A STUDY OF ENSILING A MIXTURE OF SUDAN GRASS 
WITH A LEGUME 1 
By P. A. Wright, Assistant Chemist , and R. H. Shaw, Chemist, Research Labora¬ 
tories, Dairy Division, Bureau of Animal Industry, United States Department of 
Agriculture 
OUTLINE OF EXPERIMENT 
This paper reports a study of ensiling a silage crop high in protein and low in 
carbohydrates, mixed with one low in protein and high in carbohydrates, to 
determine whether such a mixture makes better silage than the same crop& 
ensiled separately. 
Two legumes, soybeans and cowpeas, were the high-protein crops used, and 
Sudan grass was the low-protein, high-carbohydrate crop. 
Experimental silos were filled with each of the crops alone, with a mixture of 
Sudan grass and soybeans, and with a mixture of Sudan grass and cowpeas- 
The silage was rated on the basis of keeping quality, palatability, chemical 
composition, and loss in food constituents. 
PREVIOUS INVESTIGATIONS 
*• 
It is a common practice in many sections of the country to mix together two 
different silage crops, one as supplement to the other, supplying in greater 
amount what the other lacks in certain feed constituents. The usual combina¬ 
tion is a material rich in fermentable carbohydrates but low in protein, like corn; 
with one rich in protein, like the legumes. Typical combinations are oats and 
peas, corn and soybeans, sweet sorghum and alfalfa. 
Sudan grass, soybeans, and cowpeas have all been ensiled, both alone and in 
combination with other crops. Sudan grass has been ensiled alone by Francis: 
and Friedemann 2 at the Oklahoma Experiment Station; Sudan grass, soybeans,, 
and cowpeas have been ensiled alone with success at the Missouri Experiment 
Station by Eckles, 3 and Sudan grass has been ensiled with rape with satis¬ 
factory results by Lamb and Eward 4 at the Iowa Experiment Station. Soy¬ 
beans have been ensiled with corn frequently, but most recently by Dvorachek 
and Mason 5 at the Arkansas Experiment Station, who state that a silage 10 
per cent more valuable was obtained by drilling in soybeans with corn and 
ensiling them together than by using corn alone. 
1 Received for publication April 18, 1924. 
3 Francis, C. K., and Friedemann, W. G. Sudan grass silage. Okla. Agr. Exp. Sta. Bui. 115,. 
8 p., illus. 1917. 
3 Eckles, C. H. legumes, Sudan grass and cereal crops for silage. Mo. Agr. Exp. Sta. Bui, 
162, 25 p. 1919. 
* Lamb, A. R., and Eward, J. M. rape as material for silage. Jour. Agr. Research. 6:527-533. 1916» 
6 Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station, better silage by adding a legume. Ark. Agr. 
Exp. Sta. Bui. 181: 60-61. 1922. 
Journal of Agricultural Research, 
Washington, D. C. 
( 255 ) 
Vol. XXVIII, No. a 
Apr. 19,1924 
Key No. A-73 
