360 FEEDING FARM ANIMALS 



given in that form in which they can be consumed quickly, 

 lest they should freeze more or less before they are all con- 

 sumed. 



Roots and tubers are more commonly sliced when they 

 are simply being prepared for feeding in the direct form, 

 that is, without admixture with other food. This method 

 of preparing them is followed rather than that of pulping, 

 because it takes less power and because slicers have been 

 longer in use. But there is no objection to pulping even for 

 direct feeding when it is as convenient or more so to pre- 

 pare them thus. 



When field roots or tubers are to be mixed with 

 meal or cut feed, it is necessary that they shall be 

 pulped rather than sliced, in order to obtain a more per- 

 fect blending of the foods. Field roots thus prepared and 

 mixed with cut fodders, add greatly to their palatability 

 and value. If the plan of pulping roots at the time of lift- 

 ing and then storing the pulp after the manner in which en- 

 silage is stored should prove successful, the questions of 

 storing, keeping, and feeding would be simplified. No data 

 can be gathered bearing upon the question, but the behavior 

 of sugar beet pulp when ensiled, encourages the hope that 

 such storing would be quite practicable. 



Chaffing and shredding fodders. By chaffing fodders 

 is meant running them through a cutting box. The ob- 

 jects sought in chaffingfood are: (i) To insure the con- 

 sumption of a fodder low in palatability by admixing it 

 with a chaffed fodder high in palatability, as when straw 

 and clover hay are cut and mixed before feeding them. (2) 

 To insure a larger total consumption of fodders by putting 

 them in that condition in which they may be fed after 

 being mixed with meal or field roots or both. (3) To 

 prepare foods in that condition in which they will keep best 

 in the silo, and in which they may be fed out with the least 

 expenditure of labor. Straw fodders are also chaffed in 

 some instances in order to put them in the best condition 

 for being used as litter. When thus chaffed, straw absorbs 



