CATTLE , 209 



Ensilage is usually corn, (sometimes other crops), stored 

 green in a large tank called a silo. The silo must be air- 

 tight or nearly so, as the green feed is kept from spoiling 

 by keeping the air away from it — ^just as berries are pre- 

 served in fruit jars. 



Roots. — Another way by which succulent feed may be 

 supplied is by raising roots, as mangels, rutabagas, stock 

 carrots, etc. For small herds, roots are cheaper than en- 

 silage, as no expensive machinery or storage room is required. 

 By planting roots on rich land, fifteen to twenty tons may 

 be grown per acre. One half an acre to two acres of roots 

 well cared for will supply from eight to twelve cows. 

 Questions: 



1. Why do cows usually give more milk in summer than in 

 winter? 



2. What is the difference in their feed in summer and winter? 



3. What do animals need in winter in addition to dry feed? 



4. How may succulent feed be supplied to animals in winter? 



5. To what conditions is ensilage better adapted than mangels? 



6. What do people eat in winter to supply succulent food? 

 Arithmetic: 



1. If com contains 89% dry matter and mangels contain 9% 

 dry matter, how many pounds of mangels are required to supply as 

 much dry matter as is supplied by 5 lbs. of com? 



2. If mangels contain 9% diy matter, how many pounds of water 

 in 100 lbs. of mangels? 



3. If mangels yield 20 tons per acre, how many tons of dry matter 

 are produced per acre? (Mangels are 9% dry matter.) 



RATIONS CONTAINING SUCCULENT FEED 



Composition of Feeds. — To intelligently compound ra- 

 tions with ensilage or roots forming a part, it is necessary to 

 know the amount of digestible nutrients in the various 

 feeds used. The table on page 175 gives their compositior 

 in the two rations to be compounded. 



A glance at the table will show that a pound of 

 corn silage contains about one third as much digestible 

 nutrients as fodder corn. 



This proportion is due to the fact that the ensilage has 

 practically as much water in it as when it was cut green 

 in the field, while the fodder corn has been dried out (cured). 

 In other words three pounds of green corn, cut and shocked 

 in the field, will dry out and make about one pound of fodder 



