THIRTY-EIGHTH ANNUAL CONVENTION 155 



however, reduces the quality of the hay from the standpoint of 

 protein. 



Canada Field Pea and Oats. — These can be grown to ad- 

 vantage by many of our dairymen. They yield well, are palat- 

 able and contain a fair amount of protein. They are excellent 

 crops for early soiling and can be made into hay which is super- 

 ior to timothy or millet for dairy cattle. Like the cowpea, they 

 can be used as a substitute for clover when that crop fails. 

 They are a little difficult to cure as hay because of the large 

 amount of water contained and should be cut for this purpose 

 when the oats is in head, but before it is ripe. 



Millet. — When earlier crops fail, or as a second crop follow- 

 ing some earlier crop, millet can often be used to good advant- 

 age. It does well late in the season, is easily grown, and yields 

 well, but is not very palatable and contains a small amount of 

 protein. In this respect it is similar to corn or sorghum. 



Sorghum. — There are several varieties of sorghum and 

 where it can be grown well, it makes a good roughage. It is 

 sown thickly and cut and cured as hay. If not sown thickly, it 

 becomes coarse with a hard woody covering to the stem. It 

 is delicate when small and slow in starting but grows rapidly 

 later and yields well. It is sometimes used as silage, but this is 

 not advisable when corn can be grown well. Sorghum is also 

 low in protein and must be fed with concentrates high in protein. 

 It should be cut after the heads are well formed but before ripe. 

 Sometimes stunted sorghum or the second growth is fatal to 

 cattle, hence it should be fed with care. 



Succulent Feeds. 



Succulent feeds are those feeds which contain a large per- 

 centage of water and are green or take the place of green feeds. 

 Such feeds tend to keep the bowels of the animals loose, which 

 is natural in cattle ; therefore, they are valuable for feeding with 

 dry feeds during the winter season. 



Silage. — Because of its ease of production, handling and 

 preserving, silage is the most important feed of this class. It 



