FEEDS FOR THE DAIRY COW 391 



only 66 per ct. of that in corn silage. Yet in actual feeding trials the 

 dry matter of silage has proven fully as valuable as that in roots. 119 

 Corn silage contains a much larger percentage of dry matter than even 

 sugar beets, and two and one-half times as much as mangels or rutabagas. 

 Therefore, silage is worth much more per ton as a feed than roots. 



In the extreme northern districts of the United States, where corn 

 often does not mature sufficiently for silage, roots are an economical 

 winter succulence, for they thrive under these climatic conditions and 

 produce large crops. Also, as is pointed out later in this chapter, roots 

 are highly esteemed by breeders feeding cows on official tests, for with 

 them the object is maximum production, rather than economy of pro- 

 duction. Roots are really watery concentrates rather than roughages, 

 for they are relatively low in fiber. Hence they may be used as a sub- 

 stitute for part of the concentrates usually fed dairy cows. This is an 

 economical practice in districts where roots thrive, when grain is high 

 in price. From extensive experiments in Denmark, Fries 120 concluded 

 that 1 Ib. of dry matter in roots is equal in feeding value to 1 Ib. of 

 Indian corn or a mixture of barley, oats, and rye. In trials during 2 

 years Wing and Savage of the New York (Cornell) Station 121 likewise 

 found that 1 Ib. of dry matter in mangels is equal to 1 Ib. of dry matter 

 in grain, and that mangels can successfully replace half the grain ordi- 

 narily fed in a ration of grain, mixed hay, and silage. The Cornell 

 studies led to the conclusion that with concentrates costing $30 a ton 

 mangels are an economical feed for dairy cows when they can be pro- 

 duced and stored for $4 a ton. (368) Similarly, Haecker found at the 

 Minnesota Station 122 that 1 Ib. of dry matter in mangels or rutabagas is 

 substantially equal to 1 Ib. of mixed grain, 11 Ibs. of mangels or 9 Ibs. 

 of rutabagas having the same value as 1 Ib. of grain. 



In the earlier years it was thot that the feeding of roots produced 

 watery milk, but the extensive experiments in Denmark and this country 

 with roots and silage prove beyond a doubt that the milk of the cow can- 

 not be watered by supplying succulent feeds. 



639. Roots for cows on official tests. Many breeders esteem roots highly 

 for cows which are being forced to the utmost production on official tests. 

 They have a " cooling " effect on the digestive organs, helping to prevent 

 digestive trouble when cows are fed all the rich concentrates they will 

 consume. In addition adding roots even to a palatable ration con- 

 taining good corn silage seems to increase slightly the yield of milk 

 and fat, doubtless because roots are especially well-liked by cows. This 

 is shown in 3 experiments by Shaw and Norton at the Michigan Sta- 

 tion 123 and a trial by Morrison and Humphrey at the Wisconsin Sta- 

 tion. 12 * Averaging together the results of the Michigan trials, it is 

 found that when the cows were fed the excellent ration of 9.2 Ibs. con- 



119 Ohio Rpt. 1893; Penn. Rpt. 1890; Vt. Rpt. 1895. m Minn. Rpt. 1913. 



12D Expt. Sta. Rec. 14, 1903, p. 801. m Mich. Bui. 240. 



*N. Y. (Cornell) Bui. 268. ^Unpublished data. 



