The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1895-10-18

a Stock Food, and should
BE Protected Against Exposure.

nc frOtected Against Exposure.
H.. A; Huston. Chemist at Purdue Ag-
riculturai Experiment Station.
The unusually small hay crop of the pres
ent year has directed the attention of
feeders to the most valuable of all az
rlcuitural side products Of our State-corn
dodoer, or more properly, the corn slower.
The custom has been to leave most of
this valuable feed standing i'm the field
ana let stock take what they would of it.
AFTER II had been exposed to the frosts
and storms. Experiments have repeatedly
shown that well cured corn slower is fully
as valuable for feeding. purposes as good
timothy hay. This conclusion is the result
OF practical feeding experiments carefully
conducted.
The custom of allowing the fodder to
stand in the field exposed to the weather,
results in a two-fold loss; the feed becomes
dry and unpalatable as compared with well
s eq %a fodder' and, and there loss d Is also all a great a loss
mechanical from the breaking up OF the
leaves and from the destruction
OF the constituents OF the fodder. About
one-half OF the total feed in the fodder is
found in the portion of the stalk below
the ear. Practically all of this and a por-
ton Of the stalk above the ear are lost
IL the fodder is left standing in the field.
The chemical losses due TO exposure are
chiefly losses OF the group in which sugars
and similar soluble bodies are found. These
soluble substances are the ones most read
lily dige1ted and the palatability OF the
food depends In a large degree on the
proper preservation of these materials.
0AAo
deterforate after a heavy frost or splitting
freeze. Similar changes take place In the
corn plant. which is related to the cane.
but in a smaller degree, since the sugars
are present in a smaller quantity. The
changes that take place in weatherfng re-
suit in an absolute loss of material of the
sugar group since they are converted into
compounds that pass off into the air. The
albuminCids OF the corn plant are more di-
gestible than the albuminoids Of hay. But
weathering has the same effect on the
corn plant as overripeness in hay-the
albuminolds are made less digestfble and SO
there Is a loss OF available albuminoids
as wei! as an absolute loss from the de-
composition that Is steadily going on. The
hardening of the woody fibre encloses the
other materials. so that greater resistance
Is offered to the action OF the digestive
fluids and there Is less food material
available for the support of the animal.
The experience Of good feeders. as well
as feeding experiments carefully conducted
under chemical control. indicates that the
most feeding material may be derived from
the corn crop by cutting 1t as early as Is
consistent with the proper curing of the
ears. Danger Of molding may be lessened
by making the shocks smaller than is Gus
tomary. Shocks as small as four hills
SQUARE are sometimes used and permit
very free circulation Of the air. The labor
of cutting and handling Is considerably
lessened by the use OF smaller shocks.
So far as the writer knows the corn
stalk disease has not appeared among cat
tie fed on properly cured corn fodder. al
though the disease occurs among cattle
having tn, range of the corn stalk fields.