FEEDS FOR THE DAIRY COW 385 



the most satisfactory. (296-9) So abundantly has the high value of 

 silage been demonstrated, that in the leading dairy districts a dairyman 

 usually apologizes if he does not have a silo on his farm. Not only 

 does corn silage furnish a steady and uniform supply of high quality 

 succulent feed for winter, but large numbers of progressive dairymen 

 have found that silage is much more economical than soiling crops to 

 feed in summer when pastures become parched and scanty, provided 

 only that a sufficient number of cows are fed to keep the silage from 

 spoiling. (417) 



The daily allowance of silage commonly fed ranges from 20 to 40 Ibs. 

 per 1,000 Ibs. live weight. A common rule is to feed 3 Ibs. of silage and 

 1 Ib. of dry roughage per 100 Ibs. live weight. 



Due largely to the fact that the silage made during earlier years was 

 frequently of poor quality and fed in a careless manner, a widespread 

 belief existed that silage injured the flavor of the milk. For many years 

 the largest milk condensing company in the country prohibited the use 

 of silage by its patrons. Experience has now abundantly demonstrated 

 that when good silage is fed under proper conditions the quality of the 

 milk is improved, rather than impaired, and even the milk condensing 

 factories no longer object to its use. Like other feeds, silage may be 

 abused. Only good silage should be used, and this should be fed after 

 milking and be eaten up clean at each feed, none being left scattered on 

 the floor of the stable, the air of which should be kept pure and whole- 

 some by proper ventilation. If the silage is first class and the barn is 

 well ventilated, silage may even be fed before milking, without injuring 

 the flavor of the milk. 



It has been pointed out previously that silage from corn cut at 

 the glazing or dent stage is more valuable than that from more immature 

 corn. This is shown in a trial by White at the Connecticut (Storrs) 

 Station 97 * in which silage from a late maturing variety of corn, cut in 

 the early dough stage, was compared with silage from a variety that 

 would mature in the usual Connecticut season. This corn was cut when 

 it was nearly ripe and the lower leaves had turned brown. The silage 

 from the early corn contained 29.8 per ct. dry matter, while that from 

 the late corn contained only 20.5 per ct. In order to maintain the live 

 weights of the cows and keep up equal production of butterfat, it was 

 necessary to feed 1.6 Ibs. more concentrates per head daily with the 

 immature silage than with the silage from the early corn. 



630. Corn silage vs. fodder corn. Tests of corn silage and field-cured 

 fodder corn at the Vermont 98 and Wisconsin" Stations were conducted 

 in the following manner: Two rows of maturing corn extending across 

 the field were placed in shocks, while the next 2 rows were run thru 

 the feed cutter and placed in the silo. By thus alternating until the silo 

 was filled, substantially equal quantities of material having the same 

 composition were obtained as silage and shock corn, respectively. The 



^Information to the authors. *Vt. Rpt. 1891. "Wis. Rpt. 1891. 



