The Maryville times. (Maryville, Tenn.) 1884-1944, 1890-03-12

corn fodder Is worth just about seven
eighths as much as ton Of timothy
hay, as measured by the results OBJ
tanned in digestible trials. We can not
compare fodder with clover hay satisfac-
torily, because the clover hay is nearly
three times as rich in proteine as the
corn fodder, while 1t contains only
about ten per cent. more carbohydrates.
The table shows that Prof. Armsby
tanned nearly twenty per cent. more
digestible proteine, over fifty per cent
more digestible carbohydrates and ten
per cent more fat than ton of timothy
hay. In Iowa, where there is yield of
fifty bushels Of shelled corn per acre,
there must be fully two tons Of field
cured corn-stalks per acre, which, by
the above figures, may be said to be
worth about fve-sevenths Of that many
pounds of hay.
So much for the subject when studied
from the chemical side together with
actual digestion trials. Inever feel sat
isfied, however, with the mere chemical
statement in questions Of this nature,
though believe much light is thrown
upon such practical subjects by the in
vestigations of the chemist. Very fort
unately we have fed corn stalks in
actual competition with hay, and our
results will enable us to approach the
subject from the practical side. In our
feeding trials one lot of cows received
corn fodder, fed long, while another lot
received mixed clover and timothy hay.
After feeding for time and carefully
noting the results we changed the feed
for the lots so as toeliminate individual
difference so far as possible. With the
stalks and hay were fed limited amounts
Of corn-meal and bran, giving about the
same amount per COW per day to both
lots of animals. The following table is
deduced from actual results in the
stable. Be it understood that the corn
stalks had The ears husked from them
before feeding:
Food required for 100 lbs. of milk
when feeding corn-stalks--19S lbs. OF
corn-stalks, 25 lbs of corn-meal and 81
lbs. of wheat bran.
Food required for 100 lbs. of milk
when feeding mixed hay-T lbs. OF
mixed hay, 26 lbs. of corn-meal and SO
lbs. of wheat bran.
Food required for 100 lbs. of milk
when feeding clover hay-6O lbs. Of
clover hay, 20 lbs. of corn-meal and 81
| lbs. of wheat bran.
Here we find that 1893 lbs. of corn
stalks fed long, together with certain
amount Of grain, produced 100 lbs. Of
milk, while with the same cows under
the same conditions II lbs. of mixed hay
or go lbs. of clover hay, with practically
the same amount of grain, produced 1Ot
lbs. of milk. These trials show thai
corn-stalks fed long have 81 per cent o.
the value of mixed hay. In the trials
however, we found that "a per cent o.
the weight of our fodder remained un
| eaten.
Carefully conducted trials at late1
period showed that by the use of the
feed-cutter corn-stalks can be reduced
to such fineness that they are wholly
consumed by cows on such trials a.
these; and further, that the saving O
fodder by the use of the feed-cutter i.
fully equal to the weight of stalks saved
thereby. Had we fed cut instead O
long fodder, then 1913 lbs, instead o
1913 lbs, would have sufiiced with tn,
grain for producing 100 lbs. of milk
Actual feeding trials at this station
then, show that 81 lbs. of mixed Ia,
equal 100 lbs. of uncut corn-stalks, or s
lbs. of mixed hay equal 100 lbs. of fine
ly-cut corn-stalks. An acre of corn
stalks, then, when uncut is worth L. AS
lbs. of mixed hay, and when reduced t.
fineness by the feed-cutter is wortl
2,aoo lbs. of mixed hay. This gives
value to the stalk-fields OF SS.6S per acr,
in the first case, and S. in the second
breeders Gazette.