luc erne and Ensilage. 



655 



be about the same as in the original lucerne. Weight for weight the dried 

 chaff is a much more concentrated food than the others, for the reason that 

 it contained less water. 



The important practical points in a comparison of silage, green fodder 

 and hay lie not so much however in percentages as in the actual amounts 

 of feeding material obtained from the different methods of curing. Thus 

 it is conceivable that a gain in quality during ensilage might be purchased 

 at too great an expense as regards the quantity of feed. Table II. shows 

 for 100 lbs. of the original material how manv lbs. of each food constituent 

 were put in and how manv taken out of the silo. 



WEIGHING AT THE FARM. 

 Table II. 



• = Increase. 



Of the total dry matter put in 13.8 per cent, was lost in 62 days. Of the 

 •soluble carbohydrates 15 per cent, was lost including all the sugar, and also, 

 as the furfurol shows, the more decomposable cellulose. Analysis and 

 theory alike indicate that during ensilage it is the most digestible part of the 

 carbohydrates which are lost. The fibre showed less actual loss and the 

 ash practically none. The bag was several' feet from the floor of the silo. 

 The most apparent loss, however, has been in the crude protein, and still 

 more in the true protein of the silage. In the last case the loss approached 

 50 per cent, of the protein in the original material. 



