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PART H 

 CORN SILAGE AS A ROUGHAGE FOR FATTENING LAMBS 



Part II of this bulletin is a report on the study of the value of 

 rations containing corn silage with other rations similar in every 

 respect except that they contained no silage. Silage has long been 

 considered by dairymen as indispensable and has of late years come 

 to be considered as one of the principal factors operating to keep 

 the beef cattle industry in a prominent position in the corn belt. 

 Clover hay as a feed for fattening lambs has long been appreci- 

 ated, but the corn stalk has not been utilized in such a manner that 

 the highest value has been received for the nutrients therein con- 

 tained. It has long been known that approximately 40 per cent, of 

 the dry matter of the corn plant is found in the stalk. This material 

 is in such condition when cured as stover that a comparatively small 

 per cent, of the actual food nutrients are used by the animal. When 

 the corn plant is harvested by being put into, a silo, it passes through 

 a process of fermentation that renders the hard woody portions of 

 the plant soft and palatable and preserves the succulence of the 

 green feed in such a manner that almost the same effects on the 

 animal are produced by this feed as by a luxuriant pasture. 



The exceedingly good results secured by feeding corn silage to 

 fattening cattle led to trials to test the value of this roughage for 

 fattening lambs. In view of the fact that there are many reports of 

 injury to sheep by molded silage, great care was taken to prevent 

 any spoiled silage from being offered to the lambs. While no bad 

 results were experienced during these trials from feeding silage to 

 sheep or lambs, reports from feeders who have fed silage exten- 

 sively indicate that care must be taken in order to prevent injury 

 from feeding moldy or very acid silage to sheep. 



THE VALUE OF CORN SILAGE FED WITH SHELLED CORN AND 



CLOVER HAY 



The effect of adding corn silage once daily to a ration of shelled 

 corn and clover hay is shown in Table III. In the three trials 

 reported clover hay was fed in the morning and corn silage in the 

 evening. The former roughage was fed in such quantities as would 

 be consumed before time for the next feed and the latter in such 

 quantities as would be eaten within an hour or an hour and a half. 

 A full feed of shelled corn was given twice daily after the first few 

 days. Oats were fed for the first few days while the lambs were, 

 being taught to eat corn. Table III gives comparisons of the fol- 

 lowing rations : 



Shelled corn, and clover hay; 



Shelled corn, clover hay and corn silage. 



