FEEDING DAIRY CATTLE 245 



tion," roots are often fed on account of their dietetic effect, as appe- 

 tizers, and because of their favorable influence on the digestion. 



The silo enables dairy farmers to utilize the large supply of 

 feed materials in the corn plant with the least possible loss and 

 expense. For this reason, and because of the advantage of having 

 a palatable and highly nutritious succulent feed conveniently at 

 hand throughout the season, the silo is now generally regarded as 

 next to a necessity on dairy farms, at least where corn is grown. The 

 whole corn plant, ears and all, is, as a -rule, run through a feed 

 cutter, this having been found the most economical method of hand- 

 ling the crop. The corn is harvested when nearly ripe, and cut into 

 one-half to three-fourth inch lengths in filling the silo (p* 156). 



Silage is greatly relished by cows and can be fed in large quanti- 

 ties, if made from nearly-matured corn. Ordinarily, the best re- 

 sults are obtained when not over 30 to 40 pounds of corn silage 

 are fed per head daily, according to the size of the cows, and it is 

 always fed with some dry roughage, either hay or corn fodder. 

 Since the corn plant is rich in carbohydrates, protein feeds like 

 clover hay, wheat bran, or oil meals should always be fed with corn 

 silage or corn fodder. Clover silage, or silage made from alfalfa, 

 grain sorghums, etc., is fed in somewhat smaller quantities than 

 corn silage, the daily allowance being less than 25 to 30 pounds 

 per head. 



Dry Roughage. Hay from the grasses or legumes is a common 

 coarse cow feed in this and other dairy countries. Early-cut hay is 

 more valuable, ton for ton, than late-cut, but the yield obtained will 

 be somewhat lower in the former case. Alfalfa, clover, or other 

 legume hay stands first in value as dry roughage for dairy cows 

 (Fig. 50). It is preferably fed long. In irrigated regions of the 

 western states dairy cows often receive alfalfa as sole feed the year 

 around. 20 Pure timothy hay is a poor cow feed, especially if late- 

 cut; mixed timothy and clover hay is the more valuable for cows 

 the less timothy it contains. Other kinds of hay that are fed and 

 relished by dairy stock are oat hay, millet hay, sorghum hay, pea 

 hay, etc. Corn stover (cornstalks) and corn fodder are fed whole 

 or are cut or shredded on the best-managed farms after having been 

 shocked in the field (p. 129). 



Straw of the small grains is not often fed to dairy cows in this 

 country, as we have an abundant and cheap supply of roughage in 

 cornstalks. Where a quantity of fine, bright oat straw is available, 

 it may be fed in moderate quantities, not to exceed one-half the 

 weight of total dry roughage fed. 



20 California Bui. 256; N. M. Bui. 68; Jr. Dairy Science, i, p. 447. 



