134 PROFITABLE DAIRYING 



has been fed in moderate quantity. Undoubtedly in 

 the near future good silage will come into general 

 use for this purpose. It should be fed under pre- 

 scribed methods and not to exceed thirty-five pounds 

 a day after milking. For the production of butter, if 

 fed at the above rate and after milking, silage is 

 certainly an improvement. Better butter can be 

 made with its use than without it. I have found that 

 not only was better butter the result of its use, 

 but also the cost was greatly reduced. 



The flow of a silage-fed cow, with clover hay and 

 grain to make a balanced ration, is very little be- 

 hind that of a cow on grass in May and June. 

 When turned into grass in the middle of May, after 

 the pastures have a good start, the flow was in- 

 creased but very little. The cow that comes fresh 

 late in the fall or early winter, fed on silage, and 

 enough other food to make a balanced ration, will 

 produce 25 per cent, more milk and butter than the 

 cow coming fresh in the spring with the same care 

 and rations, for reasons given hereafter. In pro- 

 ducing this result, silage is in favor. 



An important item in the raising of silage is 

 economy in land. Good silage ought to yield at 

 the rate of from ten to twelve tons to the acre. This 

 at a relative food value of two and one-half tons 

 to the ton of hay is equivalent to about five tons 

 of hay per acre, or a saving of nearly one-half the 

 land, in taxes, interest, repairs, etc. Yields of from 

 fifteen to twenty tons of silage to the acre are not 

 uncommon. Land which will yield two tons of hay 

 to the acre is likely to exceed twelve tons of silage. 



