Concrete Silos 19 



of cheap corn and other concentrates, little attention 

 was given to the roughage, as it was usually considered 

 merely a "filler" and of very little economic value in 

 feeding. No especial care was taken in selecting any 

 particular kind, nor was the quality of it seriously con- 

 sidered. As the prices of the concentrated feedstuffs 

 advanced, the feeder looked about for methods of 

 cheapening the cost of producing beef, and soon found 

 this could be accomplished by using judgment in select- 

 ing his roughage with respect to the grain fed. This 

 has continued until at the present time the roughage 

 receives as much attention as the concentrated feed, 

 and has been made to take the place of a large amount 

 of the latter. The feeding of silage oame into general 

 use with the advent of expensive grain and is becoming 

 more popular each year. With the present prices of 

 feedstuffs, there is hardly a ration used for feeding cat- 

 tle which cannot be cheapened by the use of this suc- 

 culent feed. By combining it with other feeds, the 

 efficiency of the ration is increased to such an extent 

 that the amount of the daily gains is invariably 

 greater and the cost of producing a pound of gain is 

 lessened. The heaviest daily gains are usually made 

 during the first stage of the feeding period, and silage 

 can then be used to advantage in large quantities with 

 a small amount of grain, but as the feeding progresses 

 the amount of silage should be lessened and the grain 

 increased. In some places the price of hay and stover 

 is so high that the greater the proportion of silage 

 used in the ration the more profitable is the feeding. 



Silage is a quick finishing roughage in that it pro- 

 duces large daily gains and produces a glossy coat and 

 a soft, pliable skin. Moreover, it can be used to advan- 



