INDIAN CORN AND THE SOEGHUMS FOR FORAGE 199 



Hills and Cooke at the Vermont Station 6 the loss of dry matter averaged 

 19 per ct. Considering all the available data 7 we may conclude that in a 

 silo 30 ft. deep or over, the total loss of dry matter should not be over 

 15 per ct., if reasonable care is taken to pack the silage and to reduce 

 the losses at the surface of the silage after filling. The losses of dry 

 matter are therefore about 5 per ct. lower when the corn crop is ensiled 

 than when it is cured aa dry fodder. Experiments have shown that there 

 is an even greater difference in the loss of crude protein which takes 

 place. 



298. Corn silage vs. corn fodder. Practical experience and observation 

 on thousands of farms, as well as the results of the scientific trials 

 reviewed later in this volume, show that an acre of corn has a much 

 higher feeding value when ensiled than when cured and fed as dry 

 fodder. (630, 780) We have already seen that the difference in the loss 

 of nutrients which occurs in the two methods of harvesting the crop is 

 not large. Furthermore, corn silage is no more digestible than dry corn 

 fodder. (See Appendix Table II.) To what then is the decidedly 

 higher value of silage due? 



The difference in favor of silage is due partly to the fact that stock 

 usually reject the coarse butts of the corn stalks, even when shredded or 

 cut fine, while good silage is consumed with practically no waste. An- 

 other important advantage of silage is that it is much more palatable 

 than dry corn fodder. Therefore, silage-fed animals will consume more 

 feed and hence have more nutrients available for milk or meat production, 

 after supplying the maintenance needs of the body. Hence their produc- 

 tion will be much more economical. Like other succulent feeds, silage 

 has a beneficial effect on the health of animals, due in part to the fact 

 that it is slightly laxative in its action. Thus it is a valuable aid in 

 keeping stock in thrifty condition. Because of these advantages of silage, 

 the number of silos continues to increase rapidly in the most progressive 

 live stock sections. 



299. The variety of corn for silage. In the North the question arises 

 as to whether to grow for silage the smaller northern varieties of corn, 

 which bear a relatively large proportion of ears, or the tall, late southern 

 kinds which will not mature before frost. Trials have shown that these 

 rank growing varieties will yield a larger amount of digestible nutrients 

 per acre than the smaller ones, 8 but such immature corn makes silage 

 which is sour and contains but little grain. The stockman with plenty 

 of hay, straw, and stover to feed will wish to fill his silo with a richer and 

 more palatable feed than the southern corn yields, and will therefore 

 use northern dent or flint varieties which will reach the desired stage of 



Vt. Rpts. 1892, 1894. 



T Woll, Wis. Rpt. 1891; Armsby, Penn. Rpt. 1889; N. J. Bui. 19; Ragsdale and 

 Turner, Mo. BuL 179, p. 23. 



Maine Rpt. 1893; Penn. Rpt. 1892; N. Y. (Cornell) Bui. 16; Wis. Rpt. 1888; 

 Minn. Bui. 40. 



