PREPARING FOODS FOR FEEDING 363 



or of corn or sorghum stalks will be secured, than if these 

 foods had not been so prepared. In this way, animals at 

 rest may be carried through the entire winter season on rel- 

 atively cheap food. Even in the absence of hay, when pulped 

 roots are mixed with cut straw and other coarse fodders, 

 results equally good, if not indeed superior, will follow, de- 

 pendent upon the proportion of field roots fed. Should the 

 dry food thus mixed be dampened, as by sprinkling, in the 

 absence of field roots and a small amount of meal sprinkled 

 in during the process of dampening and mixing, the con- 

 sumption will be further increased. Where molasses is 

 cheap, the addition of a small amount of this ingredient will 

 tend much to add to the palatability of the food and, there- 

 fore, to increase the possible consumption of coarse fodders. 



Food prepared as outlined above, has special adapta- 

 tion to the needs of cattle and horses. It is not so well 

 adapted to the needs of sheep, as they are more expert than 

 cattle or horses in rejecting portions even of the cut food 

 that may not suit them, but even with sheep, the relative 

 consumption of cheap foods may thus be greatly increased. 

 Similarly the consumption of dry fodders by swine, as clo- 

 ver and alfalfa, may be much increased by chaffing the fod- 

 der, adding meal to the mixture and then cooking it by 

 boiling or steaming. Thus, also, the proportion of field 

 roots or tubers may be increased. 



The following method of preparing food for ruminants 

 is common in some portions of Ontario. Hay and 

 straw or fodders are chaffed, pulped and mixed in a 

 feed room conveniently situated. The chaffing and 

 pulping are done simultaneously that the mixing of the 

 food may be as desired. Enough is prepared at one time 

 to last for several days. The fermentation which follows 

 tends to soften the fodder. Meal is added proportioned to 

 the needs of the various animals as the food is fed. This 

 method of feeding is economical of food and is eminently 

 adapted to the needs of cattle, sheep and horses. 



