(I. The Feeding Value of Whole Corn Stover 

 Without Grain 



From our four years' study of this problem, it appears 

 chat yearling steers somewhat thin in flesh when fed all the 

 coarse whole field-cured corn stover they would eat would 

 scarcely be able to maintain their weight. The gain or 

 loss per head on this ration for the different seasons is as 

 follows: 



First trial, loss 2 Ibs. 



Second trial, loss 12 u 



Third trial, gain 14 " 



Fourth trial, loss 50 " 



Total loss in 281 days 50 " 



Loss in six months 33 " 



It will be observed that practically all of the loss 

 occurred in the fourth trial, which was conducted under 

 especially unfavorable circumstances. The stover was very 

 coarse and badly leached out, and the weather during the 

 trial was exceptionally unfavorable for all classes of live 

 stock. It was during this period that the only loss in live 

 weight which we had from feeding timothy hay alone 

 occurred. In truth in this winter all of our lots of cattle on 

 roughness alone, with the exception of one having a com- 

 bination of clover and stover, showed a loss in weight. It is 

 quite probable, therefore, that our results are low enough 

 for stover. In fact, under ordinary management steers may 

 be maintained without loss on field-cured corn stover, and 

 under specially good management a gain equal to that re- 

 ported for timothy hay will be possible. But to produce 

 stover of a quality capable of making even a slight gain 

 would entail some sacrifice of the yield of grain perhaps, 

 by cutting it a little earlier than would be necessary where 

 grain is the primary object sought, and it is not that class of 

 stover which we desire to consider in this connection, but 

 such stover as is produced under the average farm condi- 

 tions in Missouri. 



It will be interesting to note the amount of stover eaten 

 and the amount of waste, *as shown by our experiments, all 

 computed on the basis of steers of uniform weight of 750 

 pounds, as was the case with timothy hay. 



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