26 BULLETIN 588, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 
held on the Reserve during the summer and winter and were sold for 
May delivery, 1917, at from $2 to $2.50 per head more than was paid 
by the same buyer for other steers of the same age in the vicinity of the 
Reserve. 
_It would seem, therefore, that the increased value of the calves as a 
result of caking more than paid for the cost of feed and feeding, to 
say nothing of the small loss of calves and the advantage to thin 
cows in having their calves weaned early. The total loss of calves 
and yearlings from starvation on the Reserve during 1916 was three 
head, two of which were “dogie”’ calves not fed, and the third appar- 
ently died of starvation in the pastures through failure to come in 
to feed and water. Up to April 1, 1917, equally good results have 
been secured in eliminating loss from starvation. 
a 
PROVIDING ROUGHAGE. 
The feeding of cottonseed cake does not do away with the necessity 
for roughage, either in the form of range forage or in some other form. 
The dry cured forage on the range will usually meet this need, but in 
case of prolonged drought, such as occasionally comes in the south- 
west, the supply of range feed may become exhausted. To meet such 
emergencies, it would be a distinct advantage to accumulate a reserve 
supply of roughage in the form of hay or ensilage durmg the more 
favorable years. 
With this in view, two pit silos, lined with cement, were constructed 
in 1915. In August, one of about 20 tons’ capacity was filled with 
tobosa grass and a small quantity of soap weed. The tobosa grass 
was cut just before it matured and was run through an ensilage ma- 
chine into the silo. Late in the winter of 1916 the silo was opened and 
the ensilage fed to 2-year-old steers and milk cows. Even though the 
stock were thin, they refused to eat the ensilage to any extent. A 
small quantity of tobosa grass was cut and put up as hay. This also 
the stock refused to eat unless starved to it. It is doubtful if tobosa 
grass will be of any real economic value, either as hay or ensilage. 
The other silo has a capacity of about 200tons. In early December, 
1915, about 150 tons of soap weed (Yueca elata) was gathered and 
run through an ensilage cutter into this silo. The top was covered 
with straw and earth and left closed until March, 1916. The silo 
was then opened, and a few poor cows were fed a ration oi the soap- 
weed ensilage once a day. Most of them learned to eat it quickly 
and with relish. About 10 tons of the ensilage was fed with en- 
couraging results. The pit was then closed; it will be opened later, 
when there is need of supplemental feed. 
During the short interval between filling and opening the silo the 
coarse fiber of the soap-weed leaves had softened a good deal; but it 
