40 MISSOURI AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENT STATION BULLETIN 120 



If the ewes are not fed grain during the winter, it is preferable to 

 start feeding grain about a month before the lambing season begins, 

 starting with a small amount about one quarter of a pound of grain 

 per head per day. This will get the ewes accustomed to grain feed- 

 ing so that after lambing they can be fed sufficient grain to maintain 

 milk flow without danger of digestive troubles which usually accom- 

 pany sudden and heavy feeding of grain. 



The grain used in this trial was 6 parts corn, 3 parts bran and 1 

 part linseed oil cake. It proved a very satisfactory grain ration. 



CORN SILAGE vs. CORN STOVER. 



The corn belt farmer of a few years ago did not consider the corn 

 stalks of sufficient value to spend much time and expense in saving 

 them for a winter feed. The stalk-fields were pastured, but no at- 

 tempt was made to utilize them to any great extent. Cheap land 

 and cheap feed made it more economical to utilize only the better 

 quality of hays. The change in farm practices brought about by 

 the higher prices of land and feeds has made advisable the utilization 

 of all the feed grown. Corn stalks are being utilized to a greater ex- 

 tent as a part of the ration for wintering breeding and young stock. 

 The following trials were conducted in order to determine the rela- 

 tive value of silage (which includes the stalk and the ear) as com- 

 pared with stover (stalk cut and cured in the field with the ear re- 

 moved). The data from this trial are presented in three tables. 



Corn Silage and Grain vs. Corn Stover and Grain. The first o f 

 these tables, Table III, shows the results of feeding corn silage and 

 grain as compared with corn stover and grain, the silage and the 

 stover constituting the entire roughness. An effort was made to in- 

 duce Jihe ewes to eat as much of the roughness as was possible. In 

 addition, grain was fed in such quantities as was necessary to keep 

 the ewes in good, thrifty, breeding condition. 



