The Ensilage of Fodder. 227 



We observe that in all but the first Wisconsin trials the dry matter 

 in corn silage gave larger returns than that in field-cured fodder 

 corn, the average difference in 14 trials being about 5 per ct. in favor 

 of silage. 



350. Corn silage v. fodder corn. Tests of corn silage and field- 

 cured fodder corn at the Vermont 1 and Wisconsin 2 Stations were 

 conducted in the following manner : Two rows of maturing corn ex- 

 tending 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 alter- 

 nating until the silo was filled, substantially equal quantities of ma- 

 terial having the same composition were obtained. The field-cured 

 fodder, after being run thru the cutter, was fed in opposition to the 

 silage to dairy cows along with equal quantities of hay and grain. 



The results at the Vermont Station were: 



24,858 Ibs. green fodder corn when dried and fed with a uniform daily 

 .Allowance of hay and grain produced 7,688 Ibs. of milk. 



24,858 Ibs. of green fodder corn when converted into silage and fed with 

 she same daily ration of hay and grain produced 8,525 Ibs. of milk. 



At the Wisconsin Station the results were: 



From 29,800 Ibs. of green fodder were obtained 24,440 Ibs. of silage, which, 

 fed with 1,648 Ibs. of hay and 2,884 Ibs. of grain, produced 7,496 Ibs. of milk, 

 containing 340.4 Ibs. of fat. 



From 29,800 Ibs. of green fodder were obtained 7,330 Ibs. of field-cured 

 fodder corn, which, fed with 1,567 Ibs. of hay and 2,743 Ibs. of grain, pro- 

 duced 7,119 Ibs. of milk, containing 318.2 Ibs. of fat. 



At the Vermont Station the silage ration produced 837 Ibs., or 11 

 per ct., more milk than the dry-fodder ration. At the Wisconsin 

 Station the silage ration produced 377 Ibs., or 5 per ct., more milk 

 and 22 Ibs., or nearly 7 per ct., more fat than did the dry-fodder ra- 

 tion. 



We have seen that the losses of nutrients by ensiling and drying 

 corn forage are not materially different, tho somewhat favoring silage, 

 and that silage and dry forage are about equally digestible. On the 

 other hand, actual feeding trials with dairy cows, as here reported, 

 show that silage gives better results than a corresponding amount of 

 dry fodder. The difference in favor of silage is doubtless due in part 

 to the fact that cattle usually reject the dry butts of the corn stalks 

 even when cut fine, while in silage they are eaten without waste. 

 Again, silage-fed animals will, if permitted, consume a larger ration 



1 Ept. 1891. 2 Ept 1891 



