FEEDING ANIMALS 127 



short in feeding value. This is only what one would expect. Milo 

 forage contains 1.9 per cent digestible protein and 42.6 per cent digestible 

 carbohydrates and fat, against 10.4 per cent and 38.2 per cent, respectively, 

 for alfalfa hay. But milo furnishes valuable fodder for milch cows, 

 and is fed extensively to dairy stock. Being low in protein it must, 

 however, be supplemented with feeds that contain a considerable pro- 

 portion of these substances ; otherwise the cows will not receive sufficient 

 protein for body maintenance and the production of the largest amount 

 of milk of which they are capable. A diminution in the milk flow 

 will be likely to result in that case and possibly a shortening of the 

 lactation period. The cheapest supplementary feed in this State would 

 be alfalfa hay, but if this is not available, grain mixtures containing 

 high-protein feeds like mill feeds, cottonseed meal, or oil meal, must be 

 supplied. Even with alfalfa it will be well to add some grain feed to 

 the ration in the case of high-producing cows ; while for milch cows of 

 average productive capacity, the milo heads will furnish sufficient grain 

 fed with milo forage and alfalfa. I would suggest the following grain 

 ration to be fed with milo where no alfalfa is available : A mixture 

 of wheat bran and cottonseed meal in the proportion of 2:1 by weight; 

 or one of barley, wheat, bran and cottonseed meal, equal parts by weight, 

 one pound of the mixture being fed for every 5 pounds of milk which 

 the cows produce. 



There is no danger in feeding horses milo heads or milo forage, 

 nor will the feeding of milo cause sickness or death of hens or hogs. The 

 cause of the trouble which the correspondent reports must be sought 

 in some other factor than the feeding of milo, unless this was moldy and 

 unfit for feeding to stock. F. W. W. 



Pasturing Sorghum. 



You say that second growth sorghum contains prussic acid. I have 

 been experimenting this year with sorghum, milo maize and Kaffir 

 and Egyptian corn, and expected to plant quite largely, especially of the 

 sorghum next year. I cut the first crop and cured it for hay, then 

 expected to pasture the second crop. This is grown without irrigation, 

 consequently makes a slow growth. Would it be safe to pasture this if 

 kept fed down close? And do all of these feeds contain the prussic acid? 



All the plants you mention are sorghums and they are all apt to 

 develop prussic acid under conditions favoring it but, as a matter of 

 fact, they rather seldom do it. For this reason much use is safely made 

 of such growth as you plan to do. One can only tell by analysis near the 

 field whether the stuff is safe or not, because if cut and sent to a distant 

 laboratory, the poison could disappear. The practical test is to turn a 

 small-value animal into the feed for a day or two and determine safety 

 in that way for the rest of the stock. 



Sorghum for Soiling. 



Is sorghum (Egyptian, Kaffir, etc.) valuable for succulent feed for 

 cows in summer, cut and fed green? How many times can same field 



