The Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Or.) 1862-1899, 1897-09-17
CHEAT AND CLOVER.
Relative Digestibility of Each.
Extract from the Station
Bulletin.

The experiment station of the Oregon
Agricultural College has issued bulletin
on the relative digestibility of cheat hay
and clover. The experiments were con.
Quoted by Chemist G. w. Shaw and Ag-
riculturist H. T. French. Following is
brief extract:
Much controversy has arisen over the
comparative value of cheat hay. Cheat
has long been considered valuable hay
producing plant throughout the William
cite valley. That it grows we'll there is
little doubt. Many farmers report yield
of three to four tons per acre, and even
greater yields are often mentioned The
average yield is about M tons per acre.
This portion of the state seems to be the
natural habitat for several wild species of
Bromus; and owing to the certainty with
which cheat can be grown, and the un-
certainty which attends the efforts of the
farmer i'll growing other varieties of
grasses, it is not strange that cheat should
be retained so tcnaciously.
Cheat is a very hardy plant, easily
withstanding such vicissitudes of climate
as are likely to prevail throughout West.
ern Oregon. On low, fiat, heavy soil,
where where water is too abundant duriI Z
the winter months for other grasses to
thrive, cheat will make a very good
growth. 1t would not be easy to find a
grass that can surpass cheat under these
conditions On the higher portions of
the land, or on land which is fairly we'll
| drained, there are other varieties of
grasses and clovers which MAY be grown
successfully, and which will give much
better results when fed to stock.
The question upon which this report is
INTENDED to throw more light is not a
question of growing cheat, but rather its
value as compared with clover, when fed
to cattle.
1t is a common practice at present to
feed cheat to dairy cows as we'll as to all
other kinds of stock; and it is with a
view of discosraging its growth for dairy
stock especially that these facts are pre-
sented.
The question of profit is determined
more largely If possible, in dairying,
than in any ether branch of farming, by
proper knowledge of the food supply.
1t is not question of quantity altogeth-
er, but of quality, and proper combina-
ton of food constituents to produce the
best results. The dairy cow is deliate-
ly wrought machine which must not be
overworked i'll consuming large amount
of material that is not needed, i'll order
to get sufficient supply of that which
is essential in the production of milk.
When cheat is fed to dairy cows the
| creamery man complains ola lack of
milk supply, and this fact implies that
the farmer is simply keeping his cows
without getting proper returns from
them. Much is said in these days re-
garding the yield of butter fat as an in
dicator of the value of a COW in tho
dairy; but it is not altogether just to the
COW to apply the test before we have
learned how to feed her properly. While
the food, under normal conditions, will
not materially change the butter fat in
milk, it will materially change the total
yield by increasing the flow of milk.
1t would not be right to discourage the
growth tf cheat unless there is some
thing better with which to replace it.
Over large portion of the Willamette
valley, where cheat is now grown. clover
can be grown successfully. This has
been thoroughly demonstrated on the ex-
pertinent station farm, and we have seen
the same results obtained on other farms
in this portion of the state.
The bulletin concludes as follows:
''The chemical analysis shows that
cheat contains large per cent of indi-
gcstible woody fiber than clover and less
| than half as much portein or flesh form
ers. In carbohydrates, or those sub
stances which go largely to keep up ami
NAL heat, the cheat is better provided
than the clover. This to certain eX-
tent explains why the cheat gives such
favorable results in keeping stock ami
mails, or those which are being kept over
winter. In the fat contained the cheat
is not nearly as well provided as the
clover
The nutritive ratio is rather wide-that
is there is large proportion of carbohy-
drates to the portien, Or flesh forming
substances-thereb being IS of the former
to one of the latter. 1t is not economi-
cal to require the animal functions to
take care Of so much crude fiber in order
to obtain a sufficient supply of nitrogen
ous material. 1t is cheaper to supply the
deficiency by better balanced ration.
This might be done by feeding literally
with bran oil meal. pea meal, or cotton
seed meal, but in feeding these cencen-
trated foods the expanse is materially in
creased. The best results will be OBJ
tanned whe:a we feed in the coarse food
as nearly complete, or balanced, ration
IS possible.
CATARRH|