FEEDS AND FEEDING 311 



watery in character. They contain, however, the same 

 nutrients as the hay made from them, if no loss occurs in 

 making the hay. Their weight when green makes them 

 difficult to handle. This disadvantage is balanced by the 

 saving of all nutrients. Green fodders are more succulent 

 and are liked better by stock. They are more easily digested 

 than dry fodders, and contain more protein because of being 

 cut at an earher stage of growth. 



Grasses, growing corn, alfalfa, and other fodders when 

 cut and fed green to stock are called soiling crops, as 

 stated in Chapter X. Many of the best stock feed- 

 ers are using such green feeds a great deal. It saves 

 much in the way of pasture room. Several times as many 

 cows can be fed from a certain field as could pasture well 

 on it. The pasture system is too common to need any 

 description. 



Ensilage. — Silos are made of various building materials, 

 such as wood, brick, stone, and concrete (Figs. 80 and 209). 

 They are made air tight and will preserve fodder corn or 

 other green feed in such condition as to retain most of the 

 succulent qualities of the original product. Such feed is 

 called ensilage. It is highly valued on dairy farms, where 

 succulence in the daily feed is very important. Corn stalks 

 with the ears still attached are cut when the grain is well 

 glazed. The whole crop is run through a revolving cutter 

 and the small pieces and leaves thrown or blown into the 

 top of the tall silo (Fig. 209). The silos are usually round 

 and are twelve to twenty feet in diameter. The depth is 

 from twenty to forty feet. Small doors along one side allow 

 the ensilage to be taken out easily during the winter months, 

 or whenever it is being fed. 



Root Crops. — Mangels and beets are grown especially 

 for cows, turnips for hogs and sheep, carrots for horses. But 

 these and other root crops may be used for all kinds of farm 

 animals. The^ are valuable as feed particularly when the 



