CHAPTER XXII. 

 FEEDING ENSILAGE. 



AMOUNT OF RATION. 



ENSILAGE is not a perfect food, we are told by the 

 chemist, and to make it so requires (per cubic foot) a 

 few pounds of bran, crushed oats, oil-cake meal, or 

 one feeding a day of cured oats and peas or clover 

 hay. As to the amount of grain to be given with 

 two feedings of ensilage and one of clover hay, that 

 depends entirely what we are feeding for, the dry 

 cattle and young things will thrive on ensilage 

 morning and evening, and clover hay or oats or 

 peas at noon. If it is desirable to make winter but- 

 ter, a ration of the above mixture in the following 

 proportions will be found about right: three parts 

 bran, two parts crushed oats, and one part of oil- 

 cake meal (old process preferred). My experiments 

 with so-called balanced rations have not been as 

 satisfactory in practice as in theory. I am quite 

 satisfied with the above feed. As to the amount of 

 silage to feed morning and night, give all they will 

 eat up clean. The feeder will soon learn how much 

 to give of grain or silage. The best rule is to keep 

 giving grain as long as a cow responds to it. When 



