234 THE MANAGEMENT AND FEEDING OF CATTLE 



occur it is not because of any increase in nutrients, but 

 rather as the result of chemical changes in consequence 

 of which they are more easily digested and assimilated 

 by the animals to which they are to be fed. As a rule, 

 foods begin to deteriorate as soon as they have become 

 fully matured. The process is arrested in part by har- 

 vesting, but in no instances is it so completely arrested, 

 unless when put into a silo, that the product becomes 

 effectively resistant to decay. 



With grain the deterioration is much slower than 

 with fodders, and in some fodders it is much slower 

 than in others. Corn fodders deteriorate more rapidly 

 than the straw of cereals or than hay in any of its 

 varieties. Sorghum deteriorates more quickly than corn. 

 Deterioration is most rapid in such foods as pumpkins, 

 squashes, and certain tubers, as sweet potatoes. Among 

 field roots, some varieties deteriorate much more quickly 

 than others. 



Such being the fact, the aim should be to feed such 

 foods first as deteriorate the most quickly. In this way 

 a larger consumption will be secured than if the foods 

 were fed later, as, in nearly all instances, deterioration 

 brings along with it a lessened palatability in addition 

 to the loss of food nutrients. This would mean that the 

 feeding of sorghum fodders should begin as soon as they 

 are mature, if needed then, that corn fodders should 

 come next in order of use, and that hay fodders should, 

 as far as possible, be reserved for later feeding. Fall 

 turnips should be fed earlier than rutabagas, mangels, 

 or carrots, as their keeping qualities are not equal to 

 those of the latter. 



Sufficiency of food in winter. — When carrying such 

 animals through the winter, it is simply calamitous to 

 have the foods fail before the season of abundance of 

 grasses, hence the wisdom of laying in large supplies of 

 food where this may be possible. Even though the 

 supplies should be sufficient to maintain life in all the 



