10 



The amount of effective precipitation from May to October largely 

 determines the carrying capacity of a ranch. Where the monthly 

 rainfall fails below about 2 inches, the precipitation commonly occurs 

 in small showers and, the moisture is for the most part lost. On 

 nearly all Hawaiian ranches there occurs a shortage of feed, during 

 the summer and early fall months. Although knowing the advisa- 

 bility of alternating and resting the paddocks, the manager is often 

 given no choice but must use all available feed in order to prevent the 

 loss of his cattle. At this time grasses, sedges, and miscellaneous 

 forage plants which are usually not relished by live stock are readily 

 eaten, and are therefore to be considered of value. As an example, 

 Hilo grass is the means whereby hundreds of cattle are enabled, to 

 live over the period of scarcity; prickly pear, too, becomes an im- 

 portant factor. It is very fortunate that the algaroba fruits at this 

 season and thus helps out in critical periods. Some ranchers are 

 preparing to store feed against this time of need. On the Parker 

 ranch there is now storage room for 1,500 tons of silage, enough to 

 furnish 1,000 head of cattle 25 pounds per day for 120 days. The 

 erection of more silos is contemplated. The Cornwell ranch, Erehwon 

 and Mokuleia dairies, Raymond ranch, and others have now provided 

 similar storage. On Molokai there is a considerable acreage planted 

 each year in corn, and the stover is shredded and baled because in 

 this form it is possible to haul it several miles to the cattle when they 

 are feeding upon algaroba beans and require roughage to balance 

 their diet. 



Crops which could be grown to supplement pastures include sor- 

 ghum, Kafir corn, milo maize, mangel-wurzel, sugar beet, and cassava, 

 one or more of which should prove satisfactory in the different parts 

 of the Territory. Alfalfa would prove a great benefit, since it grows 

 readily, but it is not always easily cured for baling. 



The possible shortage of summer feed is something which all the 

 stockmen of the drier districts now plan, but there is another shortage 

 which at times has caused great loss. When the precipitation during 

 the rainy season falls far below normal the annual weeds and grasses 

 make no growth. Under this condition, the growing of supplement- 

 ary crops is hazardous or impossible and there is little else to do but 

 to reduce the size of the herds. 



COMPOSITION OF SOME HAWAIIAN FEEDS. 



In 1906 the Hawaii Experiment Station published a bulletin upon 

 the Composition of Some Hawaiian Feeding Stuffs, by E. C. Shorey. 1 

 In later publications analyses of various grasses have been reported 

 in addition. 2 The following table gives some analyses taken from 



1 Hawaii Sta. Bui. 13. 2 Hawaii Sta. Kpts. 1907, p. 63; 1908, p. 58. 



