236 Feeds and Feeding. 



cubic foot of corn silage in a 30-ft. silo weighs 39.6 lbs. Estimating 

 that hay contains 86.8 per ct. and corn silage 26.4 per ct, of dry 

 matter, we have the follomng: 



1 cubic foot of hay in the mow contains 4.34 lbs. of dry matter. 

 1 cubic foot of silage in a 30-ft. silo contains 10.45 lbs. dry matter. 



We learn that a given volume of silage contains nearly 2.5 times 

 as much dry matter as the same volume of hay stored in the mow. 



367. Silage waste. — At the "Wisconsin Station^ King placed about 

 Qo tons of green corn^ forage in 8 layers in a silo lined with galvanized 

 iron, which entirely prevented the passage of air thru its walls. The 

 forage was so placed that the loss incurred in each of the 8 layers 

 after standing from September to March was determined, with the 

 following results: 



Surface layer, 8,934 lbs., lost 32.5 per cent dry matter 



Seventh layer, 8,722 lbs., lost 23.4 per cent dry matter 



Sixth layer, 14,661 lbs., lost 10.3 per cent dry matter 



Fifth layer, 48,801 lbs., lost 2.1 per cent dry matter 



Fourth layer, 13,347 lbs., lost 7.0 per cent dry matter 



Third layer, 7,723 lbs., lost 2.8 per cent dry matter 



Second layer, 12,689 lbs., lost 3.5 per cept dry matter 



Bottom layer, 12,619 lbs., lost 9.5 per cent dry matter 



It is seen that the surface layer of silage lost over 32 per ct. of its 

 original dry matter, while the third layer from the bottom lost 

 less than 3 per ct., showing the importance of air-tight walls and deep 

 silos. 



368. Summer silage. — In many dairy districts summer droughts 

 frequently injure the pastures, greatly reducing the milk flow, and 

 again, many dairymen desire to keep more cows than their pastures 

 will support. These conditions can often best be met by feeding 

 silage in summer. Silage left over from winter may be advanta- 

 geously used in summer, tho it is better to employ a special silo for 

 the purpose. Grisdale of the Ottawa Experimental Farms- writes 

 concerning summer silage: "It was always at hand, no matter what 

 the weather nor how busy the teams and men in the field; it was 

 always in good shape to feed, that is, did not vary in character to 

 such a degree as to affect the digestive organs, as not infrequently 

 happens when soiling crops are fed. It was always palatable and 

 eaten with apparent relish, no matter how much other feed was avail- 

 able. It required a smaller area to furnish a given amount of feed 

 than would have been required had soiling crops been used." The 



1 Bui. 83. ' Ept. 1906, p. 50. 



