Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1896-03-24

Total disestiblc substance. ASH 3.6o $50
We see from this table that the more
iigestible food per acre is secured from
green fodder, silage comes next and field
cured next.
FEEDING >ILAGE TO FARM STOCK.
AT the Wisconsin station daily ration
IL four pounds of hay and seven pounds
Ot grain, with corn silage or tield-cured
corn fodder WAS fed 70 20 cows for Ii
weeks
During the silage feeding l9,slS
pounds OF milk were produced, and
Is, Sol pounds during the eorn-fodder
feeding. Taking into account the areas
ut land from which the fodder and silage
corn were produced, II is shown that the
,ilage would have produced 2i3 pounds
more milk per acre than the dry fodder,
or the equivalent of II pounds of butter,
= gain of slightly over three per cent in
favor of the silage
When We take into account the fact
that far less labor is put upon the silsge
than the fodder, the difference becomes
more apparent.
At the Vermont station one pound of
dry matter ia silsge produced more milk
and slightly more solids and fat In q on;
. cases than oGe pound OF dry matter In
corn fodder.
At the Ohio Experiment Station, for
four years in succession, loo pounds OF
dry mattcr in silage produced +pounds.
or nearly per cent more milk than beets.
It has been clearly demonstrated that
two pounds OF dry matter cin beIaised
in silage a. cheap as one pound In beets,
in all sections where corn grows TO ad-
vantage. The Peuusylvania station Sc
cured results very similar TO those in
Ohio.
At the Massachusetts, station in ex-
periments extending over ) years, il was
found that whenever silage Was fed In
place of fifty per cent of the hay, that
the cost of production was materially
reduced.
At the Maine station it was found that
a pound of digestible matter from corn
,ilage produced more growth than
pound of digestiole matter in timothy
hay.
Numerous experiments in many locali-
ties have fully demonstrated that silage
Is valuable food for all classes OF stock.
am aware there may be few unused
>ilos in Maine, but their number is very
limited indeed, and venture the opinion
that whatever objections the owners OF
hose silos may have had TO them, and
include the half dozen" mentioned by
,our correspondent, arose from some im-
proper conditions, either Of the crop
when harvested. of the silo itself, or OF
their methods of feeding.
The idea of reducing the grain bills 10
a minimum is an excellent one, and all
Maine farmers should strive TO do so,
,ut why do so by putting unnecessary
labor into harvesting, husking, storing,
and grinding the corn crop, rather than
placing il in a silo at the least possible
expense of handling, where IL will be
cured into the best possible of winter
feed for stock with less waste OF valua-
BILE matter than iu any other way! Let
us not sacrifice income, convenience, ana
actual value of stock fodder TO prejudice,
but grasp every possible aid in our efforts
| 10 reduce expenses and increase the Ca
pacity of our farms. In the case in-
stsnced by your correspondent where
the farmer raised and husked from
| 100 TO 800 bushels of corn, | will set the
extra labor entailed in the work and ex-
pense of husking and milling TO be with
in reason bile boun6s, $50, or 81 per acre.
| La addition 10 this comes in the fact that
unless the corn field is some distance
from the barn, il can be put in the silo,
| ready for feed, as cheaply as 1t can be
cut and shocked in the field.
But the principal objection urged oy
your correspondent is its unhealthful-
ness. because il is fermented food.
IN he will take the trouble TO visit and
examine the silo and the stock OF Mr. b.
F. Briggs. of +. 5. Adams, of the Pike
Bros. Of our State College, insane
ASYLUM or the soldiers home, or even In
nav own barn. am satisfied that ne
would be forced 10 admit there was moth
| ing better for coarse fodder than corn
ensilage. The opinions of all feeders
that know in Maine, and l include our
in sane asylum where 40 cows are being
fed on silage every day, and where their
looks, general appearance, ana large
| flow OF milk attest TO its value, are 10
the effect that there Is no possible dam
ger 10 the health of an animal from
properly feeding it ensilsge. Many OF
the animals so fed are constantly under
the eye Of veterinary. 49,
Every one at all conyersant with
tuberculosis knows that 1t Is germ dis
ease and cannot be created by any food,
| tny more than can small pox or scarlet
fever. The germ must be present to
start the disease and Is far more liable TO
he in hay and cured corn fodder, which
ia living exposed to all the dust that Is
living. than in ensilage, which Is in the
close silo, comparatively protected from
this danger.
noted the article by DR.. E. Cutter In
the Homestead Of Jan. 4th, which your
spoudeut refers to, read 1t care
fully and consulted DR.. Young OF the
Maine Board Of Health, and he assures