234 Feeds and Feeding. 



367. Labor involved. Many who recognize the advantages of 

 soiling are deterred from practicing it, arguing that the large 

 amount of labor required in supplying the green forage daily 

 more than offsets the benefits derived. There is both misconcep- 

 tion and lack of knowledge on this point. Wilson 1 shows that if 

 green forage is gathered twice a week, and spread not too thickly 

 on the barn floor, it will keep in good condition until required for 

 feeding. Most of the crops used can be cut with a mower and 

 gathered by the hay rake or loaded directly by means of the hay 

 loader. Even if pitched by hand, a large quantity of material 

 can be gathered in a very short time. A dairy cow or steer will 

 require from sixty to one hundred pounds of green forage daily. 



368. Partial soiling. So revolutionary is the practice of com- 

 plete soiling that few stockmen are ready to adopt it at once, even 

 when conceding the merits of the system. Partial soiling is prac- 

 ticable with all and should be followed on every well-managed 

 stock farm. The usual midsummer shrinkage in the milk flow of 

 dairy cows and of flesh with beef cattle can be prevented by hous- 

 ing the stock in darkened stables, if flies are troublesome, during 

 the heated portion of the day, and feeding them liberally with 

 green forage. At night the cattle can be turned to pasture for 

 exercise and grazing. Because of the extra allowance of proven- 

 der supplied during the most trying time of the year, fattening 

 steers will continue their gains, the young stock will not cease 

 growing, and dairy cows will yield the normal flow of milk. 

 Usually it will be found profitable to continue supplying extra 

 feed during the fall, even though the pastures have in part recov- 

 ered their ability to supply nutriment. Partial soiling rightly 

 followed will be found a most profitable practice on many farms. 

 By it more stock can be kept than on pastures only, and more 

 even gains will be made during the season by all stock so fed. 



In using soiling crops it should not be forgotten that growing, 

 immature plants consist largely of water, and often cattle cannot 

 consume enough of such forage to gain the nourishment they 

 require. For this reason, where the crops are quite green, some 

 dry forage should be supplied in addition to the green. 



1 Bui. 15, Iowa Sta. 



