FEEDING FARM ANIMALS 



For horses, tests made in feeding artichokes have 

 shown that they are excellent. They are also fond of them. 

 They have been fed to horses to the extent of making a 

 reduction of 50 per cent in the hay required with results that 

 were satisfactory. They may be fed whole to all classes of 

 stock, but in some instances they are sliced. 



Cassava. This is a tropical or sub-tropical American 

 shrub of the genus Manihot and the order Euphorbiacese. It 

 is a shrub-like plant at the base of which grow prong-like tu- 

 bers. These are more or less extensively used in feeding 

 live stock in the Gulf states. It is best grown on sandy land, 

 and the yields range from 2 or 3 tons to 15 tons per 

 acre. The tubers are exceedingly rich in starch, and they 

 have been much grown during recent years to supply mills 

 erected for the express purpose of manufacturing starch 

 from them. 



As the plants may be grown as annuals or perennials, 

 and as it is not usual to dig them as food for stock during 

 the active period of growth, they are seldom extensively 

 used in feeding animals from May I to November I. In 

 other words, it is usual to feed them during other months 

 of the year. As under ordinary conditions of exposure, 

 they do not keep long when unearthed, they are usually dug 

 as wanted for feeding. Should the supply be in excess of 

 the needs for feeding, the unharvested residue may be left 

 in the soil to increase for feeding the following season. 

 The increase made, however, is partly counterbalanced by 

 increase in woody fibre in the tubers. In addition to fur- 

 nishing wholesome food for quadrupeds on the farm, they 

 are coming to be much prized as a food for poultry. The 

 tubers do not call for any other preparation than slicing, 

 when they are being made ready for feeding. 



For cattle, cassava tubers are very valuable, more 

 especially when they are to be fattened. When properly 

 fed to milch cows they also aid materially in the produc- 

 tion of milk. Such feeding should only be done in con- 

 junction with a liberal supply of protein foods, such as 



