230 FIELD CROPS 



than wheat straw. As bedding, it is said to be slightly 

 better as an absorbent of liquids than oat straw. It is also 

 a little higher in fertilizing value than oat straw. 



The by-products of the malting industry, malt sprouts 

 and brewers' grains, are largely used for stock feed in the 

 vicinity of malt-houses, either in the wet or the dried state. 

 The dried sprouts and brewers' grains are more pleasant 

 to handle, and are generally better for feeding. Malt 

 sprouts are the sprouts produced during germination, which 

 are broken off before the soluble starch compounds are 

 extracted. They are high in protein and are a very good 

 feed, particularly for dairy cows. Brewers' grains are the 

 barley or other grains from which the soluble starch has been 

 extracted. Since they contain a large part of the protein 

 that was in the original grain, they are high in feeding value. 

 Like malt sprouts, they are largely used for feeding to dairy 

 cows. Both these feeds can usually be purchased at reason- 

 able prices, and can be used with profit where they are readily 

 obtainable. 



285. Barley for Hay and Pasture. Barley is not often 

 used as a hay crop except in the West and South. The 

 bearded kinds should be cut while the beards are still soft, 

 or they will cause injury to the mouths of animals to which 

 the hay is fed. The beardless varieties are to be preferred 

 for hay production in the region to which they are adapted. 

 Beardless barley is now being grown to some extent in the 

 South as a hay and pasture crop, though conditions are not 

 favorable for the production of grain. Barley hay is high 

 in feeding value, and if cut at the right stage, is relished by 

 stock. Winter barley makes excellent pasture for stock of 

 all kinds both in the fall and the spring within the region to 



