160 ILLINOIS STATE DAIRYMEN'S ASSOCIATION. 



to chew without making their mouths sore, in this way saving a 

 small percentage of feed, but the great majority adopt the waste- 

 ful method of turning cattle and horses into the fields after the 

 ears have been husked or snapped off. 



The cattle in this case eat only what there is left of the 

 leaves and the tops, allowing the valuable part of the fodder 

 (the stalks) to go entirely to waste. 



Let the farmer who pursues such methods visit the stockyards 

 in Chicago or St. Louis and study the methods of the beef and 

 pork packers, see how they turn to profit all the waste products 

 of the cattle and hogs they handle, and he will very soon learn 

 that his method pursued in the packing houses would bankrupt 

 the most solvent firm in the business. 



To get the best results, corn should be cut and shocked as 

 soon as it is fully matured, because it then contains its greatest 

 feeding value, at no time in its immature state can its full feed- 

 ing value be obtained, besides, immature corn is not the safest 

 feed for a dairyman to use, especially if he must feed it after 

 fermentation has commenced. - 



It is only necessary to stand in the shock long enough to 

 become dry enough to husk, then it can be husked by hand and 

 the stalks run through the shredder, or it may be husked and 

 shredded at one operation by the same machine. I prefer the 

 latter, as it saves much of the cost of husking and handling of 

 the crop, but in either cisc the shredding is perfect. The entire 

 corn stalk by action of the shredder is torn into long shreds, re- 

 ducing the largest stalks to a fine, soft fodder without any ap- 

 pearance of woody fibre, which is readily consumed by cattle, 

 horses and young stock. The shredded corn goes directly from 

 the shredding machine into the hay barn or floor and if in the 

 right condition when shredded will keep in perfect condition in- 

 definitely without losing any of its properties, or after the lapse 

 of a few days it may be pressed into bales as hay and straw are 

 pressed, and find a ready market in the cities. I have known it 

 to sell, baled, as high as $9 per ton to parties who knew its feed 

 ing value for horses. 



