FARM ANIMALS 167 



cereals have been found to give striking milk 

 yields in Kansas and other states in the central 

 west. A test of various pasture and soiling crops 

 in Nebraska showed conclusively that cowpeas 

 were capable of producing a greater quantity of 

 milk and of butter fat from the same area than 

 any other crop which has been tested in that 

 state. Similar favorable results have been ob- 

 tained from the use of cowpea pasture in Alabama 

 and other southern states. Corn is likewise fre- 

 quently planted to be eaten by cows in a young, 

 fresh condition as pasture. In addition to the 

 various crops already mentioned as pasture 

 crops, millet has frequently given satisfactory 

 results. 



However luxuriant, succulent and nutritious 

 pasture may be, it is always necessary to feed some 

 grain to dairy cows on pasture, if the greatest 

 possible milk flow is to be obtained. The amount 

 of grain is much smaller on leguminous pasture 

 than on pasture land bearing other less nutritious 

 crops. In fact, if a leguminous pasture such as 

 alfalfa and cowpeas is in excellent condition the 

 flow of milk is quite satisfactory without grain. 

 In nearly all cases, however, where the matter 

 has been tested, the flow has been somewhat in- 

 creased even on such pasture by the use of bran, 

 cotton seed meal or corn meal. 



Silage. Throughout the dairy region of the 

 United States silage is one of the important feeding 

 stuffs for dairy cows. Its great advantage con- 

 sists not alone in its succulence, palatability, and 

 effectiveness in producing milk, but in the fact 

 that it is so easily preserved during the winter, 

 thus furnishing succulent material during the 

 whole season when no growth is taking place out- 



