Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1876-01-13
& 4arm ann bouseboIO.
&aa. a,i Potatoes :or Feeding s.o:k.

Gaa! a,i Potatoes :or Feeding s.o:k.
In answer TO inquiries, concerning the
value ofeorn and potatoes'aS feed for stock,
Prof. L. b. Arnold replies as follows:
About the year 1860, Phillip Lazele, of
Stockton, Chatauqua County. one of the
substantial citizens of that town, began on
the first Jay of January to feed his COW on
three quarts OF corn meal per day, in three
feeds of one quart each. the meal being
scalded. Not particle Of anything else
"aS given except water. Without feeling
any positive assurance as TO the result.
thi> experiment was entered upon TO stave
oil. Tor the time. paying S34 to $40 ton
FOR hay-a price which scarcity had fixed
upon it. The condition OF the animal was
closely watched, and being satisfied that
She was being as we'll sustained in flesh
and yigor a. when fed on hay. he continued
Aer feed without variation till she came in
about the middle of April. Soon after that
event he increased her feed to five quarts
of meal per day scalded and fed as before,
and thus he continued till grass came. 10
coarse fodder of any kind being;giyen dur
ing the whole time.
In a recent interview with mfr. Lazelle,
in regard to this experiment, was assured
that the flow of milk from the time she
came in ill the grass came was fully equal
10 what it was in years before and after,
when she had all the good hay she coul
use and feed OF neal besides. and that
her flesh, strength and vigor suffered no
abatement by tae change in. the quality and
amount of food. From 4 scarcity and high
price of hay h0.has once since repeated the
same experiment with equally favorable
results.
It was this example of Mr. Lazellc's
copied recently by his neighbor, l.. W.
Miller, which has brought the name of the
latter SO prominently before the farming
public for his unique practice OF wintering
herd OF cows on nothing but meal lin
which he seems TO have been as success ful
ss the pattern from which he copied. do
aot remember the weight of Mr. Lazelle's
cows. if it was stated, but Mr.. Miller's
cows have seen. They are large. fine
looking cows for common stock | should
estimate their live weight at an average OF
1000 pounds or more per head. Aud,yet
these large animals. have been as well su>-
tanned on three quarts of corn meal per day
a on all the good haY.they could 'eat
which | am sure would not be less than
twenty pounds day.
The practical effec, Of feeding potatoes
aS substitute for hay. points also, but il
!es, conSpicious way, to boss from iudi-
sesIlbility ia the hay. Whsn the theoret-
icll values Of hay and potatoes are COM
pared, il appears that over three hundred
barrels of potatoes would be required to
equal in feeding value 100 pounds OF Eug-
i.h hay. But when tested practically. 200
pounds OF potatoes are equal to 100 pounds
of hay. Two to one may be regarded as
safe rule in estimating the relative value
OF potatoes and haydn wintering neat
stock. i've out OF the seven experimenter>
quoted by Flint having put them in that re-
latiou.
hay should vary in different localities a.
the price OF hay runs up and down. Where I
hay is $50 ton as it usually is near Bos- |
ton, bushel of 60 pound. would be worth |
~ cents. As a substitute for meal in fat
teniog beef, potatoes would be to meal. |
theoretically. about a II to l. but when |
fed in connection with meal and is a par
tiai substitute for Ii, practically their ratio
By weight i less than , to /. potatoes hav-
in- The advantage in perfection Of diges-
ton, and from their influence upon the
other food taken with them.
With meal at 81 per 100 pounds. potatoes
would be worth about - cents a bushel
iney have similar value when fed with
meal to mich cows. When used as a sub
stitute for bran as food for producing
milk. they do not pay very well. Bran from
wheat or rye is better food for milk than
corn meal, when equal weights are taken
and both are perfectly dge,ted. Bran
loses in comparison with meal. because
6eingImore bulky les 5 OF it is taken than the
feeder is apt to suppose. A given measure
OF meal weighs not far from three times as
much as bran. Two quarts of meal would
be thought almoderate feed for COW, but
six quarts of bran would be thought large
one.
When havei fed bran and meal by
weight have got as good results from one
as the other, both being given raw. When
both have been scalded. the bran has given
the most milk. Though bran is richer in
the elements of milk than corn meal. it is .
not, when fed raw, SO easily or perfectly
digested as meal. 1t is for this reason that
when both are fed raw their results in milk
are so nearly alike. When both are cook
ed, both are perfectly digested, and bran !,
hen shows its superiority. as a milk-pro-
iucing food. The price of bran in compar-
son to meal and potatoes and with its ca
,acity for producing milk is so low that
potatoes can hardly compete with it.