A COMPLETE RATION. 223 



ENSILAGE AS A COMPLETE RATION. 



Conceding that the system of ensilage, which we have 

 described, will preserve the grasses in a comparatively fresh 

 state, how shall this process be applied to general stock- 

 feeding, making a complete system by which animals may 

 be grown, yield milk, and be fattened ? 



Ensilage, as generally discussed in this country, has been 

 used to signify preserved green corn. This single food is 

 quite inadequate to the complex wants of the animal sys- 

 tem. It is deficient in albuminoids to nourish the muscu- 

 lar system, and deficient in the phosphates to build the 

 bones. Yet it is a very valuable ingredient in the ration 

 of animals because of the large weight grown upon an 

 acre, and because it is relished by all our farm animals. 

 Some of the grasses and clovers are rich in the elements in 

 which corn is deficient. To make a complete ensilage ra- 

 tion only requires a proper combination of green grasses 

 and clovers with green corn. Corn having the least propor- 

 tion of albuminoids, can seldom be used for more than half 

 of the ration. In the table on next page we give some of 

 the most important of the green foods for ensilaging, and 

 give only the water and digestible nutrients in each. 



There are many other grasses not mentioned in this 

 table, that may also be used ; in fact, all grasses, in their 

 succulent state, make the very best ensilage, and all succu- 

 lent leguminous plants, may be ensilaged with profit ; but 

 this table contains all the plants that will usually be chosen 

 for ensilage. The two German plants, esparsette and sera- 

 della, have not been grown much in this country, but, 

 from the few trials, bid fair to be valuable ensilage plants. 

 From this list a proper ration can be combined for growing 

 young animals, for fattening animals, for producing milk, 

 and growing wool. No one can doubt that these green 

 foods, properly combined, contain every element in the 

 right proportion for all purposes of stock feeding. Where 



