West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1884-04-25
Value of Straw as Food and Manure.

A correspondent writes that he has al
ways supposed That straw should be
uscu as bedding for animals, or to be
Iroddcn down in the yard by the stock
lof manure, and that this was the best
use To make of it. He thought feeding
II deprived the soil Of its value, as man
ure, and besides, its value as food was
hardly worth considering. But i'm Ger
tain articles advising its use as stock
tood, he saw u different estimate put on
II, and he wishes to know the best use
OF straw, considered as food, or food
and manure.
This is an important inquiry, and il
not well understood by most feeders.
The English method was very generally
to use 1t rs bedding, and to litter The
cattle yards. We remember the report
OF some remarks of the late celebrated
Mech, at an English agricultural meet
ing, some twenty-five years ago. when
he strongly advised feeding all the
straw, As he had found il of half the
value OF hay, and he thought the
manure made from it quite us valuable
a' Ihe straw used rs bedding. Some of
the other English farmers present could
not repress an in"rcdulouS sheer at this
proposal, saying they would as soon
a
great item in keeping UP the hear. OF
the soil But we have no doubt that
Mechl was quite correct, although he
was not able 20 give the scientific
reasons for his practice.
Since then the dige,tibilitv of straw
has been tested carefully. and its com
Paratlve feeding value aScertainpd.
Noih, the German cNpcrimentcr. after
mani trials and analyses, represents il
"a from One-half to two-thirds the value
OF acreage meadow hay i'm caltlc-fced-
ing lie represents average meadow
nay as having feeding value of 81
cents per 100 lbs, and on the same
OASIS he likes Winter-wheaf straw at 81
cents winter-b barley straw ut 80 cents.
summer barley at 81 cents; Oat straw
aI 41 cents; average summer grain
straw at 81 cents per 100 los This
WouIh make the average of straw worth
90 per cent that of meadow hav. So
much for It's feeding value.
Now, let MS see v hat are the PRINCIPAL
elements in straw which give il value rs
a feeding stuff Take, for instance
winter wheat straw: Of the diocstible
elements 3j.6 per cent. are carlo.
hydrates Composed of carton and
Wa'er). only so Of one per cent. of
albuminoids that are digcstiblc. and
D 10 OF lat All the rest j., indige,tible
and passes in the solid droppings. The
only element Il gestcd valuable Tor man
IRE Is S.lu OF one per cent OF aIhumcn-
oids. Tbs would amount to sixteen
pounds i'm "a ton. or one pound OF nit.
rogcn. worth twenty cents The carbo-
hydraieS and fat have no value rs man
urc, because composed wholly OF carbon
ana water, and plants can obtain al
lhc carbon needed from the atmosphere.
but carbon has an important value rs
Iood 1t Keeps up animal heat, and
assists IN laying ON fat This give,
straw IT. value ~ food without ma
,'rIaliy lc,scninE its value a manure.
u IS true that straw has one quality.
when applied to the whole state mo-,
mcnt oncd, and that is, its mechanical
effect II YOU pillow straw into a hraty
SOIL Ut makes 10 lighter. or more
porous This i-, pcrhaps fbc
most valuable Office performed by
straw in the soil The real frtiliziuo
elements Of straw are. substantially. ap'
pied in the manure oil cattle that have
eaten %, and 10 is doubtful if au
economical farmer can afford 10 pillow
100 straw unless ho has more than inc
can feed as 10 is worth. n large dis.
tlci- Of this country. from four io
seven dollar, per ton TO feed and this
would purchase much more value of
Commercial manure 90 apply 90 Che
sol. The manure from q ton OF straw
zen io cattr would bn worth about
7'.ih az the rate that commercial ms
nure are sold
30 Mechi was quite right when he
urged the economy of feeding straw.
ton Of tho best straw IS worth. az
least ten dollars in food and manure
but u merely applied as manure. coul
900 no case Doc worth hall the sum-
Ot coWse. traw is not "a COMPLETE
i'od. and mu Away boz fed with Tic
oc-i clover .ay or with some very
hir'-enYu God. such as oh cake 0r
W'aI. wheat bran, oats peas. etc. But
feeders should study how best tp utilize
every product of The farm. 10 is ly
saving in I'D the little mauef.. so
ca.ic0, that armng can be- made profit
abe u farmer. would look carefully
about them. they would be- quite sur
2usod 10 ind 20 many th.ngs thrown
away taai tncy m ght turn 20 profit
hH.tl/bit Il.I stock Journal