18 BULLETIN 745, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



Forage analysis has shown chopped soapweed to be comparable 

 with native forage grasses and some of the poorer hay crops. The 

 entire stem as well as the leaves can be utilized, and machines have 

 been developed for chopping both stem and leaves into particles 

 small enough to be eaten by cattle. As ensilage it is satisfactory, but 

 the ensilage process is unnecessary where the soapweed is abundant. 

 The chopped trunks or stems, which furnish the bulk of the feed, are 

 palatable and, when fed with the chopped leaves, are readily eaten 

 by stock without any softening process. 



Results obtained on the Jornada Range Reserve, where more than 

 1,000 head of poor cows were fed in the spring of 1918 with very 

 light losses, and results obtained on many other ranches in the South- 

 west to which the feeding practice spread rapidly, have demonstrated 

 very clearly that the feeding of soapw^eed, with a supplemental ration 

 of cottonseed meal or other similar concentrate, is practicable as a 

 means of maintaining range cattle in time of drought. 



The dead leaves should be removed before the plants are chopped. 

 On the Jornada Range Reserve this was done by burning. If there 

 is no danger of fire spreading, the burning can be done best while 

 the plants are standing on the range. Otherwise, the burning should 

 be done after the plants are hauled to the chopper. The reason for 

 the removal of the dead leaves is that they are of low forage value 

 and are unpalatable. 



Plants over 36 inches in height should be selected for cutting. 

 Those selected should be chopped off at the ground surface and run 

 through a specially constructed machine which cuts or tears the en- 

 tire plant into particles fine enough to be readily eaten by stock. 

 This chopped feed mixed with a small amount of cottonseed meal 

 or similar concentrate is fed to the stock, preferably in large troughs. 



From 15 to 20 pounds of chopped soapweed with 1 to 1J pounds of 

 cottonseed meal daily will maintain the average breeding cow and 

 may improve her condition slowly. 



During 1918 the total operation in handling the soapweed from 

 its native condition on the Jornada Range Reserve to the feed lot cost 

 from $2.27 to $2.78 per ton, not takirig into consideration the initial 

 cost of machinery and equipment. With cottonseed meal at $63.50 

 per ton the cost of maintaining a cow on from 15 to 20 pounds of the 

 mixed feed per day was from $1.46 to $1.95 per month, besides the 

 cost of providing water and salt and of handling of the stock. 



Where cows are very poor when placed on feed, it will probably 

 be profitable to give them a larger ration for 20 or 30 days until they 

 improve in condition sufficiently to be carried on the lighter ration 

 without danger of loss. Stock that have improved on the lighter 

 ration can probably be maintained at a slightly lower cost on a scant 



