FODDER AND FORAGE CROPS 81 



To the feeder the fodder crops supply a bulky and 

 fibrous food which opens up the concentrated foods, 

 and by so doing allows the digestive juices to do their 

 work more effectively. The term " bulky " means that 

 a much larger weight of food is required to yield a 

 given weight of nutrients than is the case with concen- 

 trated foods. 



(p) Green or Forage Crops. 



Common examples of Forage crops are : Lucerne, 

 clover, vetches, pasture grass, rape, cabbages, swede and 

 turnip tops. These contain a large proportion of water, 

 varying from 76 per cent, in lucerne, 80 per cent, in 

 pasture grass, and up to 88 per cent, in the case of 

 turnip tops. 



Lucerne is richest in protein (4! per cent.) ; followed 

 by clover and vetches, 3^ per cent. ; pasture grass, 3 

 per cent. ; rape, 2f per cent. ; cabbages, 2^ per cent. ; 

 while turnip tops are poorest (2 per cent). 



The oil is less than I per cent, in all cases, while 

 the carbohydrates and fibre are both less than 10 per 

 cent. 



The nutrients are considered to have a slightly 

 less value in these green foods than those in cereal 

 grains. 



Green foods generally have a cooling and laxative 

 effect on stock, although the leguminous crops are 

 less potent in this direction than the other crops. 



(g) Root Crops. 



Potatoes, sugar beet, carrots, mangels, swedes, and 

 turnips constitute what are called " root crops." 



Potatoes and sugar beet contain about 75 per cent, 

 water ; carrots, 87 per cent. ; mangels, 88 per cent. ; 



F 



