154 FEEDS AND FEEDING 



Number 5, 21.5 per ct. ; and Number 6, 23 per ct. Obviously, the value 

 of corn for feeding depends on the amount of water it contains. There- 

 fore, in Appendix Tables I and III the composition of the various grades 

 is shown separately. 



205. Soft corn. Corn frosted before the grains mature contains too 

 much water for storage or shipment, and is best utilized by immediate 

 feeding or placing the entire crop in the silo. Soft corn, when not moldy, 

 may be fed to all classes of stock. Moldy corn is especially dangerous 

 for horses and sheep. Cattle are not commonly injured by moldy corn, 

 and hogs can usually be trusted to eat what they will. Fattening pigs 

 are especially adapted to disposing of soft corn, and good results have 

 also been secured with cattle, especially with stock cattle, or fattening 

 cattle in the first part of the fattening period. As a rule, 100 Ibs. of 

 dry matter in soft corn which has not spoiled may be considered equal 

 in feeding value to 100 Ibs. of dry matter in mature corn. When soft 

 ear corn must be cribbed, it should be stored in well ventilated cribs. 

 Sprinkling over the corn 1 to 2 Ibs. of common salt per 100 Ibs. of ear 

 corn aids in preventing mold. 5 



Snapped soft corn (ears and husks) may also be ensiled and then fed 

 in place of ear corn or shelled corn to fattening cattle, sheep, or swine. 5 * 

 The snapped corn must be chopped fine by running it thru a silage cutter 

 and must be tramped well in the silo. If the corn is in the late roasting 

 stage a ton of water should be added to every 6 to 7 tons of ears. If the 

 ears are in the milk it may not be necessary to add water. 



206. Composition of the corn kernel. Appendix Table I shows that 

 air-dry dent corn contains 70.9 per ct. nitrogen-free extract nearly all 

 starch and only 2.0 per ct. fiber, which comprises the fiber of the hull, 

 or skin, of the kernel, and of the cell walls inclosing the starch grains. 

 On comparing the composition of corn with that of the other common 

 cereals, it will be noted that corn is by far the richest in fat, containing 

 5.0 per ct. fat, or oil. Because of this abundance of starch and oil, corn 

 excels as a fattening food. Corn has slightly less crude protein than 

 wheat, barley, oats, or rye and is also lower in ash. It is especially 

 deficient in lime, containing only 0.2 Ib. per 1,000 Ibs. of grain. As has 

 been emphasized before (201), in feeding corn we must bear in mind 

 these facts concerning its composition. Fed without any protein-rich 

 supplement, corn makes a decidedly uneconomical ration. 



Studying the composition of the different parts of the kernel of dent 

 corn, Hopkins of the Illinois Station 5b found that in 100 Ibs. of water- 

 free corn the hulls and tip caps together weighed 7.4 Ibs. ; the horn-like 

 layer of gluten just under the skin, 8.5 Ibs. ; the flinty, horn-like starch 

 at the sides and back of the kernel, 47.1 Ibs. ; the floury starch at the tip 

 of the kernel and partially surrounding the germ, 25.5 Ibs.; and the 

 germ, 11.5 Ibs. The floury starch contains over 90 per ct. starch, only 

 7.8 per ct. crude protein and less than 1 per ct. fiber, with but a trace of 



"Hughes, Iowa Cir. 41. B aEvvard, Iowa Cir. 40. "bill. Bui. 87. 



