18 MASS. EXPERIMENT STATION BULLETIN 362 



Summary 



The ensiling of grasses and legumes has reached the practical stage and is 

 being adopted by an increasing number of farmers. For the present, the use of 

 molasses as a preservative seems to be the most economical method of making 

 silage from these crops, although phosphoric acid may also be used for this purpose. 



Any of the annual or perennial grasses or legumes, or the small grains, may be 

 successfully ensiled, provided they are cut at the proper stage of maturity. The 

 best time for first cutting for ensilage in this region seems to be the first two 

 weeks in June. 



The moisture content of the plants should be between 60 and 75 percent, which 

 is the average range for grasses and most legumes cut at early bloom and not 

 allowed to wilt before chopping. Very succulent legumes or grass wet with rain 

 may run as high as 80 percent water. Grass wet with rain should be allowed to 

 dry somewhat before cutting, and very succulent crops should be allowed to 

 wilt in the swath before loading. 



The amount of molasses required depends on the crop. Recommended amounts 

 vary from 40 pounds per ton of green weight for grasses and small grains to 60 

 pounds for mixed grass and clover, and 75-80 pounds for clover, alfalfa, and 

 other legumes. 



Silage from either grasses or legumes is usually higher in protein, fiber, and 

 minerals, and lower in carbohydrates than corn silage. 



Feeding practice is similar to that for corn silage, but large amounts of legume 

 silage should not be fed at first to cows unaccustomed to it. 



Legume silage is fully as palatable to cows as corn silage. Grass silage may 

 not be quite so readily eaten, but as a general rule is cleaned up without waste. 

 Young cattle seem to relish it as well as they do corn silage. 



Probably this type of silage cannot be fed to the entire exclusion of dry hay. 

 When both are fed, cows seem to clean up their allowance better if the silage is 

 fed at one time of day and the hay at another. 



Feeding trials in the Massachusetts State College herd show grass silage to be 

 equal to corn silage and superior to dry hay for milk production. Cows gained 

 more weight on it than they did on dry hay. The fat test of the milk was not 

 significantly different on grass silage and corn silage, but there was somewhat 

 more difference in favor of the grass silage when it was compared with dry hay. 



Vitamin A content of the milk was considerably higher when the cows received 

 grass or legume silage than when they received dry hay, and the flavor of the milk 

 was also superior. 



The rather limited data available indicate that, per unit of dry substance fed 

 out, the cost of producing grass silage is not much different from the cost of grow- 

 ing and harvesting hay — it may be more or less, depending on the season. The 

 fact that grass silage has proved somewhat superior to dry hay for milk produc- 

 tion will offset to a considerable extent any cost differences which may favor hay. 

 Grass silage will generally be less expensive than corn silage. 



Too much should not be expected of this system of storing fodder. It will 

 not make good feed out of poor or overripe hay. It is of definite value in our 

 farming system, but it is doubtful whether it will or should replace ordinary hay- 

 making entirely. It will be of most value for late summer feed when pastures are 

 short, and on heavy, low-lying land better suited to grass than to corn. 



