218 MANUAL OF FARM ANIMALS 



example, if one had a few cows only and fed but twenty pounds 

 per head and day, the silage would be likely to spoil on top, 

 in which case it would be necessary to feed it faster. 



There are many ways of procuring succulent foods, such as 

 preserving green foods in the silo, raising of roots and tubers, 

 procuring refuse from the breweries, distilleries, and sugar fac- 

 tories, and soiling. 



Silage. — Green food preserved in the silo is coming to be a 

 very common succulence for the dairy cow. While there are 

 many green plants, such as alfalfa, clover, cowpea vines, and 

 the like, preserved in this way, yet corn is by far the most im- 

 portant silage crop. No other plant will furnish nearly so much 

 silage per acre as corn. All silage contains a very high per- 

 centage of water, and for this reason is bulky. As a succulent 

 food for milking cows, good corn silage is hard to improve on. 

 It is very palatable, readily digestible, and stimulates the flow 

 of milk second only to grass. 



Roots and tubers. — When the construction of a silo is not 

 convenient, one can procure a very good succulent food by 

 raising roots and tubers. While there are many roots and 

 tubers, such as potatoes, beets, flat turnips, rutabagas, and the 

 like, that may be grown, mangels are by far the most important 

 root-crop as a succulent food for cattle. These roots all possess 

 a very high percentage of water, even more than silage. As a 

 succulent food for the milking cow they are excellent, being 

 palatable, almost entirely digestible, and stimulating the flow 

 of milk. While the amount that may be fed varies according 

 to conditions, the same as in silage, one may feed from 35 to 50 

 pounds daily per 1000 pounds of live weight. 



Soiling. — As we have already seen, soiling consists of cut- 

 ting green crops and feeding them fresh. Successful and 

 economical soiling means furnishing to the milking cow a sup- 

 ply of green forage during the growing season. It means that 

 crops and areas must be so arranged that one green crop will 



