CHAPTER XXI 

 COARSE FEEDS AND THEIR VALUE 



The coarse feeds include the grasses and clovers of dif- 

 ferent kinds, the cereals (as forage), straws, silage, roots, 

 rape, cabbage, or any similar feeds, whether green or dried 

 as hay. Anything of a bulky nature, of which an animal 

 must eat considerable to obtain much nutriment, is a coarse 

 feed. In the dried form, like hay or corn stover, the western 

 farmer has been accustomed to refer to them as fodder, or 

 roughage. In some sections of our country, farmers have 

 certain feeds that are more common than in other parts of 

 the country. Farmers in the North, for example, look to red 

 clover or timothy hay for standard roughage; in Alabama, 

 cow pea hay or Japanese clover is common; while in Kansas 

 and Colorado, alfalfa is a standard. Some plants, however, 

 are more commonly grown than others, and so will receive 

 special attention in a brief way in this chapter. 



PASTURES, GREEN GRASSES, AND HAYS 



The value of the grasses depends upon their development. 

 When grass is young and very green, especially in spring, it 

 contains a large percentage of water, and is greatly relished 

 by stock. As it matures, the amount of protein and total 

 nutriment increases. Usually we find the food constituents, 

 especially protein, most digestible when the plant is in full 

 Moorn. After that period the stalk and leaves grow more 

 voody and less nutritious; and if left to develop for long after 

 blooming, neither the pasture nor the hay is eaten with trie 

 greatest relish. 



