CHAPTER XIX 

 MISCELLANEOUS ROUGHAGES 



Roots. — Under this term are included all plants whose 

 roots, tubers, bulbs, or other underground vegetative parts 

 are used for feed. Roots are very succulent in nature, 

 containing from 85 to 90 per cent or more of water. Al- 

 though they are usually classed with the roughages, they 

 have a very high nutritive value. Henry ^ states, '' Roots 

 may be regarded as watered concentrates high in available 

 energy for the dry matter which they contain ... a 

 pound of dry matter in roots has the same feeding value as 

 a pound of corn, wheat, barley, or oats." They may be 

 used to advantage with practically all classes of live stock. 

 They are highly relished and have a peculiarly beneficial 

 effect upon the digestion and general thrift of animals. The 

 only objection to their general use is the cost and difficulty 

 of grooving, harvesting, and storing them. Inasmuch as 

 corn silage is quite similar in nature and gives nearly as good 

 results, it usually can be substituted for roots in general 

 farm feeding, although the latter are almost absolutely 

 necessary in the rations of show animals. 



The most common roots used for stock feeding in this 

 country are mangels (stock beets) and sugar beets. Car- 

 rots, rutabagas, turnips, potatoes, Jerusalem artichokes, 

 chufas, and cassava also are used sometimes. 



1 "Feeds and Feeding," 14th ed., p. 193. 

 296 



