314 FEEDING FARM ANIMALS 



has occurred from grazing both saccharine and non-sac- 

 charine sorghum by cattle. This it is thought is due to the 

 presence of a poisonous principle known as prussic acid, 

 which collects in the plants usually, if not always, when 

 the growth has been checked by drouth. These results, in 

 some instances serious, are more frequent when grazing 

 down the second growth but they are not entirely confined 

 to such grazing. 



Sheep are relatively better adapted than cattle 'to such 

 grazing. With sheep the grazing may begin at an earlier 

 age. They may be so grazed that but little waste will follow. 

 None of the sorghums are so much relished by sheep as 

 rape or certain of the grasses. Nor do they produce so 

 much increase in the animals. But they furnish a large 

 amount of grazing relatively in proportion to the area 

 grazed. 



In the central Mississippi states, these plants are fre- 

 quently grazed by swine. Some writers praise them for 

 such a use, but it is probably true, that, as with sheep, the 

 grazing is not so completely satisfactory as that furnished 

 by alfalfa, clover, rape and certain of the cereals, but such 

 grazing may be furnished quickly in warm, dry weather 



These plants may also be grazed by horses and mules 

 but to such grazing there is the objection that the plants 

 may be injured by treading. No instances of loss have been 

 reported from grazing horses, sheep or swine upon the 

 sorghums. 



Corn may be grazed when sown on the broadcast plan, 

 but when so grown it is best grazed by sheep ; larger ani- 

 mals injure it much by treading and breaking it down. If 

 sheep are turned in to graze upon it when it is about a foot 

 high or even higher, they will get much grazing from it, 

 but after it has reached the first joint it will not grow up 

 again when grazed down. In some localities Squaw corn or 

 some other small variety is grown and fed off by sheep or 

 swine. In the northwestern states this method of fattening 

 sheep and swine, especially the former, is attaining some 



