240 Feeds and Feeding. 



cent, of those replying chaffed the hay and straw fed their stock, 

 while 20 per cent, followed partial chaffing, and 10 per cent, were 

 adverse to the practice. 



377. Advantages of chaffing. The advantages of chaffing (cut- 

 ting) hay in establishments where large numbers of animals are 

 fed are apparent upon a little reflection. In such places the 

 hay if long occupies too much space, litters up the building, and 

 the attendants are not readily able to supply each animal its 

 proper allowance. Where hay is chaffed, the addition of a small 

 amount of water lays the dust, and the helper can rapidly and 

 accurately measure the quantity ordered for each animal. These 

 advantages do not hold with the same force on stock farms, where 

 the feeder personally supervises the supply of provender to a 

 comparatively limited number of animals. Again, when hay and 

 straw are chaffed, then moistened, and meal added, the mixture 

 is in condition to be rapidly masticated and swallowed, so that the 

 nutriment has a longer time to remain in the stomach for diges- 

 tion than is possible where long, dry hay is fed. This is an item 

 of importance with hard-worked horses which are in the stable 

 only at night. Horses not hard worked, fattening cattle, and 

 farm stock generally, have ample time for mastication and diges- 

 tion, and with these there is less necessity, or none, for chaffing 

 hay and straw. 



378. Cutting and shredding corn forage. Corn forage, because 

 of the coarseness of the stalks, is an unsatisfactory material to 

 handle in the stable unless it has first been run through the cutter 

 or shredder. Eeduced to fragments by cutting or shredding, this 

 forage causes little trouble, and the waste, if any, is excellent for 

 bedding. 



The value of cut or shredded corn stalks for feeding purposes 

 will vary according to the character of the fodder used, the 

 animals to which it is fed and the manner of feeding. 



At the Kansas Station, l Shelton experimented with stover cut 

 in lengths varying from one- fourth inch to two inches, the trials 

 extending through three seasons. Instead of most of the cut 

 fodder being consumed by the cows, there was an average waste 



i Kept. 1889. 



