ECONOMY IN FEEDING 43 



FORAGE -CROP RATIONS 



In the use of soiling crops, it is quite possible 

 to have the green forage serve as the entire ration ; 

 although it is better, on the whole, that the soil- 

 ing crop provide only the larger part of it, for 

 the reason that in many cases the green crop 

 contains such a small proportion of dry matter as 

 to make it necessary for the animals to consume a 

 too large bulk, even though it might be no greater 

 than in pasturing in those periods when pasture 

 grasses are growing rapidly and are very watery. 



Experiments show that it is possible to use 

 green forage exclusively, and, while the yield of 

 product is less, the cost per unit is also less than 

 when fine feeds are used in connection with it. 

 It is largely a question as to whether the dairyman 

 desires to keep his animals up to the full standard 

 of production, by supplying in reasonable bulk 

 sufficient amounts of digestible food in best forms, 

 or whether he desires to secure his product at the 

 lowest cost even though the total production is 

 reduced. If it is cheaper for him to supply the 

 animals entirely by means of forage crops, this is 

 the practice for him to follow, — that is, cheaper in 

 the sense that if the milk yield is less, the relative 

 cost is also so much less as to enable him to secure 

 a larger profit. These are matters that individual 

 farmers must determine for themselves. 



