458 SECTIONAL TRANSACTIONS.—M. 
are about six times the cost of conserving the same crop (oats and tares) by 
drying. If the expenses of producing the crop are included the total cost (per 
acre) of silage is about double that of hay. 
The nature and extent of the deterioration in ensilage may be inferred 
from analyses. Results recently obtained by the author were as follows : 
Oats and Tares. Albd. Fat. N-free Ext. Fibre. Ash. Water. 
Original Fodder 4 . 1:98 0-21 7:97 4:98 1:45 83°5 
Silage from same . . 2:08 0°25 3°54 6:07 3°36 84:7 
The alteration in the percentage of ash corresponds to a loss of 65.7 per cent. 
of the original organic matter, comprising 54.7 per cent. of the albd., 48.8 per 
cent. of the fat, 80.8 per cent. of the N-free ext., and 47.2 per cent. of the 
fibre. The following analyses by Grandeau have been quoted to show how 
slight is the alteration in composition : 
Maize. Albd. Fat. N-free Ext. Fibre. Ash. Water. Acid. 
Original . Bree bee 0°25 10.99 4:98 1:29 81:28 — 
Silage ; . 1°24 0°36 9°73 4°91 2°25 81:28 0°23 
The alteration in the percentage of ash corresponds to a loss of 45.6 per 
cent. of the original organic matter. This loss is above the average; the 
previous case is extreme. The actual loss varies widely ; the average is probably 
about one-third in the case of oats and tares and about one-fifth in the case of 
maize. In all cases the loss falls most heavily upon the constituents of the 
N-free extract, i.e. upon the most readily digestible constituents of the food. 
The relative increase in the more resistant fibre lowers the nutritive value of 
the remainder. Haymaking also is subject to risk. The losses are similar in 
character, but the average loss in haymaking is less than the average in ensilage. 
The notion that farmers can save money by dispensing with root crops and 
substituting silage in the rations of animals is a fallacy. The larger part of 
the expenses of root growing is attributable to fallowing operations, and should 
be spread over the whole rotation. Discontinuance of root growing would 
appear to involve a return to the system of bare fallow. If silage can be 
sately substituted for roots there is no apparent reason why the same fodder 
conserved by drying (hay) should not be substituted instead. It is well known 
that this cannot be done unless the resulting deficiency be made good by addi- 
tional cake or meal, for the dry matter of roots has twice the nutritive value 
of an equal weight of dry matter in hay and silage. The fact that silage and 
roots are both succulent fodders is irrelevant. Cakes and meals which, like 
hay, are also dry can be substituted for roots because they are of similar 
dynamic value. 
The widespread impression that the allowance of cake may be reduced if 
silage be substituted for roots is mistaken. The exact contrary is the truth, 
except in the rare case in which the original ration contains only the minimum 
of protein. It is estimated that a cow of 1,000 lb. live weight producing 
24 gallons of milk would require about 12 lb. of starch equivalent. If silage 
be substituted for roots in proportion to the amount of dry matter the amount 
of cake required to complete the ration would be 7.7 Ib. instead of 5.5 lb., as 
shown in the tabular statement below (o =starch equivalent per Ib.) : 
lb. o Total. lb. o Total. 
Roots. SSO tee 40ii——aa Silage. . 40 x 10=40 
Hay and Straw 10 x °:25 = 2°5 Hay and Straw 10 x ‘25 = 2°5 
Dec. Cake . 55x ‘71 = 39 Dec. Cake ayn 08 Tse 
12-0 12-0 
Digestible Protein - . 2°31)| Digestible Protein = Lag 
Total Dry Matter : Seer) Total Dry Matter : . 25:3 
The silage ration contains more protein than the roots ration; but, as only 
about 14 1b. is required, the latter contains more than enough. 
In the afternoon an excursion took place to the Plant Breeding 
station and Neighbouring Farms. 
a 
* 
Bd 
» | 
eo 
