FINISHING CATTLE IN THE STALL OR SHED I47 



sweet sorghum, should not be ensiled until nearly 

 matured or the ensilage will be unduly acid. The value 

 of corn silage for fattening steers is enhanced by in- 

 crease in the proportion of the grain which it possesses. 

 For furnishing a part of the roughage it is preferably 

 the cheapest food that can be fed. The loss in nutrients 

 is less than in fodder corn. There is no loss in pala- 

 tability with the latter as with the former, and it is more 

 easily handled when fed. The succulence exerts a favor- 

 able influence on digestion, and feeding it increases the 

 percentage of water in the meat, which is to be desired, 

 unless in the later stages of the fattening. So valuable 

 is it as a factor in fattening cattle, that those who engage 

 in the work from 3'ear to year in corn-growing areas 

 should never rest content without providing every year 

 a liberal supply of corn ensilage. 



Silage should not be fed as the sole roughage to 

 cattle being fattened. AVhen of good quality and fed 

 along with meal, they will make satisfactory gains, but 

 the author found that when feeding it thus at the Ontario 

 experiment station there was present the hazard of diges- 

 tive derangement, which, in two instances out of six, 

 proved fatal under prolonged feeding. Good silage may- 

 be fed with perfect safety, however, to steers weighing 

 1,000 pounds at the rate of 30 to 40 pounds daily through 

 the entire period of feeding. This will, of course, so 

 far lessen the consumption of dry fodder, and it will 

 effect a saving of 3 or 4 pounds daily in the amount of 

 meal fed down to no saving, as the ensilage has in it 

 much or little grain. 



Succulence in the form of field roots is furnished 

 chiefly by rutabagas, mangels, and sugar beets. Be- 

 cause of the greater cost in growing sugar beets as com- 

 pared with mangels, it will pay best to feed the latter 

 as pulp after the sugar has been extracted. (See page 

 148. ) Experiments have shown that considerably more 

 dry matter may usually be obtained an acre from corn 



