PART I 



CORN SILAGE AND LEGUMINOUS HAY vs. LEGUMINOUS 

 HAY FOR FATTENING STEERS 



The value of corn silage as compared with clover hay as 

 roughage for fattening steers has been a subject of investigation at 

 this institution for ten years. The object has been to learn the com- 

 parative value of the corn crop in the form of corn silage as com- 

 pared with a roughage secured from a leguminous hay used in the 

 rotation. The trial reported in this bulletin is an exact duplication 

 of the test conducted at the Station in the winter of 1914-15. The 

 trial here reported gives information as to the effect of the addition 

 of corn silage to rations of corn, cottonseed meal, and clover hay 

 .and corn, cottonseed meal, and alfalfa hay. The rations fed were 

 as follows : 



Lot 2. Shelled corn, cottonseed meal 2.5 pounds daily per 

 looo pounds live weight, clover hay. 



Lot 4. Shelled corn, cottonseed meal 2.5 pounds daily per 

 1000 pounds live weight, clover hay, corn silage. 



Lot 3. Shelled corn, cottonseed meal 2.5 pounds daily per 

 looo pounds live weight, alfalfa hay. 



Lot 7. Shelled corn, cottonseed meal 2.5 pounds daily per 

 1000 pounds live weight, alfalfa hay, corn silage. 



The only difference in the rations between Lots 2 and 4 

 and Lots 3 and 7 was the addition of corn silage. Cottonseed meal 

 was fed in all lots in the proportion of 2.5 pounds daily per.iooo 

 pounds live weight. The cattle used in the trial and the method 

 of starting them on feed is reported on page 8. 



DAILY RATION. The influence of the different feeds on the 

 daily consumption of the various constituents of the ration is re- 

 ported by thirty-day periods in Table I. 



As noted in Table I the corn silage in the ration reduced the 

 corn required to have the cattle on full feed. Since the cattle were 

 not given all the grain they would consume until the end of the sec- 

 ond month this reduction in grain consumption by the use of corn 

 silage was much more apparent during the latter part rather than 

 the earlier part of the feeding period. Special attention is called to 

 the saving in hay effected by the use of corn silage. The average 

 daily consumption of hay during any single month did not exceed 

 2.5 pounds daily per steer in either of the lots receiving corn silage. 

 The average amount of hay consumed daily per steer when corn 

 silage was fed was approximately two pounds, whereas, when clover 

 hay alone furnished the roughage the hay consumption was 12.67 

 pounds 'for the entire fattening period and when alfalfa hay was 

 used 11.97 pounds daily per steer. 'The corn silage was consumed 

 in quantities varying from 23.03 pounds to 37.23 pounds in Lot. 4 

 and from 25.50 pounds to 37.37 pounds in Lot 7, the average for 

 the entire period being 28.64 pounds in Lot 4 and 30.81 pounds in 

 Lot 7 daily per steer. It is apparent that the corn silage made a 

 great saving in the other constituents of the ration and practically 

 replaced hay. 



