26 BULLETIN- 588, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



held on the Reserve during the summer and winter and were sold for 

 May delivery, 1917, at from $2 to $2.50 per head more than was paid 

 by the same buyer for other steers of the same age in the vicinity of the 

 Reserve. 



It would seem, therefore, that the increased value of the calves as a 

 result of caking more than paid for the cost of feed and feeding, to 

 say nothing of the small loss of calves and the advantage to thin 

 cows in having their calves weaned early. The total loss of calves 

 and yearlings from starvation on the Reserve during 1916 was three 

 head, two of which were "dogie" calves not fed, and the third appar- 

 ently died of starvation in the pastures through failure to come in 

 to feed and water. Up to April 1, 1917, equally good results have 

 been secured in eliminating loss from starvation. 



PROVIDING ROUGHAGE. 



The feeding of cottonseed cake does not do away with the necessity 

 for roughage, either in the form of range forage or in some other form. 

 The dry cured forage on the range will usually meet this need, but in 

 case of prolonged drought, sucli as occasionally comes in the south- 

 west, the supply of range feed may become exhausted. To meet such 

 emergencies, it would be a distinct advantage to accumulate a reserve 

 supply of roughage in the form of hay or ensilage during the more 

 favorable ytears. 



With this in view, two pit silos, lined with cement, were constructed 

 in 1915. In August, one of about 20 tons' capacity was filled with 

 tobosa grass and a small quantity of soap weed. The tobosa grass 

 was cut just before it matured and was run through an ensilage ma- 

 chine into the silo. Late in the winter of 1916 the silo was opened and 

 the ensilage fed to 2-year-old steers and milk cows. Even though the 

 stock were thin, they refused to eat the ensilage to any extent. A 

 small quantity of tobosa grass was cut and put up as hay. This also 

 the stock refused to eat unless starved to it. It is doubtful if tobosa 

 grass will be of any real economic value, either as hay or ensilage. 



The other silo has a capacity of about 200 tons. In early December, 

 1915, about 150 tons of soap weed (Yucca elata) was gathered and 

 run through an ensilage cutter into this silo. The top was covered 

 with straw and earth and left closed until March, 1916. The silo 

 was then opened, and a few poor cows were fed a ration of the soap- 

 weed ensilage once a day. Most of them learned to eat it quickly 

 and with relish. About 10 tons of the ensilage was fed with en- 

 couraging results. The pit was then closed; it will be opened later, 

 when there is need of supplemental feed. 



During the short interval between filling and opening the silo the 

 coarse fiber of the soap-weed leaves had softened a good deal; but it 



