SOILAGE VS. PASTURE 

 From Wisconsin Station 



SOILAGE means supplying forage such as grass, clover, alfalfa, green 

 corn, rye, oats, etc., fresh from the fields to animals confined 

 in a yard, shed or stable. 



"Twenty cows kept in stalls, but allowed to exercise in an open 

 yard, were kept on the green crops from 17 acres of land when 50 

 acres had previously been required to sustain them. Three cows 

 were kept during the summer on an excellent blue-grass pasture. 

 During the same period three other cows were maintained in a stable 

 and yard by soilage. The pastured cows consumed the grass from 

 3.7 acres while the soilage cows had the forage from 1.5 acres." The 

 yield of forage was as follows: 



Green Clover, three cuttings 



Green Fodaer Corn 



Green Oats ... 



Waste from the above 



Total green forage eaten from 1.5 acres. 



Pounds 



44,835 

 1,655 



43,180 



This shows that one acre of soilage equals 2^ acres of good blue- 

 grass pasture. 



Grinding Grain for Cows 



The average grain left whole when fed to cows, as given by the 

 Michigan Station, is as follows: 



Corn 



Oats . 



Corn and Oats. 



[Per Cent 



! 22.8 

 12.1 

 2(i.5 



The foregoing would indicate that it is profitable to grind grain 

 for cows, unless they are followed by pigs. The gain made by pigs 

 following cows, fed on whole grain practically absorbs all loss. It 



