204 SOILING CROPS AND THE SILO. 



They may be fed in a pasture or paddock with 

 much advantage when the surface is well sodded and 

 the ground is in consequence clean. They may also 

 be fed in the cattle manger or pig trough, but when 

 so fed some watchfulness is necessary in cleaning out 

 the loose earth from both manger and trough, that 

 drops off the plants. 



The feeding of the crop may begin at any time 

 after the roots have made a growth somewhat ad- 

 vanced. If the feeding begins too early, there will 

 be a loss of nutriment from want of advancement in 

 the growth of the crop. If such food is fed in excess 

 and more especially at the first, it will induce scouring 

 in the animals so fed. It should only be given to 

 cows in milk after the milk has been withdrawn to 

 avoid taint in the milk. 



These crops can probably be fed with more 

 relative advantage to such animals as calves, sheep 

 and lambs and swine, than to matured cattle. The 

 former consume so much less per animal than the 

 latter that it is more practicable to feed roots to them. 

 As a food factor in feeding growing swine and brood 

 sows, they are peculiarly helpful, more especially 

 when the root portion, that is to say, the edible part of 

 the root, has made large development. But in no 

 case should such food be made the sole factor in 

 feeding any kind of live stock. 



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