140 DESCRIPTION OF FEEDING STUFFS 



dried beet pulp, or with grass pasture, mixed hay, cornstalks, etc. 

 Rape has proved an excellent feed for sheep, swine, and cattle. At 

 the Ottawa station a bunch of 22 steers made an average gain of 

 50 pounds live weight in three weeks on an area of two acres; about 

 30 sheep had been allowed to pasture on a part of this field for ten 

 weeks. The sheep also had access to a limited area of natural grass 

 pasture. In an experiment with pigs, 60 pigs were fed on an 

 acre and a half of rape ; in addition to the rape pasture, about 500 

 pounds of grain were required for each pig from weaning time to an 

 average of 185 pounds weight in October or November. 5 



The value of rape as a forage plant has also been established 

 by experiments at the Wisconsin, Iowa, Michigan, and other stations. 

 At the Wisconsin station a gain of 413.5 pounds of mutton was ob- 

 tained from 9% tons of rape and 1439.8 pounds of grain (wheat 

 and oats). The highest yield obtained from three cuttings at about 

 four inches from the ground was at the rate of 36 tons of green 

 forage per acre. An acre of rape was found to have a feeding value 

 equivalent to 2657 pounds of grain fed to pigs four to ten months 

 old. Young pigs did better when pastured on rape than on clover, 

 grain being fed in both cases. Rape has an excellent effect on the 

 milk secretion, and therefore makes a valuable soiling crop for 

 dairy cows. As in the case of turnips, cabbages, and other plants with 

 strong flavor, it should be fed after milking. Rape can be used to 

 good advantage as a part of the ration for animals that are being 

 fed in pens for market or for the show ring. It is also a valuable 

 feed for young lambs and pigs at weaning time. Rape can stand 

 quite cold weather, and will, therefore, last a long time after the 

 pasture grasses succumb to frost; by the use of this crop stock can be 

 put into good condition for the holiday markets or for winter, and 

 there need be no check in growth, fat, and milk production through 

 insufficient succulent feed during the late summer and autumn 

 months, as is too frequently the case. 6 



Kale (Brassica oleracea, var. Asephala) belongs to the mustard 

 family and stands quite close to the cabbage in composition and 

 feeding value. It is only grown to a small extent for forage purposes 

 in this country, the only States where its use appears to have spread 

 being Oregon and western Washington. On rich land, well sup- 

 plied with moisture, it gives an immense amount of nutritious 



6 Ottawa Bulletin 42. 



6 Farmers' Bulletin 1G4; Division Agrostology, U. S. Department of 

 Agriculture, Circular 12; Wisconsin Report 20, pp. 46-55 and 281-283. 



