FEEDING DAIRY CATTLE 245 
tion,” roots are often fed to animals on account of their dietetic 
effect, as appetizers, and because of their favorable influence on the 
digestion. 
The silo enables dairy farmers to utilize the large supply of 
feed materials in the corn plant with the least possible loss and 
expense. For this reason, and because of the advantage of having 
a palatable, highly nutritious and relished succulent feed -conve- 
niently at hand throughout the season, the silo is now generally 
regarded as next to a necessity on dairy farms, at least where corn 
is grown. The whole corn plant, ears and all, is, as a rule, run 
through a feed cutter, this having been found the most economical. 
method of handling the crop. The corn is harvested when nearly 
Tipe, and cut into one-half to three-fourth inch lengths in filling 
the silo (p. 156). 
Silage is greatly relished by cows and can be fed in large quanti- 
ties, if made from nearly-matured corn. Ordinarily, the best re- 
sults are obtained when not over 30 to 40 pounds of corn silage 
are fed per head daily, according to the size of the cows, and it is 
always fed with some dry roughage, either hay or corn fodder. 
Since thé corn plant is rich in carbohydrates, protein feeds like 
clover hay, wheat bran, or-oil meal should always be fed with corn 
silage or corn fodder. Clover silage, or silage made from alfalfa, 
grain sorghums, etc., is fed in somewhat smaller quantities than 
corn silage, the daily allowance being less than 25 to 30 pounds per 
head. 
Dry Roughage.—Hay from the grasses or legumes is a common 
coarse cow feed in this and other dairy countries. Harly-cut hay is 
more valuable, ton for ton, than late-cut, but the yield obtained will 
be somewhat lower in the former case. Clover hay, or hay of other 
legumes, stands first in value as dry roughage for dairy cows (Fig. 
50). It is preferably fed long. Pure timothy hay is a poor cow 
feed, especially if late-cut; mixed timothy and clover hay is the 
more valuable for cows the less timothy it contains. Other kinds 
of hay that are fed and relished by dairy stock are oat hay, millet 
hay, sorghum hay, pea hay, etc. Corn stover (cornstalks) and 
corn fodder are fed whole or are cut or shredded on the best-managed 
farms after having been shocked in the field (p. 129). 
Straw of the small grains is not often fed to dairy cows in this 
country, as we have an abundant and cheap supply of roughage in 
cornstalks. Where a quantity of fine, bright oat straw is available, 
it may be fed in moderate quantities, not to exceed one-half the 
weight of total dry roughage fed. 
