198 FEEDS AND FEEDING, ABRIDGED 



tageous to stock, especially cattle and sheep, as it reduces the danger 

 from bloat. Animals on rape should be freely supplied with salt, as 

 this tends to check any undue laxative effect. 



Cabbage. — Cabbage is little grown for stock feeding in this coun- 

 try, because of the labor required in its cultivation. It is sometimes 

 fed to milch cows, and is a favorite with shepherds when preparing 

 stock for exhibition. 



Kohlrabi. — Tho yielding less than the rutabaga, kohlrabi, another 

 member of the cabbage family, can be grown wherever the former 

 thrives. Since the thickened, turnip-like stem stands well above 

 ground, it is readily pastured by sheep. Kohlrabi has not been known 

 to taint the milk, when fed to dairy cows. 



Kale. — This cabbage-like plant, which does not form heads, is grown 

 extensively in AVashington and Oregon, where it is considered the 

 best soiling crop for dairy cows. Yields of 35 to 45 tons and even 

 more are secured on rich soil. In the mild climate of that section 

 kale is fed from October to April, as it endures frost. Unless fed 

 after milking it may taint the milk of cows. Kale is also excellent 

 for sheep and swine. 



Pumpkin, squash, and melon. — Pumpkins are often planted in 

 corn fields and the fruits used as relishes for stock. For dairy cows 

 2.5 tons of pumpkins, including seeds, are equal to 1 ton of corn 

 silage. . Tho often cooked for pigs, raw pumpkins give just as good 

 results. The seeds of pumpkins, sometimes removed thru a mistaken 

 idea that they are harmful, are full of nutriment and should not be 

 wasted. With pigs, they act as a vermifuge and put the digestive or- 

 gans in good condition. As the seeds are rich in protein and oil, eat- 

 ing an excess may cause digestive disturbances. Squashes and 

 melons, especially citrons, are also fed to stock. 



Apples and other fruits. — Windfall apples, pears, peaches, plums, 

 oranges, figs, etc., may often be fed advantageously to stock, and with 

 an unprofitable fruit market even sound fruit may be thus utilized. 

 The chief nutrients of fruits are the sugars, and, since they are all 

 low in protein, they should be fed with protein-rich feeds. For dairy 

 cows apples have 40 per ct. of the value of corn silage, while apple 

 pomace is almost equal to it. When fed with shorts and skim milk 

 to pigs, 100 lbs. of apples have equalled from 9 to 15 lbs. of concen- 

 trates.^ 



Sagebrush, saltbush, and the greasewoods. — These plants of the 

 desert flourish on the western plains where drought, alkali, and com- 

 mon salt shut out most of the ordinary forage crops. On many ranges 

 they furnish much of the feed consumed by stock. The Australian 



lUtah Bui. 101. 



