10 

 HOGS 



Enough hogs were kept behind the cattle to thoroughly work 

 over the droppings. The number in each lot varied slightly accord- 

 ing to the condition of the yards but usually there were five hogs in 

 the first three lots and 10 in the next three, 12 in Lot 7 and 15 in 

 Lot 8 of 1909-10, and there were eight hogs in each lot of 1910-11 

 except in Lot 7 for the first two months, when there were only 

 seven hogs. No grain was fed the hogs in Lots, I, 2, and 3 of 

 1909-10 after the cattle were on full feed and none of the lots of 

 1910-11 received any grain except Lot 7 where grain was fed be- 

 fore the cattle were placed on full feed. The hogs of Lots 4, 5, 6, 7, 

 and 8 of 1909-10 received corn in addition to the droppings. When 

 hogs in any lot became finished they were removed and others put 

 in their places. There were two such drafts before the close of the 

 experiment in 1909-10 and one in 1910-11. 



PARTI 



CORN SILAGE AND CLOVER HAY AS ROUGHAGE FOR FAT- 

 TENING STEERS 



Part I of this bulletin is a report and discussion of 

 the results obtained in trials conducted in 1909-10 and in 1910-11 

 to determine the relative value and the most economical combina- 

 tion of corn silage and clover hay for fattening steers. There is 

 produced upon the farm large quantities of rough feeds that do 

 not bring on the market, prices to justify the removal of such quan- 

 tities of plant food as of necessity accompanies the sale of such 

 products. Therefore, one of the greatest problems to be solved in 

 successful farm management is the disposal of the roughage pro- 

 duced on the farm in such a way as to secure the feeding value 

 and at the same time conserve the plant food therein contained. 

 The use and value of clover hay is pretty well recognized and under- 

 stood but the use and value of the corn sf-alk is neither understood 

 . nor appreciated. It has long been know;i that the stalks contain 

 a very large per cent, of the food nutrients of tl:e corn plant. When 

 harvested^to preserve the grain only, the stalks, either standing or 

 as corn stover, while containing the food nutrients, have them 

 locked in such a way with woody fibre that they are not readily 

 available for animals. The woody parts are not only unpalatable 

 but when eaten require so much energy in digestion that a large 

 part of their value is lost. When harvested, by putting the entire 

 plant into the silo, the plant passes through a process of fermenta- 

 tion that leaves the hard parts of the stalk soft and palatable, and 

 the general effect of summer grass is secured in winter by feeding 

 the corn silage. When fed in the form of silage, the entire corn 

 plant is consumed. 



