Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1893-09-08
STATE AGRICULTURAL
EXPERIMENT STATION,
RTpIISaToS VI 1903 \


were divides into four exactly even
Pun IS.
One-fourth was run through the cut
ter and cut into quarter inch pieces and
put into the silo ears end all. This was
called whole cnsilaye."
The second quarter, called "stover en-
silage," had the cars picked off in the
field, then the stalks ran through the
cutter and put into another silo. The
ears, after living on the ground for few
days, were brought to the barn, husked,
and the ears dried and ground into cob
meal. The husks were run through the
cutter and. together with the meal, fed
to the COWS that were eating the stovcr
ensilage.
The third part, called the corn fod-
der" was placed in large stocks near the
barn, the top Of the stocks being bound
very tightly SO as to shed rain and snow,
and as fast Us needed this corn fodder
was taken into the barn, run through
the cutter aud fed ears and all together.
The Inst quarter, called the "corI sto-
NCI, Was NIthbtb biIC ohiiS 80 Wv wa a.
fodder, except when it was taken into
the barn the ears were picked off, dried
and ground, and the resulting meal fed
at the same time with the cut stalks.
Twelve COWS were used, divided into
four groups, and the manner of feeding
was SO arranged that each COW was fed
Mt one time or another on each of the
four portions, and Mt tho end Of the ex-
pertinent, which lasted five months, there
had been the same number of cows for
the same number of days on each one Of
the four portions.
Each COW was given 10 pounds Of very
fine clover rowcn, three pounds Of whe"t
bran and two pounds Of cornmeal dali;
and in addition all she would eat Of the
fodder corn in some form or other.
The experiment went through very
successfully. The corn kept well in all
tho different ways, was relished and vel
eaten by the cows, and none of the COWS
wns sick or even of her feed during
the whole FIVE months. Every milking
was weighed and the milk analysed fol
"a milkings out of each feeding period
which lasted % days. Full records were
kept Of weights as harvested, amounts
fed, orts and residues, with very large
plumber Of samples for chemical analy
sis, The results, briefly stated, are n!
follows:
Dry Matter Saved.
The whole ensilage lost Is par cent o
the dry matter in the original crop a
harvested-that is, there was saved 70
feedings2 pounds of dry matter for ever.
100 pounds in the original crop as har
vested The stover ensilage lost 81 pc
cent Of dry matter, the corn fodder 4
per cent and the corn stovcr II per cent
average of all, IS per cent. Three OF tn
methods, therefore. gave almost identi
cal results. Tho slightly better showing
Of the corn slower over the corn fodde
can DO for by its being brough
into the barn from week to 10 da.'
earlier each time for husking. Tn
slower ensilage showed the largest loss
and this loss seems to have been due t
, the heavy rains that fell on the ears an
husks while they were lying in the feel
before they were brought to the barn.
The stalks of the slower ensilage KEY
Just about rs we'll in the silo rs tn
whole ensilage. The same result wa
found in q similar experiment two year
: ago.. c., that stocked corn fodder Ut
} der the best conditions kept with as Iii
: tie loss as good ensilage. But while tt
$ ensilage in this experiment was handle
! with no more care than Is given by mos
farmers with silos the stocked fodde
was treated much more carefully tina
Is ordinarily done on the farm, and til
losses here given of 10 per cent ar. prol
S ably much less than those usually 0,
perienccd in this state.
Results Of Feeding.
= There was essentially the same retur
D in milk, total solids and fat from II
! four methods of handling the corn crol
These results will probably be surpri'
" to many who would expect to see the ei
silage surpass the stocked fodder, IN
more Of surprise to the still large
v number who would expect decidedly be
II ter returns where the corn was huskc
c and ground than where it was fed who
r on tho ear or put whole into the silo.
milk yield the whole ensilage does Il
best and the slower ensilage tho poores
9 but these differences are only 3.3 p,
cent or one-thirtieth Of the total yiel
1t would be difficult to get any closer r
suits If the cows had been fed witho,
change Of rations during the entire vii
ter.
Even these slight differences disappe,
;. II the average Of the two ensilages
:, compared with that Of the two stookC
u folders, or If the average of the tw
/ parts in which the ears were separat,
r from the stalks and fed as meal is cor
5, pared with the average Of the parts
d which the ears and stalks were fed t
y gether without grinding. The result
. may be fairly interpreted to mean tn
ull four ways of handling the corn Gre
! preserve it in good palatable conditio
i and II the cows are allowed to eat O
1t they want they will give about the san
& return during the same number Of da
D. from each method,
,e There WAS also no essential differen
!. in the quality Of the milk from the
, four methods, either in total solids, (
= or solids not fat.
u, Amount Eaten by the Cows.
" The cows were given all they wante
d. and it Is fair to presume that they a
lie enough to satisfy the demands of Il
a system. II the fodder was less diges
n. BILE or nourishing, they ate more of
y. and when less quantity of differe
. kind supplied their needs they dropp
o. off in the amount they took. There W
T. quite q decided difference in the amou
he Of dry matter eaten per day per COW
h oil of the different kinds of fodder. r.
in cows on whole ensilage consumed on {
80 average 0. 10 pounds Of dry matter fro